Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1852-09-01
JOHN RANDOLPH sSOLD.'

'"'' o'"Sio was otdy IuS dt tHc IHuiou SSheoH
Hotel. at Baltimore, the merits of magician
who at the time was astonishing the weak
minds of the Baltimoreans by his mysteri-
Gus performances in the 'Black Art" came
up for discussion in party, of which John
Randolph was one, when he took occasion.
in no measured terms, to denounce the deal
er in magic as graceless impostor, and end
ed with expressing determination to attend
one of the 'soirees mysterious" for the pur-
pose of exposing the cheat.
1t must be remembered that at the time
of which am writing, our magcians were
not as honest as they are at the present day.
Instead of coming out openly before the
audience and stating that it was only dex-
,erlty or sligh.-of-hand which gave them the
power to deceive, they boldly claimed that
they had perfect understanding with his
Satanic ma jesty, TO whose assistance they
were indebted for the instantaneous produce
ton of their wonderful effects The drink
ing of melted lead, the masticatlon of red hot
Goals, the swallowing of swords, the gulp-
ing down of burning tow, and the blowing
of ribbons of every hue and any desired
length from the mouth, were, according to
their statements, indirectly the work of f"Old
Nck.n
il is not to be wondered at, then, that a
man like John Randolph, feeling, of course
perfectly satisfied that deception was used,
and knowing that hundreds Of persons in
clined to superstition, religiously believed
that the astounding tricks exhibited before
them sprang from the source claimed for
them by the performer, should feel inclined
to expose the cheat and satisfy the said
credulous persons that they were imposed
upon.
While the discussion of the subject was
going on, genllemanly-looking individual
who occupied a seat short distance remov-
ed from the group, appeared to be "with
greedy ear devouring up their DISCOURSE"
and as Randolph finished speaking, he arose
and lef! the apartment.
That night our irate statesman, accom-
panied by friend, might have been seen
early al the lickel-office of the magician's
elace of business, and shortly thereafter
SHev al -.-I En-, cne, onh nniety await
ed the rising Of the curtain.
A look of determination was visible on
the sallow countenance of Randolph, whose
quick, restless dark eyes, fairly snapped
with impotence as the hour approached
when he should have the supreme gratifca-
lion of ofadminislering '.jessy'' to the con(ede-
rate of Satan and he was not al all displeas-
ed TO find that an unusually large number
ofpersons willing to believe almost anything,
were present.
At length the bell rang, up went the cur
tain, and the magician, with ferocious look.
ing beard and moustache, and robe tina,
would have done no dscredit to his terrible
master, the Arch Fiend himself, made his
appearance He began with great sauvity
of manner, to assure the audience that they
need be under no alarm at what they mi ght
witness, for the guilt of practising his pro-
fession rested entirely upon himself, and
that he was willing TO take the consequences
of it. He ended his address by asking if
any gentleman present would be so kind as
to lend him silver dollar for while:
Randolph, who had listened to the ad-
dress of the magician with feelings of the
greatest contempt and indignation, was only
too anxious to accommodate him, and in
s,an.ly springng from his seat, thoug h with
ou, saying word, he profered the requir-
ed coin, which was accepted, and he at once
seated himself again, the magician remark
ing that he should require his kind assist
an:e presently.
You shall have my kind assistance with
the greatest pleasure" mutlered the states
man 10 himself.
The performance went on-trck after
iri.k was disposed of to which Randolph
pail not the slightest allention-he was
anxious only for the "dollar trick''-it was
in hat, that he expected to catch the disci-
pie Of Memphistopies son the hp," and he
would have been willing TO have waited a
year for the extreme qualification that the
erlDse would afford him. At length the
magician, after kindly thanking the audi
enc for the attention they had paid TO him.
and trusting that he should have continu-
ane of their favors, announced that his per-
Torrance for the evening was ended.
'No. quite" inserposed Randolph, in his
shap, ringing voice; "you have done no.
lhirg as yet with the dollar ! loaned you p
excuse me-" replied the magician speak
ing n low tone to Randolph, that the resi-
of tie audience, who were about departing
might not hear him, 81 have accomplished
a gnater trick with that dollar than any
whrh ever before performed"
st has not appeared" said Randol Ph
testify, 81 have moi even seen the coin since
pl'ced it in your possession-what trick
can you have performed with il"
''lhave succeeded in circumventing John
Randolph, Of Roanoke" answered the ma
gicia,, with malicious smile-"had no
fxet your mind upon that dollar, you woul'
have scrulinized my performance closely
and perhaps put me to some trouble, al'ho