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A STORY OF HINDOO MAGIC.
Is it Nothing More Than Hypnotism
After All?
Strange Performance on the Deck of
„ Vessel That Astonished all but a
Young Child the Magician Had
Overlooked.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
Years ago I sat one day on the deck of a
ve-scl lying at its moorings before Cal
cutta. I had intended at first to go out
to t larden Reach while the Shawmut was
discharging and taking her new cargo,
but, illness in the family of the friend
with whom it was proposed I should stop
had interfered, and I decided at last to
remain on board.
I was the more willing to do this, as
close beside us lay the vessel commanded
by a friend of mine, whose wife had also
decided to remain on board while in port.
The Fox lay closely enough for us to call
to each other from our docks, and nearly
every day we spent together. If I could
not go to the Fox, Mrs. King would take
her little niece and come on board the
gtaawmut. I had my baby boy with me,
and little Nera,my friend’s niece, who was
about a years old, would spend hours
swinging with him in his hammock,
which was hung from the spanker boom
beneath the awning, that the baby might
get what little air was stirring during the
beat of the day. Nera would lie there
for hours and play with baby if he was
awake, or with her doll if he slept.
Capt. King came aft to where his wife
and I were sitting, and said: "Would
you ladies like to see one of the best of
the native jugglers ? I have been talking
with the comprador about it and he says
he thinks he can get one to come off to
morrow if you would like to see him. Ac
cording to what he says the fellow is far
beyond anything in the way of magical
performances that you have ever seen.”
As neither of us had ever seen any
thing of the sort, of course we were eager
to have the juggler come aboard, and the
captain returned to the hatchway and
made arrangements with the comprador
to fetch him the next day. Mrs. King
and I talked of nothing else during the
rest of the afternoon. We rubbed up our
little knowledge of jugglers’ tricks, re
called the stale stories of seeds planted
and grown into a tree within a few mo
ments, of the boy packed into a basket
and the basket cut into ribbons, with an
accompaniment of smothered shrieks, and
groans from the mutilated child within,
< who afterward appeared in the back
ground, safe and sound, and all the other
accounts of the stock tricks of the Indian
jugglers of which we had often read.
We decided that this particular ma
gician would be at rather a disadvantage,
for he would be working on a solid deck
instead of in the sand, and in an entirely
unknown place, where he could by no
possibility have made previous prepara
tions to deceive his audience.
Next morning the captain told me that
the juggler would come on board late in
the afternoon. Mrs. King, as usual, came,
to spend the day with me, and we sat on
deck all day. \\it> felt sure that as we
had been there on the day when the per
formaee was first proposed, and all of the
following day, there had been no chance
for any trick to be played beforehand,
and that, therefore, we were to have a
genuine performance, whatever it should
be. There could be no chance of decep
tion by hollow floors or easily moved
i sand.
Fate in the afternoon, or rather early
I in the evening, we saw a small boat glid
f ing toward us, in which sat a tall, slender
form clothed in the white native robe,
with arms folded and head bowed upon
his breast. Beside him sat a, slight
form, whether male or female we Could
not distinguish, but we supposed it was
the boy who in all the stories we had
read was one of the most important prop
erties for the magical performance. There
were no baskets in sight, and but little
else in the way of furnitujrfo for setting
the stage for the coming show. The boat
came alongside, and her passengers were
standing in our midst almost before, the
boat had touched the foot of the ladder,
1 think. The juggler was' the finest
looking man I ever saw. He was con-,
siderably over six feet tall, and was
formed like a Greek god. His snowy
robe wrapped around him left his arms
and one shoulder bare, and his long, slim
hands were us perfect as bronze castings
from an artist’s master work. He had
the brightest eyes I ever beheld, but in
their depths shone a light which made
me shudder with —not fear—but, well, I
could not tell what the feeling was, but I
knew it was decidedly unpleasant to meet
his eye for more than a moment. On
comparing notes with my companions af
terward I found that they had all felt this
same strange sensation. It was not fear,
hut none of us could give it a name,
though all experienced the discomfort in
greater or less degree.
As tVie strangers reached the deck we
saw that the figure which we had seen
sitting beside the man in the boat was
that of a young girl. She was almost as
fine looking a speciman of her sex as
the man was of his.
1 hey lost no time, but proceeded with
their preparations for our amusement.
Ihe man disdained to speak to us at all,
hut gave his directions to the girl, who
repeated whatever it was necessary for
us to hear in a low melodious voice. They
asKed for several things, among'others a
t:U cane basket, at which Mrs. King and
1 smiled at each other; a slender line, a
fan of ashes, and some other little articles
"'hioli i have forgotten now.
lhe line, which was handed the man,
Wa ? °V spare signal halliard, and after
swinging it around his head a moment he
seemed satisfied and laid it down beside
the mat which he had spread upon the
n y’ This mat was of woven grass, like
tnousan,\ of others we saw every day.
lhe only thing which he had brought
with him was a long slender sword and a
smad crystal globe, which seemed filled
t'jth some liquid clearer than water,
"ith a sparkle and shimmer in its depths
fieri when nothing jarred the globe to ac
count for the motion.
