The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-10-24 00:00:00

WEYXOI7'rH.

SCHOLASTIC—At the rent cinupetition examination
hold at the Palac •, Lichfield fir the Lord llishop's exhibi-
tion of £5O tenable for two years, Yr. R. T. Slade,
formerly of St. John's fichoola, of this town, auceeeded in
being the aucceasful candidate, and was thereby awarded
the exhibition.
. .

HOOD TKIIPLARIe HoPu of Wel.
mouth" Lodge, 1.0.1.1. T., held its fourth .osniveriay
meeting last week. In the evening there wee a 'man
bazaar, and the meeting was preceded by refreshments,
which promoted sodality. Afterwards the Worthy Chief
Templar and Sister Poslethwaite, a visitor, gave addressee
of encouragement and exhortation. From the Worthy
Chief Templar's addrem we gather that the lodge bag
received over 400 members during the four years of Its
existence, and, having f u mashed charter members to three
otin.r hedges. which swarmed off from it, and parted with
military and naval brethren, who have gone to other
parts, it cliii has about 120 in the lodge. The evetlin4 was
an enjoyable one to the nieinbers, and proved the sta-
bility of the lodge.
erremorr If itt's Coestramo. —The gallant lieutenant,
according to announcement, gave his entertainment
entitled "Two hours in the World of libigic," in aid of
the Thunderer It lief Fund, on Monday night, at the
Royal !lota There was a large and newt faahionable
atteudawm, including some of the meet distingished of
the gentry of the town and neighbourhood. while Lieut.
Jlll s prestige, where he ia hest known, was proved by a
large number of caws aunt sailers of 11.21 ships attend.
inc. The first-class seats seemed to be all taken, and the
on— pante of these Beata closest to the performer, were at
least equally astonished, (though they could see thu
conjurer at close quarters) as tbow at a greater distance,
llill performed such wonders as drawing an immense
number of things out of the has of one of the audience,
the crowing feat in this line being the production of a
- bird cages, sufildent to have Ailed the hat
Of course Perell• elltvineed the Wide holds

147.!..1.-u-.

