Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1890 — A MYSTIFIED EMPERIOR [ARTICLE]

A MYSTIFIED EMPERIOR

Fooled by the Tricks of a Very Clever Youth. fhs Three Orest Wonder*—How a Conceited Chinee# Monarch War Hoodwinked by Three Simple Heats of Jugglery—He “TTouldn’t Do It How. Many hundred years ago China waß ruled by an Emperor who was looked upon during his reign as the most remarkable man of his time. But though Tai Tsung posssessed a more than ordinary mind he had been trained in the superstitious school of those days, and considered himself the greatest of all men, and descended from a line of emperors of divine origin. So conceited did he finally become that he caused it to be announced throughout the empire that he would give an important office to the subject who cOuld produce any invention or object that he could not explain. So great a reward naturally attracted the attention of bold adventurers all over the empire, and so many presented themselves that certain days were set apart for an examination of their claims. But one day a youth, having the bearing of a person of rank, and with two attendants, presented himself at the palace gates and demanded an audience with the Emperor. After some little delay they were led before Tai Tsung, who, sat upon a throne in the court garden. “I have three tests I wish to submit,” said the youth. “Two had their origin in thy country, O, Tai Tsung, and the other comes from my people." Taking a package from one of his attendants he placed it upon the ground and displayed the contents to the Emperor. These were simply a coil of rope, an umbrella of native make and a small box.

“Youp Imperial Majesty observes,” said the stranger, “that we are three, surrounded by thy officers and unable to add Jo our numbers or to deplete them without thy wish. You look!” and seizing the rope the young man, who bad thrown aside his outer garments and now appeared in a suit of gleaming silver, tossed it up into the air. The effort was a slight one, yet the rope rose as if propelled by great force, and when above the palace walls disappeared. A moment later down it came, and upon it the Emperor and his officers saw sliding down a human form, and before they could recover from their astonishment a joung man had reached the ground and, saluting his Majesty, handed him a sqaure package wrapped in rice paper. “Canst thou tell from whence came this messenger?” asked the youth. “Perhaps he came over the palace wall.” suggested one of the Emperor’s advisers. “Surround the wall with soldiers,” said the youth, who overheard the remark, and these precautions being taken he took his cast-off garment and threw it over the new coiher, who crouched upon the ground. Over this was placed the large umbrella. Then uttering an invocation the young man tore aside the robe—the new comer had disappeared. “This is some trick of the imagination,” said the emperor. “Did you fill see it?” turning fiercely to his followers^

“Yes. your majesty,” answered his chief adviser, “it is some trick—our eyes have deceived us.” “Did not the messenger leave a package!”’ replied the youth. “True, he did," said the monarch, who now unfolded the package, finally holding up to view a small painting representing a pastoral scene. A range of snow-capped mountains were seen in the distance, skirting a valley covered with green grass, and in the foreground, in bold relief, stood a pure white cow. “The picture is a gift to your majesty,” said the youth, “and possesses this peculiarity: That while the cow is but the expression of the skill of the painter, it has certain of the instincts of the living animal. Your majesty observes that now, in the light of daV, the cow is feeding; but take the picture into the darkes t room In the palace, or examine it at night* and it, will be found that the cow, thinking it night, has passed into an enclosure and is lying down.” “Watch this man,” said the Emperor, “that he does not fly away with his messenger,” and, with his .chief adviser, he took the picture and retired to a darkened room. At the entrance he halted again to look at the painting and saw the cow standing upon the green. Crossing the threshold and drawing the curtains, the Emperor was amazed to see the picture stand out in startling distinctness when all else was invisible in the room; but the cow was now seen to be lying down behind a fence. “Can you explain itP” asked the Emperor of his attendant “It is magic,” replied the the latter. “I see you cannot explain it,” retorted Tai Tsung, “and, until you can this prinoe shall have your place. ” As they returned to the garden the cow was seen standing as before and, turning to the strange youth, the Emperor said: “You are my adviser, for I cannot explain your works, and now, for my consideration, exhibit the third test.”

"As thy adviser I would suggest that the third test be made to thee alone. It is called the talking string and, by its use, one of thy subjects can hear thy words from afar." “Leave us alone!” Baid the Emperor to his attendant, and when they had departed the youth unwound from an Ivory stjck a cord havlqg upon each end a bamboo cup. “Hold It to thy ear, sire," he said, “and for great distances it will carry my words to thee. ” The Emperor was inoredulous, yet he held the cup to his ear, and when the prinoe had reached the end of the court-yard and the cord had become stiff with the tension, he listened, and out of the bamboo cup came a soft S' be^SytdvffTut thy friend. If I have shown thee that there are things yet new to thee in high life and other things yet to

learn, my nffeeion is endow. Hie talking string is thine.,” Astonished, the Emperor replied to the tatting string and summoned the prince to his sido, now eager to have so wise a man as his counselor. But the ratter would not accept his favors, and after a week of feasting and merriment he departed for bis own country in the unknown West ; t** 1 ; To the Emperor the acts and gifts were nothing less than magical; but in reality they were simple affairs. The appearance of the young man apparently descending from the clouds is a bit of jugglery familiar in India even to-day. The picture was skilfully made by using phosphorescent paint prepared by the natives of certain portions of the East nearly a thousand years ago. By using ordinary paint for the (Jay picture and luminous paint for the one at night the illusion was created. In other words, the cow pictured lying down behind a fence was put on in luminous paste and was seen only at night— a simply arrangement easily accomplished to-day. The “tatting string” was the telephone, which, like many of the supposed modern inventions, was known centuries ago and used as a toy by the people, appearing to many as having some mysterious significance. .