After a short time the man squatted
oown upon his mat and his strange eyes
gazed at each one in the circle surround
ug him for a moment. As he looked
into m y o.ves I felt a most unus
ual chill and shudder pass through my
ti' n v, " as not a nervous woman, and
mis heart-chill was anew experience to
vim ■ 8 £ aze Passed slowly around our
Hue circle, lingering for a moment as it
S, some eyes, and passing rap
‘ly over others. I thought he paused
j’iiger as he gazed into my face than
'V did at any other, but that may have
Tf a Pagination. When he had com-
, ** tlle otfcle he raised the crystal
hn i sri , ( * 1* Poised upon one hand
a spoke some words to his young com
ruuion m the strange musical tongue in
mch he had.carried on all hisconversa
stnee coming on board. She turned
oitn and repeated to us his words:
ti ll the strangers to each think of the
1 oae in his own far-off land and to
"iv deep into the magic crystal if lie
‘. tarn w lint that loved one is doing
At this instant.”
e each fixed our attention upon the
wr'.ifj , * wondered what my sister
wi* uH? if she could see me sitting
ire? °re this strage Indian looking
. •? ti e Pths of a glass of water (if
■ent contained), and wishing that I
, id really see her for but one moment.
„ : ? se thoughts passed through my
i gazed steadily at the globe and
con *ents glitter and ripple as if
kit, Ji. some wind which we felt not.
■ -v across the surface passed a dim
cloud, which grew rapidly more and
more opaque.
Then suddenly I saw a comer of the
old faniiliar dooryard in my far-off home.
The big maple tree grew into form before
my eyes; its leaves fluttered and swayed
in an unfeit breeze. The green grass be
neath Its branches waved and tossed as if
it felt the fresh air of morning passing
across its verdant face. A slender form
came swiftly out of the dim haze which
filled in the background to the picture.
Ithasiny sister, and a look of wonder
shone in her hazel eyes as she seemed
looking straight across the tho usand
miles of water which divided us. I
started up and the picture faded away.
1 saw nothing but the Hindoo squatting
before me, holding his crystal globe aloft
and watching the faces before him with
keen intentness.
He sat silent for a moment, then rose to
his feet and began his performance by
giving us some of the less important
tricks of the juggler, all the time his eyes
roving from face to face as if he would
read each heart to its depths, and I for
one felt sure that he could so read mine,
for I could feel his gaze sink deep into my
brain 1 was half afraid him, but wholly
determined to do nothing to break up the
sitting.
After some minor tricks of sleight of
hand nd of the commoner class of leger
domain, he spoke to the girl in a harsh,
quick tone. She brought out from under
her voluminous robe a small, Hat silver
salver, which I noticed was entirely cov
ered by an intricate pattern of engraving.
This the man put carefully down upon the
exact center of his mat, and taking from
his bosom a small silk bag he scattered
the contents, a white powder, upon the
salver. He addressed the girl in earnest
tones, and then took his seat again upon
his mat, with his head bowed upon his
breast and his hands gripped closely to
gether as if he was making some desper
ate effort or was bearing some terrible
agony. The girL lighted a small taper
which had been among the articles they
had brought with them and put it down
beside her master. Then she also stood
with bowed head and clasped her hands
for a moment as if waiting some signal
from her master. She waited but for a
moment, for with a shudder he raised
his head and spoke to her in a quick, shrill
voice.
She in turn repeated to us his request
that we should promise that, no matter
what happened, we would none of us
move from our place. If we should move
no one could tell what terrible accident
might happen. Of course we all prom
ised more or less readily, and the man, to
make sure of our obedience, beckoned us
to sit closer together in a ring almost
touching the mat upon which he sat. We
did so, laughing aud crowding together,
and when we had taken the required posi
tion he spoke tq the girl, who immediate
ly caught up the signal line and pro
ceeded to arrange it in a ring surround
ing our little group as we sat around our
entertainer.
As soon as she had completed her task
she took her station within the ring, and,
dropping her outer robe, stood in a closer
fitting undergarment, which left her
slender limbs uncovered from knee to an
kle, from wrist to shoulder.
When she had taken her place the man
arose, and, muttering some incantation in
a musical undertone, he walked around
outside the ring formed by the rope and
scattered the ashes over the line, cover
ing it from sight. He then took his place
again within the circle, and after the girl
had again impressed upon us that under
no circumstances were we to move, the
man took the tape in his hand, and, hold
ing it high above his head, seemed to bo
invoking some power which he beheld in
the air above our heads. He then stooped
and touched the flame of the taper to the
end of the rope which encircled us. The
flame crept along the cord,
and wherever it lighted a change took
place in the substance of the cord. It
began to writhe and twist in a very life
like manner. The flame crept around the
circle, and the slender line which we had
all seen taken from our own signal chest
was suddenly turned to a twisting, gleam
ing serpent, which coiled and twined
around our circle, hissing and darting out
its fangs at every motion. It was one of
the most deadly of the many venomous
serpents of the country, and we shrank
together with horror.
“If the strangers sit silent nothing can
harm,” said the girl, with a warning ges
ture.
We sat still—we could do nothing else
—and the juggler stood erect and began
again the melodious chant which had ac
companied his scattering of the ashes.
But then it was inarticulate; now he
seemed demanding aid from the higher
power (or lower, as you choose), and his
eyes were lighted up until they seemed
burning coals, and I wondered that they
did not scorch my face when he glanced
at me.
He raised the silver salver with its con
tents, and, holding it high above his
head, waited for a moment in silence.
A flash, and the piwvder on the salver
burst into flames. He lowered it to the
deck, and the flames died away, leaving
behind a mist of smoke, faintly fragrant,
which settle lower and lower around us
until we viewed ail objects through its
dim haze.
I glanced behind to the hammock where
the two children were lying to see if they
were frightened, but baby was sleeping,
and Nera was swinging and humming to
herself as she played with her doll. She
lay with her head upon baby’s skirts
and lie had one little hand buried in her
hair.
