A Poor Trick.

Southland Times, Issue 12797, 4 January 1894, Page 3

A Poor Trick.

The Rev. W. G. Scott, of Palmoor (Deccan), sends to the Bombay Guardian the story of the discovery of an inscrutable secret“ A Brahmin, who has been in the habit of deceiving the people in various parts of India, came to our bungalow a few days ago. He claimed that, with the assistance of astrology and the deities, he could tell any word that we had a mind to write in secret. He gave Brother Chute (my fellow labourer at this station) a piece of paper, a pencil, and book to lay the paper on while writing. Brother Chute wrote a word, put the paper in his pocket, and returned the pencil and book to the Brahmin, and asked him to tell the word he had written. He went to the other side of the bungalow, and in a few minutes returned and told the word. This feat having been repeated, we were much surprised; but it set us thinking. We noticed that each time he gave the book to put the paper on while writing he took the book with him when he went to find out what was wiitten. We noticed that the book was covered with light brown paper. Thinking that under this cover he had black copying paper whi.h would take the impression of anything written upon it, Brother Chute again took the pencil, paper, and book, and went into a private room. He took the paper cover from the book, and found the black copying paper as expected, and seven or eight sheets of plain white paper under it. Wishing to see what excuse the astrologer would make, Brother Chute wrote a word, placing the paper on the table and not on the book, and handed the book and pencil to him as before. He went out again, but soon returned, saying that the stars were not favourable to-day, and therefore he could not tell the words he had written. We then took the cover off his book, and showed him (and a number of others from the town who had come to see him perform) his deception. He begged of us not to expose his trick, saying that it was the only way he had to make a living, and that rich Brahmins and kings had offered him hundreds of rupees if he would reveal to them the secret, but he had shown no one.”