The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-12-25

and pressed beneath the mountains renorse-a
less breast.
The French Necromancer In Algeria How
He Scared the Arabs.
Every one has seen or heard. speak Of
the great Robert Houdin. Besides being
the prince Of conjurors, he is an able mathe-,
matician and mcchanician, and his electric
clock, made for the Hotel dc Vile of his
native town Of Dlois, obtained medal at
the Paris Exhibition. 1t is not generally
known that he was sent to Algeria by the
French Government, on mission connect
ed with the black probably the first
time that a conjurer has been called upon
to exercise his profession in government en-
ploy. Some details Of his expedition have
just been published. It's Object was to des-
troy the influence exercised among the Arab
tribes by the Marabouts-an influence often
mischievonsly applied. Bya few clumsy
tricks and impos,ures, these Marabous pass
themselves off as sorcerers; no one, it was
justly thought, was better able to eclipse
their skill and discredt their science than
the man Of inexhaustible bottles. One of
the great prctensions Of the Marabouts was
to invulnerablity. At the moment that a
loaded musket was fred at him, and the
trigger pulled, he pronounced few cabalis- ;
tic words, and the weapon did not 60 off. :
uoudin detected the trick, and showed that
the touch hole was plugged. The Arab
wizard was furious and abused his French
rival.
You may revenge yourself" quietly re-
piled Houdn; take pistol, load it your
self; here are bullets, but before doing so,,
mark it with your knife" The Arab did
as he was told. You are quite certain,
now" said Houdin, "that the pistol is load
cd and will go off. Tell me, do you feel no.
remorse in killing me thus Notwithstanding
that authorize you?'
"You are my enemy" cooly replied the
Arab; II will kill you"
Without replying, Houdin stuck an ap-
pie on the point of knife, and calmly gave
the word to fire. The pistol was discharg-
ed, the apple flew far away, and there ap-
peared in its place, stuck on the point of
the knife, the bullet the Marabout had mark
cd. The spectators remained mute from
stupefaction the Marabout bowed before
his superior; "Allah is great7" said he,. II
am vanquished." :.
Instead. of the bottle form which, in
Europe, Robt. Houdin pours m endless
stream of every description of wine and liq-
uor, he called for an empty bowl, which he
kept continually full ofboling coffee but
few of the Arabs would taste it, for they,
made sure that it came direct from the
devils own coffee pot. He then told them
that ii was in his power to deprive them Of
all strength, and to restore it to them at
, will, and he produced small box, so light
that child could lift it with his finger
but it suddenly became so heavy that the
strongest man present could not raise it, and
the Arabs, who prize physical strength
above everything, looked with terror on the
great magician, who, they rdoutbted not,
could annihilate them by the mere exertion
Of his will. They expressed this belief. Hou-
din confirmed them in it, and promised that
on day appointed. he would convert one
of them into smoke.
The day came; the throng was prodgi-
Gus a fanatica Marabout had agreed to.
give himseIfup to the sorcerer. They made,
him stand upon q table and covered HIM
with transparent gauze. then Houdin and
another person lifted the table by the twe5
ends, apd the Arab disappeared in Il cloud of
smoke. The terror of the spectators was in
describaLle; they rushed out Of the place.:
and ran long distance before some Of the
! bollest thought of returning to look after
the Marabout. They found him near the
place where he had been evaporatrd, but LeS
could tell them nothing, and was like 81
drunken man, ignorant of what had bappen-,
ell to him. Thenccforward Houdn wasr
yenerated, and the Marabouts despised; the
object of the French Government was com.
pletely attained. The fashion Of "testimonni,
ais" having, it appears, infected even,.h
Arabs, a number of chiefs presented tbs
conjuror with piece OF Arab writing, wory
derfully decorated, hyperbolical aud snloeiis:
tic, and TO. which they were so attentive 81
TO append a French translation. Bessdes
this memorial Of his AIgerine trip. HoHdin
has rosary which he one day borrowed
from an Arab to perform trick with, and
which the owner persuaded that Sheitant in.
person was before him, refused to 5recsaya
back. 5y;,se<5~ /; .4pae,a gt., nj
| A dentistin5 Boston, after extractingA
tooth, for a married lady, last Friday, ftooR
the liberty of kissing her. Her husband By
ing informed eftRe insult, wrote tile Doctor
a note with fictitious signature, reansstipas
his immediate professional fattendancesst
No. Norfolk Place; In the meaitifps shea
had pIoyided himself With q stout s5whsds.