The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-09-16
H.--Magiiic

rupees and some Or the reSiueT's
going 50 far as To toss away a nttle
copper money. The tall ana lanKS
man .1uns some money 10 the native
and. bringing back his arm after the
throw. swept away the iced drink or
the big man with the cane. Inc
glass fell with crash to m" moor
! Il am SO sorry" said the tall man
and. raising his voice. he called:
! Boy"
Almost instantly a native servant
stood before him. The boy was not
one OF the Stngalese hotel servants.
He was a Hindu OF extremely i'm
pressive appearance. The size OF
his puggaree was tremendous and
every inch Of his clothing was snow
Nhite.
Was it whisky and soda that you
were drinking" the tail man asked.
Yes" replied the big man. but
don't bother about ordering an
| other"
AK chota peg aur ak lenan
! squash lao" directed the tall man 10
~. boy and then. turning to the big
nan. h. continued:
! L have ordered drink for my
SCI, also. DO YOU ind II | sit AT
our table and wa Il the man OF
magic My name Is Smith.
! Not at all" was the reply. I'm
glad 10 have YOU. My name Is
Higgins from Austr; la. Ever been
| there"
NO" replied Smith Have TO
work TOO hard to travel much
Tea planting? .
"I-h-huh." said Smith. Just got
in an hour ago. for a holiday after
three months Of hard work up-coun-
try"
Rather an ordinary show that
this fellow Is giving us, said mig
gins, Jerking his head toward the
native conjurer.
some are better than others" re-
turned Smith.
The whole bag Of tricks Is moth
ing but sleight OF hand" said Rig
gins rather heatedly. You oon
think that there is really such a
thing as magic. do you?"
"Ch-huh." said Smith. Some
times there is, but not always.
Then why do they ever bother
with sleigh, Of hand?" asked His-
gins.
Easier" replied Smith. Watch
this one that he Is doing now. 1t 10
the mango-tree trick-one OF the
great feats Of India"
On a bit OF bare ground In front
Of him the native conjurer had
scraped with his hands . small
mound Of loose earth and dust
From a bag he produced a nat
shaped stone or seed Of the mango
fruit. This he held up for all to see
and then pressed 1t down into the
center of the little mound OF earth.
Mango tree grow quick" he said.
looking up at tho verandA
From n small bottle he proceeded
20 sprinkle the buried seed with
what appeared to be water. He then
covered the mound with a cloth and
drew diagrams in the air above the
cloth. This finished be rocked him
self to and fro while chanting some
weird Oriental mantram.
The tourists on the veranda leaned
over the railing with great attention
To most Of them IL was something
utterly new. something they had
read about and doubted
-HE native raised the cloth sew
eral inches. but without expos
= ing the mound Of earth. All
the time he continued the chanting
OF the mantram and rocked his body
with rhythmic motions. IN a few
minutes he ceased and lifted away
the cloth. From the apex of the
little mound was sprouting a green
leaf. a mango leaf. to make his work
still more convincing the native dug
up the mango seed and held II out
so that all could see that the leaf
was really growing from the seed.
Amid the applause from the spec
tators Higgins pointed his cane dis
paraginsly at the conturer.
"Sleight Of hand" he said. Moth
ing but sleight OF hand. I could do
st myself
"Uh-huh," said Smith. He may
have done it that way. but the trick
isn't finished"
The native sprinkled a few more
drops on the mound and again COW
cred It with the cloth. He made
passes over the cloth with q small
stick or wand and chanted his man
tram with greater energy. Finally,
with his bare hand and arm. he
placed his wand under the cloth and
proceeded 70 raise It upward until
the cloth hung from his appended
stick. as n bell-tent hangs from a
center pole. Slowly he continued to
raise the cloth on tho end Of his
wand until he revealed tho stem,
tiny branches and leaves OF a COM
nls.e mango tree which issued from
the top OF the mound.
Amid a shower OF hakshish from
the tourists tho native conjurer
stood up and salaamed.
Higgins. however. was not salts
fed.
Nothing but sleight Of hand" he
exclaimed In a loud voice. THE
little tree was inside your hollow
wand" he called to the conjurer.
"Sahib know all tricks asked
the native. addressing his doubter
The drinks arriving at this mo-
ment. Higgins turned his back on
the conjurer and applied himself to
straw while Smith sat idly and
appeared TO pay no attention to
anything or anybody.
Meanwhile the conjuring native.
glanclng every now and then at
| Higgins broad back. had taken