SIR C. J. NAPIER AND THE JUGGLER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 904, 14 January 1882, Page 3

SIR C. J. NAPIER AND THE JUGGLER.

After the battles won in India by the late Sir C. J. Napier a famous juggler visited the camp, and performed his feats before the general and his officers. Among other things, he cut in two, with a stroke of his sword, a lime or lemon placed on ' the palm of his assistant's hand. Napier thought it was impossible to do this fairly without cutting the man’s hand, and he therefore accused the man of being a cheat, and in some way deceiving them. The juggler denied this, on which, to settle the matter, Napier told him -that he would hold the lime. He then stretched put his right hand, which the juggler attentively examined, and then refused to make the trial. “1 thought I should find you out,” said the general. *’ Stop,” cried the juggler, “ let me see your left hand.” On this being examined, the man said he would try it. “ But why with this hand more than the other ?” “ Because the right hand is more hollow in he centre than the left, and there is a risk of cutting off the thumb.” Napier was startled. He saw that it was really a •feat of delicate swordmanship, and—if he had not so rated the juggler before the officers—would gladly have been off his bargain “However,” he says, “I put the lime on my hand and held out my arm. The juggler balanced himself, raised his sword, which fell like lightning, and the lime was cut asunder. I felt the edge of the sword on my hand as if a cold thread bad been drawn across it.” It was much to Napier’s credit that, when he saw he hud unjustly accused the man of being a cheat, he did not shrink from giving him the opportunity of proving himself to be (in this respect, at least) an honest map.