At this time the serpent had twisted
and writhed around us, and the hindoo
had kept ilp his low wailing chant. The
girl stood with bowed head close beside
him, and the smoke seemed to bend and
twine about her form until it grew dim
and seemed to wave and sway as if in a
breeze.
Then all at once she raised her arms
and slowl.Vi softly floated upward on the
cloud waves like a leaf rising on the ed
dying wjnds. The chant grew more
rapid, the smoke more dense, but stilt
through its vaporous waves we could see
the light form floating upward, still up,
until it was lost to sight far above the
top of the masts.
Louder and louder chanted the Hindoo.
The smoke rose even thicker and more
dense. We had lost sight, of the girl.
All eyes were turned to the spot where
she had disappeared far up above our
heads.
The Hindoo stood erect in the midst of
the circle, his form swaying in rhythmic
measure with his chanting. He held his
arms higher and his voice took on a
deeper tone. Then from far up in the
blue void above us we saw a tiny spot
scarce visible against the azure sky. It
floated downward. Nearer it came, un
til we could see that it was the form of
the young girl. Lower, still lower, she
came, and we could see that she held a
burden clasped in her arms.
The smoke grew more mistlike as she
descended, until it vanished. She came
down with the same swaying, drifting
motion I had noticed when she ascended.
Soon she was below the mastheads, and
in a moment she floated just above our
heads. Then, to my horror, I recognized
the burden she bore. It was the form of
a baby. She held him closely clasped in
her arms, and before I could move she
had floated accross and laid him in the
hammock, where I had seen him calmly
sleeping but a few moments before we
saw the girl floating upward in the midst
of smoke. Before I could move she stood
again before the Hindoo in the center of
the circle. The powder in the sal
ver had ceased to smoke. The
line encircling our group was
again nothing more dangerous than
a simple hempen rope. My nerves had
been so thoroughly unstrung by the sight
of my child dropping through the air
when I had supposed him sleeping safely
by my side, that I did not care for
further exhibitions of the wonderful
THE MOItMNG NEWS: SI'NDAY, SEITEMBEK 10, 1S0:{.
power which tho Hindoo possessed They
received their reward, gathered up their
effects, and in a few moments were row
ing toward the shore.
When we were a little calmer, and
could compare notes we found that every
one had seen the same wonderful sight—
tho girl, with empty arms, float away
out of sight, only to descend bearing the
child on her bosom.
The only thing which differed in our
several experiences was in the first vision.
When the crystal had been held up for us
to look in to each saw a different picture.
Each saw the one of whom lie thought
when told to send his mind back to his
best loved friend at home.
1 have not the time to give the different
pictures each beheld, but in all the other
wonders of the hour each saw the same
surprising sign. We all saw the twining
serpent: every eye had seen the same pic
ture that met mine of the floating girl
ascending alone to return bearing the in
fant in her arms. If one had lieen de
ceived all had been—all in our group,that
is, for when in talking it over I turned to
Nera and said: “Who took baby boy out
of the hammock, Nera. while we were
busy with the man?” Nera looked up in
wide-eyed surprise and answered: “Why,
he didn’t be tooken up, auntie. I lied on
him dross all the time so him couldn’t fall
out, aud we swinged all the time the man
stood up and preached.”
"But, Nera, did not you see the pretty
girl fly up in the air?”
"No, her stood right still all the time.
Her kept watch of big man when he
swing him arms, but her not fly, her not
do anything.”
There you have it. They say now that
the camera shows just what Nera said
she saw that day. Men of science are
about agreed that the mysterious power
of the Hindoo juggler is nothing more nor
less than hypnotism, and that would ac
count for Nera and the camera seeing
things as they are, not as they appear to
those wno have yielded their minds to the
strange power of the Hindoo.
FAKING AS A FINE ART.
Recalling an Ancient and Extraordi
nary Story.
How Donaldson, a Chemist Who Coaid
Burn the Ocean, Demanded a Million
of Dollars and Was Put Out of the
Way.
From the OhtDago Herald.
“Speaking of fakes,” said the old re
porter, “the first one that I knew was the
best. Oh, of course, that doesn’t excuse
the fake, nor make it less odious. Of
course none of us ever was guilty of fak
ing. I know that. No Chicago reporter
ever wrote a line which he didn’t believe,
with adequate information, was the per
fect truth. But they used to do it. And
I’ll tell you about it.
“I Was a lad, learning my trade in the
office of the Plymouth Democrat, down in
Indiana. One of the Chicago papers had
some hired man, who certainly earned by
this one act the title of king over all
fakirs then or thereafter born. I was
devil in the office, aud found the story in
the galley proofs, even before I had
learned enough about the trade to be
trusted to take proof. I suppose my
technical duties consisted in carrying up
wood and sweeping out the office.
“The McDonalds, who ran the paper—
and have run it ever since—were good
newspaper men. and they saw the value
of the tale, and they cut it out of the
Chicago paper and ran it from beginning
to end in their news columns; for that
was before the day of plates and patent
sides. We set our own matter aud made
better pajiers than the journalists of the
country are making now. Here was the
story:
“William Donaldson was a chemist,
living in San Francisco. He had a hobby
for chemical analysis aud was forever
startling his friends with some new and
wonderful discovery which was simply
wonderful and new and never had any
practical use in tho business. But that
made no difference to him. It was
enough for him to know that he had
learned something that other chemists
did not know, and he went straight ahead
with his experiments, till his hands were
burned and his eyes were injured and his
room was a sight for all experimenters.
And at last he seemed to have struck the
trail of a really interesting thing. He did
not come among his fellows as he had
formerly.
HIS FEARFUL SECRET.
