Year: 1876

Boy Turned into n Thread Machine


Magic Indeed.


The jugglers' patty consisted of two
men, a woman, lad, and a child of
about four years Of age. They had
with them large basket containing
their stock in trade, and, with the ex-
ception of the woman, they were but
scantily clad. The latter had a small
Indian tabor before her, which she oc-
casionally snatched up and struck with
the tips of her fingers, to add express
sion to some of the wild chants which
were introduced during the phases of
the exhibition.


A leathern strap was unrolled and laid
on the ground open to view; sub
dued choral incantation followed there
was slight but perceptibIe nervous
twitching motion of the strap. when
one of the performers, crying out,
Cover him up cover him up, or he
will bite us " placed large wicker
work basket, called a tapah, over it and
covered it with cloth then, siezipg
a strange looking musical instrument,
the body of which consisted of a small,
dry gourd, he produced a succession of
wild, droning notes, not unlike the
treble of q bagpipe. His companion
removed the basket, and, in lieu of the
leathern strap, there was an enormous
live cobra, hooded snake with crest
erect, darting out its double tongue and
swaying about foot of its body from
side to side, the rest being arranged in
a close coil. All drew back their chairs
in undisguised alarm. Meanwhile the
snake, though evidently charmed by the
music, kept his bright eyes directed on
the movements of the party, whom he
seemed to regard as his natural foes.
The woman was the first to attack her
ancient enemy by slyly attempting to
nip his tail. He Kissed forth his dis
pleasure, and made dart at her hand,
but she was too quick for him. With
equal success the lad and the mgn who
Was not playing continued to provoke
the reptile for minute or two, but he
at length bit the latter in the hand. The
blood trickled slowly from the wound,
but the man drew from a small bag
about his person what appeared to be
small, dark colored flat stone, and press
ing it upon the wound LETT it there, for
it appeared to have adhesive and styptic
properties. In about two minutes the
blood ceased to flow, and the quasi stone
dropped off. A small basket was then
put before the snake, into which lie
quietly glided and was hid from sight.


One of the iugglers then brought
forth ball of fine twine, and unwound
about fifty yards of i, in q coil in his
hand; this coil he cut through with q
knife, at each end of its diameter; then
a ain and again repeated the operation
until the twine had been divided into
pieces not exceeding four inches in
length. Taking up these disiecta he
put them into the lads mouth and bade
him swallow them, which, after some
effort, he to all appearance did. Then
asking ono of the company for sharp
penknife, the man obviously made an
incisionin the skin of the lads stomach.
From this he picked out with the point
of the knife the end of thread; this
thread he pulled forth, at fist gently,
then faster, then hand over hand, until
he had coiled down on the ground
continuous length of about one hun
dred yards of wet sewing thread. This,
if deception, was marvellous one, for
the operation had all the appearance
and tokens of reality, since the skin of
the stomach was slightly raised around
the orifice through which the thread
was being evidently drawn.


Our friends were fairly puzzled, and
to add to their perplexity, the operator
cut off the thread close to the skin, and
placed piece of sticking plaster over
it, leaving it to be inferred that the sup
ply of thread was unlimited, and could
be drawn upon to order"


An empty flower pot was now placed
upon the floor ~ the juggler, who re-
quested that his comrades might be al
lowed to bring up some garden mold
from the little plot of ground below.
Permission being accorded, the man
went, and in two minutes returned with
small quantity of fresh earth tied up
in corner of his chudder, which was
deposited in the flower pot and lightly
pressed down. Taking from his basket
dry mango stone, and handingi it round
to the company that they might examine
it, and satisfy themselves that it was
really what it seemed, the juggler
scooped out little earth from the center
of the flower pot and placed the stone in
| UL6 cavity, IlG bueu GuIuCu luS 6dIbu
lightly over it and, having poured lit
tie water over the surface, shut the
flower pot out of view, by means of
sheet thrown over small triangle.


And now, amid full chorus of voices
and rat-tat-tat accompaniment of the
tabor, the stone germinated; presently a
section of the cloth was drawn aside,
and gave to view the tender shoot,
characterized by two long leaves of
backish brown color. The cloth was
readjusted, and the incarnation resumed.
Not long was it, however, before the
cloth was q second time drawn aside, and
it was then seen that the two first leaves
had given place to several green ones,
and that the plant now stood nine or
ten inches high. A third time, and the
foliage was much thicker, the sapling
being about thirteen to fourteen inches
n height. A fourth time, aud the little
miniature tree, now about eighteen in
ches in height, had ten or twelve man.
goes about the size OF walnuts hanging
about its branches. Finally, after the
lapse of three or four minutes, the cloth
was altogether removed, and the fruit,
having the perfection of size, though
not of maturity, was plucked and hand
ed to the spectators, and, on being tasted,
was found to be approaching ripeness,
being sweetly acid.