The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-08-19

Greek, turned round in silent rebuke of
Cecilia's distracting chatter, and she had to
hold her peace. But it was not long before
she again found an opportunity to whisper:
"And isn't it interesting? Chanler Rao
has promised to solve the mystery of those
things that were stolen; he declares that
before he leaves the platform tonight he
will hand over the guilty boy to the head
master. I am dying to see how he can
possibly do it."
For myself, was seriously disturbed by
my sisters communication. I thought
from the first that Searson was little indis-
Greet in making known at all the unfortunate
occurrence; a wiser and calmer man would
have dealt with the difficulty privately with
out troubling any of his guests with an Incl
dent that was certainly not altogether to the
credit of his school-though that, of course,
was his own business. But it was very
different matter for Chanler Rao, in his
capacity of public entertainer, to deal with
the affair on the platform.
1t seemed absolutely incredible that a
problem which had baff1ed the experience of
the headmaster himself could really be
solved at all by this Eastern charlatan; and
trusted to an early retaliation of his failure,
rather than to his discretion, to preserve US
from the unpleasantness threatened by his
determination.
AS I rejoined my sister, DR.. Searson was
making his final speech. He explained that
in the ordinary course of things they would
5 now have completed their usual Speech Day
| program, but that, owing to the kindness of
= Colonel and Mrs. Thornton, there was on
[ this occasion an additional entertainment
provided in the shape of Chanler RAGS
e exhibition of real Eastern magic.
A burst of cheering from the boys at the
{ announcement caused my sister some en-
4 barrassment, and effectually checked the
5 Doctors tendency to embark on a scholastic
e disquisition on the antiquity and develop
: ment of Indian magic.
Y He contented himself instead with brief
! acknowledgment that he had himself wit
: messed CHAMBERS performances in London,
/ and was convinced of the commences of his
:, claim and the cleverness of his legerdemain.
o He was sure that the present company would
= find the exposition most interesting in
s itsen-and even valuable from an educa-
tional point of view as an authentic exam
Y pie of the magic practised from early time
It by this ancient people, who formed so i'm
it portant part of our great Empire.
lie Then the stage was cleared for Chanler'
r. performance, while the audience settled
v themselves down with genuine expecta-
ton of being entertained-very different
- from the polite pretense of being interested
which had characterized their reception Of
the earlier portions of the program.
Now must confess that from the moment
of CHAMBERS appearance on the platform, a
great deal of my anxiety vanished at once
Our Hindu friend, as have already limited
was rather an embarrassing acquaintance II
private life-you were never quite sure
what he might be doing next, or how far his
imperfect familiarity with Western civiliza,
ton might land him land YOU in difficulty
But on the stage, Chanler was thoroughly
at home at once and seemed instinctively
--~t to know the right thing to do.
With quiet dignity, he introduced him
self as a humble citizen of the British En-
pire, and paid graceful little tribute to tht
benefcent rule of the great King Empero
mn under whose sway East and West wer,
MI linked in the enjoyment of justice ant
v liberty.
Then he won the hearts of the parents b,
expressing his unbounded admiration o
British boyhood-especiall of the fine bod,
of "young and noble collegians" whom b
saw before him. And he captivated tn
boys themselves by half-comical commits
Grafton of, the scholastic burdens they ha
to bear, and raised ripple of laughter b
Confessing that he knew all about it throug
his repeated failures to satisfy the Calcutt
examiners for his degree.
All this was said with that curious naixtur
of dignity and humility which would b
absurd in a European, but which seemed S
NC exactly to fit in with the character an
ND personality of this gorgeous Representative
TO of distant land.
Then, with a pleasant expression of hi
. delight in relieving their strenuous Studio
of modern learning with an exhibition of tn
if ancient wonders and wisdom of the East,
RS began his performance
be Here, again, I could not but recogniz
-on that Chanler had exactly gagged what wa
zen required of him. The tricks were chose
with a special appropriateness to the aud
EN- ence he had come to entertain. Of cours
lde there was the wonderful growthof the mane
cry tree, and the basket in which little Rao
he apparently pierced again and again with
on. sword-no exhibition of real Indian mag
of could be complete without these much-di
a cussed marvels.
hat But the other items-the egg on the sid
to table which persistently refused to renal
an egg and Matched into a Growing banta,