“He never joined them in the restau
rants, nor at the drinking cellars, nor at
the theaters, where they all had spent
many of their evenings formerly. He
was scarcely ever seen even at his board
ing house. Aud when they did catch a
glimpse of him it was seen that he was
worn and thin and abstracted. It came
to be known among his acquaintances
that Donaldson had tackled a problem
that was fast driving him to insanity.
His fellows talked of him and his condi
tion with that interest we feel in a man
who has tried to drink all the budge in
town and has found it rather too much
for him. It is interesting, but not absorb
ing.
“Finally one day Donaldson came out on
Kearney street, clad in a fine suit of
clothes, sjiorting a cane and bemeaning
himself very much in the fashion of a
nabob. He spoke to his old friends when
they addressed him, but didn’t see them
till they had called his attention to their
existence. He was clearly living in the
clouds. Fact is, Donaldson had found a
fortune, and he was putting himself in
training to get all out of it he could.
“One day he went to the president of
the richest bank in the city—a man who
was foremost in all public enterprises and
one who banked on his general guardian
ship of the town. To him Donaldson
hinted that he had make a discovery
which was of vast interest to the people
of San Francisco.
“ ‘What is it?’ said the banker.
“ ‘lt is a chemical which will burn
water,’ said the chemist.
“ ‘And what good is that to me?’
“ ‘Well, I have concluded to throw it
into the bay unless some of you rich men
think it worth your while to buy it,’ was
the rejoinder.
“The banker thought he had a' mad
man to deal with, but a little talk showed
him tbijt whatever might be said of Don
aldson, it could not be said he was crazy.
He simply had a scheme by which he
could destroy by fire ail the water in the
bay, and he was willing to prove it. If
he couldn’t prove it he was harmless. If
he could prove it, and if he persisted in
his resorve to use it, he was dangerous to
an extreme.
HIS FIRST PROOF STUNNED THEM.
“The banker appointed an interview
with Donaldson and half a dozen rich
men and they all went together to a ho
tel which the bankers selected in secret.
They put Donaldson into a room and told
him to go to work. He ranged all his
auditors across one end of the apartment
and then drew a wash basin full of water.
He called their attention to a little pellet,
much like a cathartic pill in appearance,
and dropped it into the water.
“Instantly the flames shot up to the
ceiling, with a roar like the falling of
walls and an intense heat that ruined the
furnishings. In two minutes all the
water in the bowl was consumed. The
bowl itself was so hot it could not be
touched by the naked hand. The air of
the room was like the fumes of an oven.
The line of capitalists across the farther
side of the apartment were as white as
marble. What was this thing the des
perate chemist had discovered ’
“ Tt is simply a chemical which sper
ates the component parts of water.’ he
said ‘There is enough potassium in it or
upon its coating to start combustion. After
that the chemical is self-generating out
of the material held in solution in tho
water. It will go on increasing itself and
pushing the combustion till all the water
iii whatever volume holds it at starting is
consumed. Then, when there is no more
water, it will subside and die. There is
no more danger after ihat. But have
you men hero in San Francisco any inter
est in San Francisco after all the water
in the bay is burned up? And let me lead
you a step farther. When the water in
the bay—and through the pipes into your
house is burned, this conflagration will
still go on. It will pass out by tho Golden
Gate and spread to every drop in tho
Pacific ocean. Every ship on the ocean,
every warehouse at tho docks, every bale
on the pier will be burned to ashes. Can
you afford it?’
*’ ‘What’ll you take not to do it?’ quer
ied the banker.
“ ‘One million dollars!’
“The big bugs gasped. That was a
formidable sum of money thirty years
ago, and its stupendous significance added
largely to the interest in the tale. It was
before the day of Gould. It was’ when
Vanderbilt was the only really rich man
we heard of commonly in the country. A
million dollars seemeu bigger than any
thing else in the world. That one man
could possibly have that much in hard
cash was almost beyond belief.
THEY WANT MORE PROOF.
“So the rich San Francisco fellows
sked for a little time, so they could talk
to others as much interested as them
selves, and see what was the best thing
to do.
“ ‘All right,’ said the chemist. Re
member, gentlemen, you are not to try
any sharp practice with me. At the
first intimation of danger I will toss one
one of these pellets into the nearest pool.
And when that happens you are gone. But
if you do all I ask you, you shall have the
ingredients with which I have made tiiis
preparation, and I will never again at
tempt to make another dram.’
"They went out from the hotel, paid
the bill for damages and left the chemist
to go his way till the following Wednes
day. When Wednesday came they called
on him and told him they talked the mat
ter over with other capitalists and all
had agreed they would demand another
and severer test. If he could go to a lake
in the mountains and burn that as ha had
the water in the wash bowl and with the
use of a single pellet, then the proof of
its self generating character would be
established and he would receive better
consideration. In the meantime they
told him they thought he was a good deal
of a bluffer.
“He laughed at them and agreed to
their plans. All went together to a lake
in the Sierra mountains and made sure
the conditions were right. The lake had
no inlot. It was fed by springs in the
bottom. It had a little creek flowing
from it, but that they dammed up, and
then they were ready for the trial. Don
aldson took them up to a ledge fifty feet
above the level of the lake, unrolled a lit
tle strip of oiled paper, took from it one
of his little pills, asked them if they
were ready and tossed it over the brink.
“They all leaned forward and watched
the insignificant pellet drop through the
fathoms of air till it touched the top of
the water. They watched it through
glasses as it danced lightly about for au
instant and then they looked with wider
eyes as they saw a little vapor-like steam
arise from the surface of tho lake.
“The next instant the explosion came.
