"THE MAN THAT SAT IN THE AIR." Or those who have given themselves together, these tricksters have practo the practice of jugglery, India has tised their arts with great success in produced a large share, and some of that country. the most extraordinary. Ignorance A few years ago it was given out and superstition being usually yoked in the public prints of the greatest July 1859. respectability, that on a certain day a | the air, with his legs crossed, holding Brahmin of high caste would sit, cross-in one hand a string of beads, and legged and tailor-fashion, for the space of half an hour, in the air! Such an idea was regarded by many as absurd; but such was the effect of the announcement that crowds of people came from the distance of a hundred miles to see the sight. The day arrived. At the hour appointed, a flourish of drums and trumpets was heard, and the Governor-General and staff, and a large military guard, appeared in the public square near which the feat was to be performed. The Brahmin walked into the centre of the square and bowed to the governor and then to the numerous crowd. Two men of great strength accompanied the Brahmin into the square, and planted a pole firmly in the ground. Over this they threw a large sheet, forming a sort of tent, which excluded the operators from the view of the multitude. For about ten minutes expectation was on tiptoe, the multitude being amused by the noise of a couple of rude musicians. Then the top of the tent enlarged and rose gradually into the air. The two attendants then appeared again, and announced that the feat would now be performed, and with a sudden jerk the covering was removed from the pole, and the Brahmin was poised in resting with the other on the top of a pole, from which his body was separated by an arm's-length! Such a shout as was raised, and such wonder as filled the gaping multitude, we need not attempt to describe. The Brahmin kept his airy seat for a full half-hour, and offered to extend the time to an hour or two if they would pay a round sum for it; but the people were satisfied. The two men replaced the tent, and, going under as before, took down the pole and its occupant. The pole and the cloth in every part were examined most carefully, but the body of the Brahmin, being (by his faith) sacred, was not examined. He received his pay for the feat, and then went on his way, to show the like wonder to others. Not long after it was ascertained that the Brahmin was supported by a sort of chair made of brass and having braces for the back and shoulders, while a stout branch or bracket, made to curve exactly like the arm, projected from the seat to the pole and was firmly attached to the top of it. The large, full folds of the Brahmin's dress concealed all this machinery and gave full effect to the delusion.Youth's Penny Gazette LETTER FROM A MISSIONARY IN LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA. 51 LETTER FROM A MISSIONARY IN LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA. PERHAPS my little readers would be years of age, and is a member of the glad, occasionally, to hear something "Vey Tribe." The chief location of from Africa; and it has occurred to this tribe is at Cape Mount, some me, that though I cannot promise forty miles on the sea-coast, norththem much, yet, for the love I bear west of Monrovia. From its long them, as the lambs of the Saviour's and intimate connection with the fold, I might, from time to time, slave-trade, and with wicked and unenter their homes, and have some principled slave-dealers, you cannot pleasant little talks with them about imagine how vile and debased the things over here, and about the poor people have become; nor would it be heathen who are all around us, and right for me to tell you: it will be what God is doing sometimes among time enough for you to know it, them to cheer our hearts and strength- when, with your hearts secured by en and encourage us in our duty.grace, and filled with love and pity And I trust you will be glad to hear for them, you shall yourselves come these things, and giving your own to tell them of Jesus, and through hearts first to the Saviour, and lov- | ing and praying for the poor heathen, you will, by-and-by, come over to their dark homes and help us to preach to them of the love of Jesus. Oh! if these little heathen children did but know and love the Saviour, their hearts would rejoice equally with yours, their countenances be lighted up with as pure a love, and as bright a crown dazzle for ever upon their brows in heaven. I am happy even now, I trust, to tell you of such a case—and I shall head my little article with her native name, SOMBO-JONE. him of a better way. A few of this and She is now about fifteen or sixteen Mount, have renounced their Chris 52 LETTER FROM A MISSIONARY IN LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA. to