The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-05-15
BY DAVIS & HOLLINGSWORTI
A CRAFTY MAGICIAN.

| hitTAplcCIui, Tie pOSseSSoT VI Wohuctiu
secret, that of raising the dead. In conse.
quence of this startling announcement
great excitement prevailed. Loud were the
denunciations against the impostor, and tho
storm was about to break upon the head
of the unfortunate Altrapiccini. But he
not in the least disconnected, proceeded to
the house Of the project, and addressed
him in this manner:
"Citizen, however unworthy the inhabi-
tants of this city may be at having in their
midst 80 remarkable man as myself, and
Of reaping the benefits of my wonderful
arts, still will allow them to participate
in its unfoldings. In precisely one fort
night from this time will appear at the
public cemetery. and there in tho presence
Of the assembled multitude summon the
dead to arise from tllier graves. Let them
appoint officers to watch my proceedings
and keep me in their sight until fulfill
the promise which here make of gene
raj resurrection"
His selfconfidencc and prophetic tone
produced wonderful effect upon the as
sembly, and no longer did any one doubt
the astonishing powers of the Doctor
The project Frustrated himself three times
before this envoy extraordinary from
Heaven, and all crowded about him to coll
suit upon the best means of proonging
life. In the meantime the fatal epoch WAS
approaching, and the agitation of the peo-
pie was extreme. On the evening pre-
ceding the miraculous performance, the
Doctor received from an old and respccta-
ble magistrate the following letter:
"1llustrious Doctor: The miracle wl.ic!.
you propose to perform will rob me of re-
pose. had wife, old and ugly. She
is now in another world. For heavens
sake leave her there. am already un-
happy enough, and cutreat you not upon
any consideration to restore her to me. /
offer you hundred louis to preserve your
secret"
Hardly had he finished the perusal Of
the letter, than young widow entered, all
in tears. II conjure you,' said she, throw
ing herself upon her knees before him,
"let ME enjoy the peace and Happiness
which are now my portion. had cross
and jealous husband; death has freed me
from him. shall die if have again to
place my neck in SO destable yoke"
The Doctor, gallant man, was inter
ested-he consoled the pretty widow to
the best of his abilities, but would promise
nothing. While still acting the office of
comforter, there arrived two young spend
thrifts, whose father, formerly an apothc-
cary. had amasscd by sixty years hard Ia
Dor and economy, the fortune which they
were scattering to the winds in shameful
dissipation. The return Of their indignant
parent would replace them in their, former
humble and dependent condition. They
offered three hundred louis if the Doctor
would leave the aforesaid apothecary un-
molcsted in the cllarnel house. To these
libcrtnes succeeded sharper one, who
made his living by sponging aud grinding
others. This honest man offered n thou
sand louis if lie would relinquish his design
OF bringing into life numerous victims who
had been inferred.
A multitude followed him, and thou
sand voices called, "no resurrection!" "no
resurrection J" until the Doctor, arrested by
their cries, and convinced by solid argu-
ments, consented to withhold from them
the pleasure Of seeing their friends, and
promised not to use his extraordinary
powers without their consent. He accord
'ngly left the city with full purse, and
followed by the benedictions of the multi
tude.
Scdndat.-The Devil has wonderful
penchant for rebuking sin. Eyes which are
full of beams, have an unaccountable clear
ness of vision in detecting notes in other
eyes. Some people arc brought into the
world to accomplish a marvellous mission,
and that mission is to ferret out obliouities
in others. Of course it is not expected that
these apostles have any business with them
selves; their mission is violent, and does
not admit of time to scrutinize their own
position. What profit is it that they should
pause to consider their own peccadillocs,
when the enormities of their neighbors
loom up like mountains?
So goes tue world over. Everybody
minds everybody's business, but everybody
negiscts bis own. What sort of world
would this be, il We were without each
other to feed uponi Men have eyes and
ears for some purpose, and what else could
they 6nd for them to do, il not to Gee aud
hear, Of each Others fsiIings, derelictions,
errorx, transgressions, spormiiiesi They