The waters of the lake were parted as
lightning parts thecolumns of the air and
that with a re|ort a thousand times louder
than thunder ever evoked. From that
point on the surface where the pellet had
dropped, straight towaud the bottom, the
fearful chemical pierced its way. sepa
rating the oxygen from the hydrogen, and
thus separated, consuming them both.
From that pitlike center, with almost up
right walls of rushing water all about it,
the terrible conflagration went on across
the lake, sweeping up this side and up
that, till nothing but the baked ami
smoking bottom of the reservoir was left
remaining.
“Then it was tho men noticed to what a
height the flames had risen. Higher than
the tops of the mountains on which they
stood, higher than the peaks that lifted
their heads to the snow, higher than the
clouds that bent to soften the outlines of
the rocks, Dhose flames from the furnace
of Tophet tossed their wcii-d and writh
ing arms. The heat all about them was
intolerable. Their faces were blistering.
The skin on their hands peeled and curled
back from the tortured flesh. *
‘“Haveyou proof enough?’ asked Don
aldson.
“ ‘Plenty,’gasped his terrified auditors.
‘We will raise the money for you.’
“They went down to the city again, and
all the way those men were praying that
they might secure the devilish secret of
that man before he should, m a moment
of frenzy, destroy all their possessions,
and all the waters on the face of tho
earth.
"But you know it is a habit of human
nature that a man will do more, promise
more, when he is frightened than he will
do when he is safe.
PLOTTED FOR HIS DEATH.
“After they had passed a good night’s
sleep at home, after they had talked
with tho other men who were to help
them raise the million, they took a more
hopeful view of tho situation. They be
gan to plan. They told Donaldson they
could not possibly raise SI.(XX),(KM) in the
city, because some of the bankers and
merchants declared New York as much
interested in the matter as was the city
by the hay. They proposed ho go with
them to New York and there compel
the raising of the remainder of tho
money. They promised him if they could
not get the easterners to assist them they
would get him all the fund even if they
had to go broke to a man.
"They gave him SIOO,OOO in cash and he
went with them. He was sure he had
them.
“But here came the proof of their
double-dealing. The Union Pacific rail
road runs about a precipice called Cape
Horn. The track clings to the side of the
cliff 700 feet above the bottom of the
ravine. There is not room enough on the
outer edge of the cut for a man to stand
while the train is passing. They hired
an athlete named Samson to go with
them, and told him what they wanted.
The party seemed ta have made up their
minds to have a good time en the journey,
and they were eating, drinking and
smoking a good deal. To do this at that
time necessitated the running from one
car to another a good deal. There were
no buffet cars thon. as there are now.
Well, Samson, who had made himself
quite friendly with Donaldson, proposed
a smoke just as the train was rounding
Cape Horn, and with him passed from the
first-class coach forward toward tho
smoking car.
"As they closed tho door behind them
Samson grasped his fellow passenger and
hurled him over the brink, past the
swiftly sweeping engine and down into
shat deep ravine. The train rolled on.
and that was the end of Donaldson and of
his secret.
“So much of his story was printed one
Monday morning, and I cannot tell you
what a sensation it caused all over the
country. Everyone was talking about it
and speculating on what the final result
would have been had the chemist not
been killed. And then, when the story
had had plenty of time to get down into
the minds of the people, with consummate
skill the sequel was printed.
DONALDSON IS FOUND.
“It was on the following Monday morn
ing. ‘Donaldson is Found.’ That is
what the headlines stated. Tqe story
went on to the effect that the mangled
body of Donaldson had tteen found, still
with the breath of life pulsing through it,
b\ a young woman named Dollv some
thing. 1 don't reniembec what. She was
the wife of a hunter, and she had found
the unfortunate chemist as she whs re
turning from an errand to the house of a
neigh boi live mll s away She had taken
care of Inc invalid, ami carried him to
her cabin, and while waiting for strength
to ret urn to him had hiqied against hope
that her husband would quit his pursuit
of the mink and the otter on the upper
Humboldt and come home to her. She
felt she could not give this gent iv nur
tured man, this delicate scholar, ail tho
delicacies he needed.
"And so Donaldson had lived in her
cabin live whole days, when all of a sud
den the hunter came home. He stood
across the clearing, saw his wife spread
ing a dainty little meal for a I‘carded man
in the cabin. He took a careful aim with
his rifle and shot the schemer through the
brain.
“And that was the actual end of Don
aldson. His secret died with him. The
very day he died a party sent out by the
bankers to make- sure their work had
lieen well done found tho hunter's cabin,
found the roll of money on Donaldson's
body, gave half of it to Samson and the
other half to the real assassin. Then
they went back to San Francisco.
“Now, there's a fake as is a fake,” said
the old reporter, in conclusion, as he
reached for another match and knocked
the ancient ashes off his cigar.
"And wasn’t there a word of truth in
any of it?" asked one of his friends.
“No more than there was in that story
of yours about stealing the ashes of Co
lumbus from the monastery of La Ra
bida.”
ENVIRONED BY SNAKES.
A Drummer’s Experience ol a Terrible
Night in Texas.
A Tree to Which He Clung for Bare
Life Was Almost Covered With Ven
omous Snakes, While the Seething
Waters That Surrounded It Were
Alive With Alligators.
From tho Philadelphia Times
“Talk of snakes," said the drummer
from Boston, as the crowd received the
cheerful information that the train was
an hour late, and settled down to pass
the time as best it might, “I spent a night
once surrounded by not dozens of them,
but hundreds. Real snakes, too; none of
those produced by good spirits, either. It
was just seven years ago this fall that
business for my Arm led my wanderings
down to Sabine Pass, a little town in
Texas, on the gulf coast. I was tired out
by the journey down the river on an old,
slow steamer, struggling with a patched
up paddle and and antiquated engine, so
that 1 turned in early. It must have been
somewhere in the neighborhood of mid
night that I was wakened by a dull, boom
ing sound, afar off, and a trembling of the
earth.
