Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-11-11
From Bells London Htehly Messenger

| THE FIRE--KING AND HI, CIiALLEAGER
A. advertisement appeal ed few days age,
in which q Mr.. ] Smi h, at er insInuaing
that NJ. Cbabsrt, the fir king, pr>c ised some
jugge when he apps ated 10 inter- mo an oven
heated 20 500 degrees, ami 10 swallow 20 grains
Of phi rspho,us, ,hal eng'd him FIR any sum
which he nigh please To m-niIon 20 perf IN
the expioi y mi h he pr TESS, TO b" perform
ing daily. To this chellrng- was added az
xplicu pledge given u2r" he hpoo'' OF Nh
Smith, h., il VI Chaser, fairly areo "pl,sh
ed such an und akiag, he would lk.w ST do
The s.ms.' The Fire King in cons q.eaor pub
licly accepe ed NJ, Smiths challenge fr so
pounds, requesting him provide thr po'so"
himself, and of ring viii true chivalrie Cur
ic>v. To allow him TIE me 'onyenfnces winch
hs used himself whilst he renamed in the oven
Mr. ] Smih in his rejoiuder 20 NJ. Cnaber,,
Informed i'm hat hr would NEE, him IN The
Argy Rms at his Ordinary hour of per-
Torrance, and wou d then sen'er the oven with
him, and D riorm his other fcats.' Wedues-
day was mutually fixed upon as The day on
W ich the TWO ,on'rac,ing parties to TINS x
,raori,uary challrnge were 10 Try Their merf s
| by ,he ordeal of .6re and on which they were
% SUNNI, their row.rs OF resisting poison TO
the ,rs' Of experiment.. Accordingly ttw" "
clio, k The hour appointed for the comba, a
numb'r Ut gentlemen wert attracted o''e are
| ma IT, which il was 20 take place; and IS thew
entered care was aiken 10 infsim them tn,
the money had been regularly posted, and III.
Mr.. Smith was rr,ny " ONE >" he scratch.
At little b, fore O'clock, The Fire King IN de
his appearance ne r. his ovtu l., anL as some i'm
patience had BE-, n exhibited owing To the nom
arrival Of NJ. J. Smith, he offe ed to am
| he Company with few ,ufing rxnerim- ms,
which he said any Of III m might prrfnI NJ
with ,hr grta est ease.
H. then made shove red no. aud rubbed il
over his tongue "a trick fli which, no sdi, ne
sud, was due, as the moisture 1T the tongue
was >uffi,,eW 20 prevent any i"juty rising
from H. lie next dubbed i ovrr his hair and
fa,r, declaring that an, rody mign' perform
tie same lea by f s. wasning themsel,e, in >
mixture { s3iii.s Oh sulphur and of alum.
which by au'.nz'ng the epdrtmi'. b aIdenrh
the skin resist he FIRE. H. ,heo pu, his
hand into som- mei,ed lead 'ook SIN III por-
ton of 1t out, placed i, in his mou h, and then
gave j. in solid ate TO me of rhr compa-
my This performal C according to his &C.
&c IN, wa, also very easy; for &c sriz.d ony
very small particle which, ny tight compress
sur bet cen he finger and humh, became
cool before it reached the mouth By he time
tina, ,h-s, " H. lr tricks" as he called then,
were p rf,rmrd, another call was made for Mr..
Smiths appearance The Fire King looked
al ounG ,h' room, and seeing the bashful ,oun-
tenance IF his challenger in one corner Of it,
called him from his retirement, and pointed
him out to he notice OF the audieuoe The
Challenger being on the ground, the time for
Tiflius Was now over. and NJ Chaber, forth
with prepared himself for Nigh lei und.rlak
ings. A cruise Of oil was brought forward and
poured into saucepan. which was previously
turned upside down, 20 show ha tarre was no
wa &c in il The slleged r ason for this step
was, that vulgar cnpjuroIs who prof s. 10 drink
boiling oil, place tn, oil in water, and dunk i
when the water boil, which lime he oil IS
no. warmer 'han an ordinary cup e ga II,
intended 10 drinx ,hr oil when a., D. rsoi
m gh' SEE j. bubbling in he saucepan, AID
when ih' 'hrrmnme!, ould prove ina, il S
heated tn $50 drgrtes n saucepan was &C
cortingly placed UP n III FIRE. and as il was a,
curing the r.qu.>i,e nr,i, the Fire King Cha
le ged an, man Ii ing TO dri k spoonful Of
he oI al the same iem ser ture as that az which
he was going to drink i. few minucs Al,
wards, he s,rped IF o"h'uii with Z
grrars ppar e, ALI rs gh he spa"u-
from contact win the boiling auid, had be-