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Entered according to Act of Congress, in June.lß7o, by J. W. Burke & Cos., in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the So. District oi Georgia
VoI.. IV—No. 22.
Written for Burke’s Weekly.
A LITTLE JUGGLER.
4m he Chinese and Japanese are
famous for their feats of jug-
gling and legerdemain ; in
deed, some of their tricks are so won
derful as to challenge the admiration
of the outside world. A favorite feat
among them is that of keeping a large
number of wooden balls flying in the
air, with the hands, head and feet, and so
directing their motions as to make them
represent fountains, balls, wheels, stars,
'esi° r^e y display such skill and ability
~ -this feat, that A seems to be almost
miraculous ; but to lookat the juggler,
you would suppose it no great task, as
he will keep the balls flying for hours,
with but little apparent exertion, if the
lookers-on happen to desire it.
The little fellow in the picture has
only three balls, one of which he holds
in his right hand ; but it is not unusual
to see an old hand keep six, and even
eight, in the air at the same time.
When this little fellow grows older, he
will no doubt be as expert as any of his
nation.
Some very common jugglers’ tricks
are such as these :
Lying down on the back and causing
a large earthen water vessel to revolve
around and around on the soles of the
feet, which are turned up toward the
sky.
Another is to cause a candlestick, in
which is a lighted candle, to stand erect
on the top of one’s head, while he sings
some ditty to the sound of clap-traps,
which he swings or works in his hands.
Another is to balance a common plate
on the upper point of a short perpendi
cular stick, which is placed for support
by its lower point on another stick held
in the mouth of the performer, the plate
spinning around with very great velo
city. The wonder of this truly wonder
ful performance is the ease with which
the plate is made to spin around so
fast.
Sometimes, one passing along the
streets, will see a man playing with
MACON, GEORGIA, NOVEMBER 26, 1870.
three or five rings, some six or eight
inches in diameter, in a manner which
never fails to draw a crowd around him.
He throws the rings up into the air
separately, catching them in his hand
when they seem joined together, or
linked into each other like a chain.
The performer throws the rings into a
variety of shapes, without the slightest
hesitation or mistake.
Another man will be seen throwing
up three sticks, one after the other,
keeping two of them in the air. With
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each, as he catches it on falling, he
gives a rap on a drum placed before
him. Sometimes, three kitchen-knives
are thrown up in the same manner, and
caught as they fall, one by one, and
tossed up again. When knives are used
no drum is struck.
What among the Chinese is regarded
as very wonderful is a performance de
scribed as follows:
The juggler pretends to kill his son,
and plants a melon seed. The specta
tors behold him apparently kill his boy
with blows from a sword, cutting off his
legs and arms. He then covers up the
mutilated parts with a blanket placed
on the ground. In a short time the
body is gone, and is nowhere to be
found, having seemingly vanished from
the place. Having planted the melon
seed in a flower-pot filled with earth,
after a while the blanket is lifted, and
there is seen a large melon on the
ground.
If a spectator expresses a wish that
the melon should vanish also, the blan-
ket is thrown over it. After waiting a
little while, on again lifting the cover
ing, the melon is nowhere in sight.
Yet a short time longer spent in wait
ing, and on removing the blanket there
will be seen the lad, who had ap
parently been killed and mutilated but
a little while previously, living and
well, without any mark of having been
injured.
Many more of the sleight-of-hand
performances of the Chinese jugglers
might be given, had we space.
Whole No. 178.
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THE r MIDNIGHT CROSS.
IN IDYLS.
Over the Trenches.
Douglas—Clebcrnr.
HE good Lord Douglas,— dead of
In his last journeying,
T ° re a Chis heart, in heavy gold,
nrfijj The"ieart. of Bruce, his King.
Through Paynim lands to Pales-
tine —
For so his troth was plight—
To lay that gold tm Clirist'his shrine *>•*-*>*4
Let falljwhat peril might.
By night and day, a weary way
Os vigilfand of fight,
Where never resue caraeaby day,
Nor ever rest by ; night.
And one by one the valiant spears
Were smitten from his side:
And onelby one the bitter tears
Fell for the brave that died.
Tilfifieree and black around his track
lie saw the combat close,
And counted but the single sword
Against uncounted'foes.
He drew the casket from his breast,
He bared his solemn brow!
Oh ! Foremost of the Kinglicst!
Go “ lirstjn battle” now !
Where leads my Lord of Bruce, the sword
Os Douglas shall not stay!
Forward !*We meet at Christ, his feet
In Paradise, to-day!
The casket flashed; the battle clashed;
Thundered and rolled away !
And dead above the heart of Bruce
The heart of Douglas lay!
Loyal!—methinks the antique mould
Is lost, or Theirs alone
Who sheltered Freedom’s heart of gold,
Like Douglas, with their own!
Trial of Faith.
The trial of faith is the greatest and
heaviest of all trials. For faith it is
which must conquer in all trials. There,
fore, if faith gives way, then the small
est and most trifling tempations can
overcome a man. But when faith is
sound and true, then all other tempta
tions must yield, and be overcome.