“I sprang from the bed and rushed to
the window, and by tho light of the
moon, a week-eyed, sickly Diana as ever
fought the clouds -I could make out what
seemed to be a solid wall of water ad
vancing from the sea. It was on the town
before the helpless people could run for
their lives, and house after house
shrank into nothingness as a lump of
sugar might. In au instant more J was
out in the water battling the murky
wave, and ducking from the timbers
hurled high in the air as the angry tide
seized them in its cruel play. I had al
ways suppossd myself to be a fair swim
mer, but the odds ware too fearfully
against me for me to he able to long sus
tain myself in the seething, eddying flood.
1 felt my strength going from me, my
head was giddy with the force of the
vortex, and I Hung out my hand in an at
tempt to steady myself, and as I did so a
chicken coop floated past with a dripping
rooster standing on top shrieking dis
mally. I caught the structure and held
to it like grim death, and by dint of
struggling with it succeeded in getting up
beside the disconsolate lord of the iKiultry
yard.
“My weight sank the coop to within an
inch or two of the water, but even this
precarious perch was better than noth
ing. We then joined in the mad ruce in
which dead cattle, branches of trees and
trees themselves, with every now and
then a human body with a set white face
staring up at the pitiless sky, went danc
ing on as if to a devil’s tune. Every now
and then someone of these objects would
collide with the rooster’s and my frail
craft and we would go under, but the
next momenjt we would emerge again and
i would reach out and seize my less for
tunate companion on this strange
voyage and fetch him up again
to his perch by my side. Once
as I mounted my coop after a plunge of
this sort, a long, black muzzle shot up
from the water close by and a vicious
snap told me that in addition to the
ghastly objects on top of the waters,
there were even more dreadful creatures
below in the shape of alligators, and I
shuddered to think of what would be
come of the bodies that a few hours be
fore were living, joyous human beings.
Again I saw the corpse of a baby of about
a year old float by, one chubby hand still
clutching a rag doll, whose gay dress of
red calico formed a cruel contrast to the
wax-white fingers that held it.
“All at once, the coop came in violent
contact with a large water-oak tree that
stood still upwriglit beforo the flood,
with its branches thrown up against the
sky as if in mute protest of the sights it
looked upon As the coop struck this
body 1 was thrown off, aud when I would
have seized the craft again, it was
whirled out of my reach by the mad rush
of the tide, and I was again thrown
against the tree, but this time I caught at
the end of one of the lower branches de
pending about a foot from the water, and
seizing this I drew myself out of the cur
rent, and reaching up found another still
larger bough near me, and so from one to
another I climbed as well as my soaking
garments would allow, though fortu
nately these were of the lightest possible
character.
“Tho moon now went out behind the
gathering clouds 9nd left the scene in
profound darkness, and I could only im
magine the horrors about me, aud so
when presently my hand touched some
thing clammy and cold 1 could not identi
fy its nature, but when it moved along
the branch in a slow, sinuous movement
I guessed at once the fearful character of
the creature occupying that tree with me.
But 1 had no time to do more than recoil
from this horror in tho dark when I felt
another drop from somewhere over my
head and land on my bare neck. I reached
up and caught tho long shape by the tail
and with a Jerk flung it out into the wa
ter, aud as 1 did so I was sensible of a
th’ird crawling on tho other arm, by
which [ still held to the tree. I shudder
ed with real terror, for I knew this low
country was infested with the most
venomous varieties of the rattlesnake
aud the big green water moccasin, but
there were only the two courses open to
me—to keep perfectly passive under the
reptiles’ passage over my body and not to
provoke them to an attack, when my
fate would be sealed, or to face death at
once by dropping off the tree Into the
black flood swirling beneath.
"I resolved to take the first chance and
steeled myself to endure the touch of tho
hideous creatures, that, attracted by the
warmth of my body, gathered about me.
One sought a refuge in the open shirt at
my throat and coiled hiiuseif about my
MILLINERY.
1894.111118^:
KROUSKOFPS!
Krouskoff Millinery Company is opening daily novelties in Millinery for Fall and
Winter. The facilities of the company are equal to the largest houses in Amerioa, and the
choicest offerings from Europe will be offered to the ladies of Savannah. Full lines in
Silk Velvets, showing all shades, with good line ol Blacks. Hats in English and French
Felts, in all colors and shapes. Feathers, Ribbons, and everything in the millinery line.
Our workroom, in charge of the most able designers and trimmers, will show correct styles
in trimmed patterns. The reputation ol S. Krouskoff as the Millinery House South will bs
kept up and improved. We sell at retail on first floor at strictly wholesale prices, giving
fine goods at low prices. Wc also continue tho Ribbon sales.
Krouskoff Millinery Company
neck tightly, scarcely giving me power to
breathe, while another cllmtied into my
breast itself and lay there a horrid shape,
no doubt watching with its evil eyes my
every movement. There were snakes all
about me, above, beneath me, hanging
from the boughs, swinging lightly to and
fro, crawling up and down the portion of
the oak that still remained above tho
surface of the water, i grew sleepy
finally, but I knew' that to give up to my
drowsiness would be death, for if I fell
into the water the alligators would not
leave even my bare bones to tell the story
of my fate, while if I held on instinctively
even in my sleep, the least unguarded
movement would lie to excite the snakes
into attacking m.y defenseless body.