nuns

were not reel, but they confounded this Idea, by jumping
about and even singing, and they were handed down
among the company, and found alive and real. The card
tricks were vastly clever and past comprehension, and the
gathering of money from the air or from the heads or
dresses of the audience, as good as any we have seen. So
large a number of illusions were practised, to the great
delight of the spectators, that the time far exceeded the
two hours promised, and it was about eleven when the
lieutenant showed the wipe box trick. Lieutenant
Howard was put into a polished and beam bound box,
ecarcely large enough for him, and it was firmly and
elaborately corded and pad-lorked. The lieutenant
proved his Presence by putting fingers through air-holes
In the box-lid, and then the box was conveyed behind •
'creme In about four minutes and-a-half, during which
time two gentlemen from the company watched the
front, the screen was removed, and the lieutenant was
found free and seated on the box. This was repeatedly
performed with success, one variation being that Limit.
Howard from outside got into the corded box, which was
found corded, pad-locked, and sealed as before. The
performance was more than simple to prove the exceeding
skill of Lieuts. Hill and Howard.
Ileac DOBLZIeI 11•01 C.—Well-hardened as a reporter
Inevitably becomes to feats of conjuring, sieight-of-hand,
and general magic, it must be fairly comfeseed that the
things accomplished by Herr Dobkr at the Royal Hotel
on Tuesday evening surpassed all we Wad seen, and in
fact all that we could have deemed credible. There is no
time to attempt to describe half of the astonishing and
graceful feats; but leaving the money-gathering, hand-
kerchief cotton-wool swallowing, ribbon-pnelucing, and
many others, the bank-note trick fairly astounded all.
It was borrowed from a gentleman, are:fully wrapped up,
visibly as far as our eye could see, burnt in a candle, MA
afterwards found by another gentleman in the interior of
I a candle which had been burning all the evening. and
, which the Herr did not seem to have ever touched. This
had been preceded by the wonderful appearance in
various places of • marked min, and its vanishing from
the closed hand of a gentloruan to the interior of a lemon,
I which had been left on the table in sight of the spectators
before the money was borrowed, and not even for a
, moment lost sight of. The more astonishing part was that
there were two candles, and two lemons, Feel the
spectators had their choice as to which the
money should be found in, while the indentity
was guarded by marks put on by the spectaters,
on the numbers of the borrowed note. Yet these are only
instance r out of a large number of equally astonishing
feats, which made one distrust the evidence of his own
, senate. One step further in the marvellous was cone in
the dark gases, when • tambourine was semi by
phosphorescent light to float about the now. Herr
Dobler was tied in his chair in • most complicated
manner, so that even the finger nail could not be put
between the rope and his wrist or his legs, and these cords
were passed several times round different parts. PO that
to tie them would seem to have required hours. Two
wall-known gentlemen of the town watched, yet in a
few seconds after the light was out Herr Dobler was free,
the manifestation," such as hell ringing, tambourine
shaking, ese, took place instantly. The Professor was
tied in the chair with hie coat on, and in a short time (a
few seconds) the coat was off, and he was tied in the chair
as before. Be borrowed the coat of one of the gentlemen,
and the same striking results were produced, and that,
even when this gentleman sat in front of him, with his
hands and knees against his, and his feet on
the professor's. Had one been asked if such
things could he done by mortal ma.s the answer would ,
certainly have been " Certainly, these
Budded deliverances, professed to be done by a man in
the flesh, were more startling than the appearance of
any supposed spiritual form, and we are not the least
surprised at • corre,pondent of a midland journal, who
fell back upon the exploded theory, that they seers
performed by spirits after all. In fact, it would have
been a relief to have supposed the same, and less
astonishing had a conventional demon appeared. We
recommend every one who likes puzzles to go to Herr
Dobler's performance, suit especially the dark seance
business; but we warn them that if they expect to earn
the £lOO offered for finding it out they are vastly more
likely to come away puzzled as to whether they have
seen, heard, and felt aright. To mention the 1111111 es of
the gentlemen who stayed on the platform is a great
temptation, as it would be recognised how severe were
the tests Herr Dobler wes put to; but from fear of being
thought impertinent we refrain, and advise all who Can
toe for themselves.
THE PROMLNADE Born CONCHRT.—Mr. Clarence Linden
and the other members of his band bade farewell to Wey-
mouth for the season, is a pleasant way en Monday even-
ing lame by • concert at the Burden Hotel Aeenibly
litooms. Although there was the counter-attraction of
Lieut. 11111's entertainment, yet Mr. Linden and his com-
panions arc so well-esteemed in Weymouth, that this
large room was fairly well filled the aggregate number
present being large. The artiste's were Mr. C. Linden,
buff and comic; Mr. James Poskitt, tenor Mr. (korge
Foster. alto; and Mr. William Ball, bases: Messrs.
Poakitt and Siddons performing the accompaniments, on
the pianoforte, Mr. teeter and )Lr. Ball. violins, and Mr.
Poskett, who has a versatile talent, occasionally perform-
ing on the harp. The purely instrumental music was
rendered in the spirited and haruionious style which the
band always displays. and Mr. Foster't violin solo—
" Hope told a flattering tale," was much applauded, all
was his comic song "The Yorkshire Country Lei," and
the burlesque "Brown, the Tragedian," a very laughable
performance. Mr. Poskitt was great in sentimental
songs —and was deservedly encored for the ballade
"Yes I VII meet thee dearest," "A ftweet face at the
window," and " Mother's loving kiss," he also sang
"Thou art so near, and yet s, far," and "She appeered
clothed in Light," from Martha (Flotow). Among his en-
core songs were--" The Letter in the Candle" (by desire),
and "in this old chair." Mr. Poskitt was throughout so
well received that he evidently ie, as he deserves to be, •
particular favourite. If anyone could surpass him In
bidding for the public favour, it was Mr. Linden himeelf,
who was always welcomed with tumultuous appleuae, and
received any number of encores, the public seeming never
, to he tired of getting his to sing again. His "My friend
the Major" was certainly very good, with the special
sensation of "The Charge of the Light Brimele" being
, introduced, he also gave "The Great Meat l'ie," "A Yarn
at SON" "Stuttering Man," Mrs. Brown's Luggage," and
"My very particular friend," being encored in all. His
character get-up was gomi in each cue, and his style of
, singing easy and self-possessed without being obtrusive.
The crowning song was one col:epee.' expressly for
; this occasion—" Good bye, and thank you all," with keine.%
warmly reciprocated by the audience. Mr. Linden and
his band will be much missed from the town .luring the
coming winter, for they have much enlivened the streets;
they have also caused many hours on board the excursion
steamers to be most pleasantly praised, during the
summer. Their numerou,s friends will be glad to learn
that they Intend to return on the ltli of next May.