have instructed, was an arrow of conviction to his soul. He complied, but his soul was in distress. At this time, Mr Seys, a former missionary in Africa, had arrived at Cape Mount, and was preaching with power the gospel of repentance and salvation. Both colonists and natives flocked to hear him. Sombo (though she could not understand) and her husband were among the most concerned listeners. She afterwards related, through an interpreter, to her present instructors, her feelings at this time—and I will let her tell you. She remarked, that the first time that she felt deeply concerned for her soul was, when Mr Seys came to Cape Mount. She went to hear him preach—and whilst preaching, he lifted up his hands and tianity, and begun to live as do the tire until he should first kneel down heathen? who, instead of teaching and pray. This unexpected and just them of Jesus, have, in a measure, rebuke from a poor heathen girl, conformed to heathen customs, pur- whom it should have been his duty chasing one or more wives and dwelling among them? But it is essential to my story: for the girl, of whom I am going to tell you was, but a few months since, living, as we may suppose, in all the vices of her people; and had been purchased as a wife by one of these very men, and they were both living not very remote from the American settlement (you will here note that the colonists are called Americans to distinguish them from natives.) She was the daughter of one of the head men at Cape Mount, who resided there before it was settled by the Americans. Sombo-Jone must have learned something of God whilst living in this wretched state, although she could not, at the time, speak a word of English. But how this knowledge was obtained I am looked to the sky, and then looked not able to inform you. God, how- straight at her heart with tears in his ever, designed, in his mercy, to do eyes, and her heart broke, and she her good, and good also to her back- felt bad-bad. In her own language sliding husband; but see how won--"I cry, and I cry-I feel bad still-derfully He accomplished it! One I no eat, I care for nothing. My night, when they were retiring, she friends be angry with me-I be sorry, observed, as always before, that her sorry for them, and sorry for myself. husband did not kneel down and I thought God no hear countrypray, and she inquired, why he did woman. I ask S, (her husband) can do as she had seen other Ameri-if he know God?' He tell me once not men do; and even refused to re- he did, but he done sin, and gone LETTER FROM A MISSIONARY IN LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA. 53 away from God, and he don't love wayside, for she had come there an him now. Oh, I say, I be sorry, earnest seeker after Jesus, and was sorry for you, will he no love you hungering after the bread of life. any more? Then he cry, and I cry Upon every opportunity, she was actoo, and he say, 'If God forgive and customed to retire to her closet, there like me again, I must give up all my to cry and pray for mercy. Nor was sin, and give you up too.' Then I it in vain. The Saviour, who was say, 'Please give it up, and let me teaching her thus to seek him, rego away; you look God, he hear you vealed himself at length to her most pray.' The young man seemed graciously. It was about a fortnight truly penitent, took Sombo's advice, after her arrival at the school, and and, paying her expenses, sent her whilst praying in her closet-her soul to be instructed in religious and other was so full she could not contain the matters at the excellent little school, joy; hastening down stairs, with an connected with the Methodist Mis- enraptured countenance, she exsion, some twenty miles up the St claimed, "Oh! 'tis fine, God be good Paul's river, and taught by Mrs Wil- too much. I go for cry, my heart kins and Miss Kilpatrick, with an laugh. I go for pray, I no pray-I assistant. To Miss Kilpatrick you say, thank you, God. Oh, I like are chiefly indebted for the particu- Him plenty; I want to do good all lars of this account. Sombo arrived time, and then go see Him more up at the Mission School, in November in the sky! less, spoke the feelings of her heart, She last, a tall and strikingly interesting Truly, these were touching words, native girl. At her own request, she my dear children, and Sombo, doubtreceived her English name, JANE TERRY. She was given a garment to make, the first sewing she had ever done, and accomplished the task astonishingly well, She took off a silver bracelet, which she had been wearing, with her beads and other ornaments, and gave them to Mrs Wilkins, remarking, "I don't want them any more." Through an interpreter, her teachers told her much about Jesus-nor was it seed by the fast, so that she may return to her people, and tell them about Jesus whom she loves. And her proficiency has been remarkable—always |