"So shuddering and sick at heart I
waited for the dawning of day. for the
hours in that tree oeach seemed to be a
week. My seat itself was precarious, for
the water had dashed over it several
times, leaving every branch covered with
a green slime and very offensive to the
smell and rendering them something of
the naturo of a slippery pole. But a man
can do much in the face of death of whicn
he thinks himself incapable at other
times, and so 1 wrapped my bare legs
about that snake festooned tree as loving
ly as if there had boon a prize
offered for it. At last day broke sul
lenly over as extraordinary a scene as
ever human eyes looked ujam. The en
tire town was gone, swept from tho face
of the earth as completely as though it
had never existed, and rolling back to sea
was the tidal wave that had wrought this
devastation, leaving in trees and bushes
ghastly relics of its power. Men and wo
men lay hurled here and there with dead
cattle side by side and with household ar
ticles in low places, all left of once happy
homes. From the boughs of some of the
larger trees called voices anxious for news
of friends from whom they had been sep
arated during the night, or weeping as
they saw beloved ones lying drowned and
stripped by the angry waters of all cloth
ing.
“As the day grew warmer the snakes
gradually left me and dropped heavily
down into tho pools left still, and after au
hour or two 1 saw boat after boat com
ing down the river on errands of mercy to
the living and dead. I hailed the rowers
soon, and was taken aboard, where I was
given a blanket and some whisky, and
presently was able to go on with the res
cuing party. And as for snakes, I then
saw more, of them than anyone would
suppose were in the world. The receding
waters had left them in the dip of the
ground, nnd often we had to stop to
shake them off of the oars before we
could go on. Once we came across a bun
dle of the writhing, twisting things that
floated on the surface of the river as they
fought, like anew variety of loathsome
island, while alligators by the hundred
had been swept out of the adjacent bay
ous and left there by the wave as it went
out. I myself killed twenty-seven of
these reptiles before noon, but the snakes
were so numerous that we ceased to
slaughter them, save when they would
drop into the boat.”
A MONSTROSITY.
As Great a Wonder as the Siamese
Twins Born in Atlanta.
From Saturday's Atlanta Constitution.
A human monstrosity that will create a
sensation in the medical world as an ana
tomical wonder was born in Atlanta day
before yesterday und died immediately
after its birth.
It was a child with but one chest but
two pair of perfectly developed legs and
two pair of arms, nnd had it lived it
would have taken rank among such ana
tomical specimens as Chang and Eng,
the famous Siumese twins and Mile.
Christine.
As it is, the child will be preserved in
alcohol and will be considered one of tho
greatest human curiosities known to the
medical profession.
Yesterday, no less than fifty prominent
physicians of the city viewed and exam
ined the child and pronounced it a verita
ble wonder.
The monstrosity is at Dr. Curtis’ drug
store on the corner of Broad and Mitchell
streets, and that place was tho center of
interested groups of physicians through
out the day yesterday.
The child is the offsriring of negro par
ents, its mother being Lizzie Grant, of
No. 27 Battle street. The father is a day
laborer.
It weighs fifteen pounds and is of nor
mal size. The head is large and well
formed and is covered with hair. The
features of the face are perfectly de
veloped, as are the bust and arms. They
are especially well developed and are of
good size.
Below the ribs two bodies begin and
are finely developed. One is the body of
a female; the other of a male. Two arms
are in tho normal {dace and two grow
out from between the ribs aud hips. The
four legs are even larger than normal
size and grow out from the hips.
One of the strangest things about this
strange piece of humanity is the arrange
ment of the digestive organs. These or
gans are located outside the abdominal
cavity, as are the heart and liver. The
lungs are in their proper place in the
chest. There is hut one spinal column.
Tho child died immediately after birth,
and Dr. Curtis, who was present, took it to
his place of business and- placed it in a
glass jar filled with alcohol. He placed
it in charge of Dr. E. L. Griffin, a young
graduate, who invited scores of physi
cians to look at it.
Among those who saw and examined it
was Dr. R. W. Westmoreland, and view
ing it from the stand point of a physician,
he stated that it had but few equals in
the history of morstrosity. He regarded
it as a rare and valuable curiosity.
Dr. C.'A. White, formerly professor of
anatomy in one of the Atlanta colleges,
said that he had searched through the
medical books and encyclopedias aud had
failed to find any record of a similar
specimen in existence anywhere.'
“It would be a fine subject for dissec
tion,” said he, “but is too valuable as an
anatomical wonder for that. I have never,
in my experience, seen outhiug like it.
Asa monstrosity, it far uutranks many I
have seen in museums. It would be a
great addition to the museum of the
Smithsonian institute at Washington.”
The curiously formed child is the object
of much interest and study on the part
of Atlanta’s physicians. Dr. Griffin prizes
it very highly on account of its value to
his profession aud would hardly part
with it.
A BOA EXCITES A TOWN.
The Huge Snake Gets Out of His Boa
and Climbs a Tree.
From the New York Tribune.
There was considerable excitement for
a few hours in Patehogue oil Wednesday,
when it was learned that a boa constrio
tor nearly sixteen feet long had escaped
from his box while being unloaded for th
show. After making his escape the rep
tile started east toward Montauk Point,
lie moved along rapidly, followed by th*
fair “charmer,” who was afraid to haudle
him while he was enjoying liberty in tho
land of the free. The “charmer” was
soon reinforced by the workingmen of tho
circus The work of heading off the boa
then began. Fence rails were thrust in
front of the snake, but he simply blinked
his eyes and glided gently over the ob
struction. The crowd then began to poke
him with sticks, and to escape the prod
ding the lioa climbed up a tree and hid in
the branches and foilage.
After a breathiifg spell—so long was it
that half tho village had time to gather
about the spot—the boa came down and
started back toward the circus train. Ho
glided into his box and took a nap, and
when evening came lie did his part of the
performance.
He -I shall never marry until 1 meet a wo
man who Is my direct opposite.
She (encouragingly) -Well, Mr Duffer,
there are numbers of bright. Intelligent girls
in this neighborhood.—Tit Hits.
LEGAL SALES.
RE(?KIV Elt’S SALE.
r TNDER and In pursuance of an lnterlocu
v J tory decree of tho Superior Court of
Chatham county. in the matter of Lowrenoo
burg Mauufai Hiring Company ot 01. vs. The
A .1. Miller Cos . equitable iietltion lu said Su
perior Court, sealed written bids are invited
for all the assets arid property of every descrip
tlon of the defendant, said Tho A ,F. Miller
Cos., both real and personal, wherever situ
ated, including notes, accounts and other evi
dences of indebtedness due to said company;
the said property consisting of ten (10) lots of
land situated at Southover Junction, in Chat
ham county, Georgia, and being subdivision
of .1. 1,. Whatley a property ult said Junction;
each of said lots having a front of to feet, by
a depth of 100 feet; the stock of furniture, car-
I*ets mattings and household goods, together
with all the office furniture ami fixtures con
tained in the storee occupied by suld defend
ant company, at numbers 171 Broughton
street, and 190 and 193 Broughton street, Sa
vannah Georgia, und all the notes, accounts
and other choses in action in the hands of said
receiver; also, five (ft) shares of the capital
stock of the Franklin Savings and Security
Cos., five (M snares of tho capital slock of
Southover Laud and Improvement Cos., and
all the right, tltlo, and Interest of said de
fendant company in and to the patent known
ns the Beasley Mai trass patent: two (2) mulct
and iwo (2) delivery wagons and harness; one
iii pony und cart, and ail tools, machinery
and other appurtenances to said busiposs in
anywise belonging.
The terms of sale are cash or credit, and tho
bids must specify the amounts either In cash
or credit, such credit to be four 141, eight 18)
and twelve (12) months, or for different lime*
subject to the approval of tho court; the tiino
payments to be evidenced by notes, bearing
interest at seven per cent, per annum. Each
hid must be accompanied by an offer of
security, personal or otherwise, and every bid
to lie for the whole of said property and estate,
no bid to be considered for any part of tho
same. All bids must state the kind and char
acter of security offered, personal or other
wise und bids will no received until Monday,
September 11th, 1893, inclusive. All bids sub
ject to the approval of tho court.
All bids should bo addressed to Clayton F.
Miller, Receiver, 171 Broughton street, Savan
nah, Georgia.
Any information desired in regard to the
property will be furnished by tho receiver
upon application, and all bidders will be
allowed by him to Inspect the stock and ex
amine lhe books of account, notes and other
property. C. F. MILLER. Receiver.
Savannah. Georgia. August 31st. 1823.
RECEIVER'S SALE.
IN pursuance of an order this day granted
by the Judge of lhe Superior Court of
Chatham county. I will sell on MONDAY,
Sept. is. laws, between II a. m. and 4 p. m., on
the premises at No. 96 Bryan street, tn Sa
vannah. (la., ul! the property recently com
posing (he plant of the savannah Telegram;
same consisting of one Cottrell & Babcock
press, one gas engine aud fittings, one router,
type slugs, chases, galleys, and other news
pai or material; same to bo sold in Idts. Lists
of matoiial composing lots can be had on ap
plication, l'erms cash.
JOSEPH J. IIOOI.AN, Receiver.
Savannah, Oa.. Sept. 8. 1893.
LEGAL NOTICES.
ASSIGNEE'S NOTICE.
Savannah. Oa.. Sept. 8, 1893.
AS assignee of the firm of DRYFUS St
RICH I hereby give notice tbat at 10
o’clock u. in. on MONDAY, Sept. 25, 1893.1 will
offer for sale on the premises, No. 161 Con
gress street, in this city, all of the wines,
liquors, cigars, fixtures and book accounts of
the said firm, an inventory of which is at
tached to the deed of assignment of file ia
the office of the Clerk of the Superior Court
of Chatham county, i will at this time and
place offer all of the said property at auction
to the highest and best bidder, reserving the
right, however, to reject any and all toids.
T. F. JOHNSON,
Assignee.
PROPOSALS WANTED. ~~~
SEALED TENDERS will be received by
me until Sept. 11.1893. for the speedy dig
ging out. launching or getting afloat in StiH
tion creek the British barkentine Reigate,
now lying high and dry on the marshes of
I'aris Island, near th ouarantlue station,
Beaufort River, S. C. Right reserved to re
ject any tender.
Any further information apply to
T. W. WILLETT,
Lloyd's Agent. Beaufort, S. C.
GROCE HI ES. ~
Hi Oar Mild CmT Beef Ilnois.
FINF. HAMS and Breakfast Bacon.
Finest Elgin Butter, and a full lino of
Imported and Domestic Delicacies.
CALL ON US.
N B.—Our prices compare favorably with
those of our competitors.
J. A. THOMAS &BRO„
152 Congress and 151 St. Julian streets.
INSURANCE.
charUesf.prendergast
(Successor to R. H. Footman A Cos.)
fire, lie and Storm lima
100 BAY STREET,
(Next West of the Cotton Exchanged
Telephone caU No. 34. SAVANNAH, OA.
5