Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-12-07


Of the west wing, from stove. From
thence the fire ran up to the garret. and
communicated to some old papers. and he
fore il was discovered the whole garrett
was in names The entire college building
was conumed The chapel, the library and
the cabinet, were saved.
A Remarka able Magic,an-The Necroman-
Ger In Algeria.
Every one has seen or heard speak
Of the great Robert IIoudin. BESIDES
being the prince Of conjuors, he is an
able mathematician and mechanician,
and his eclectric clock, made for the
Hotel, de Vile OF his native town of
Blois, obtained medal at the Paris
Exhibition. It is not generally known
that he was sent to Algeria by the
French Government on mission con
nected with the black art probably
the first time that conjuror has been
called upon to exercise his profession
in Government employ. Some details
Of bis exhibition have just been pub
lshed. Its object was to destroy the
influence exercised over the Arab
tribes by the Marabouts--a an influence
often mlschicyously applied. BY a
few clumsy tricks and impostures
these Marabouts pass themselves off
for sorcerers no one, it was Justly
thought, was better able to eclipse their
skill anddiscrcdit their science than
the man of incxhaustiblc bottles.
One of the great pretcnsions of the
Marabout was to invuncrability. At
the moment that loaded musket was
aimed at him, and the trigger pulled
he pronounced few cabalastic words
and the weapon did not 60 off. IIoud
in detccte the trick, and showed that
the tubc-holc was plugged. The Arab
Wizard abused his French rival
"You may revenge yourself" quietly
replied Houdin; take a pistol load
it yourself; here are bullets ; put one
in the barrel but before doing SO mark
it with your knife" The Arab did as
he was told. Z" You are quite certain
now,' said IIoudin, that the pistol is
loaded and will 90 off. Tell me, do
you feel no rcmorse in killing me not
withstanding that | authorize you I"
You are myicncmy,' cody replied the
Arab; al will kill YOU" Without re-
plying IIoudcn stuck an apple on the
point of knife and calmly gave the
word to fire.
The pistol was. discharged the ap
pie flew far away, and there appeared
in its place, stuck on the point of the
knife, the bullet the Marabot had
marked.
The spectators remained mute from
stupetaction; the Marabout bowed be-
fore his superior, "AIlah is great ~ he
81 am vanquishcd." Instead of
,ne bottle from which in Europe, Rob
crt IIoudin pours and endless stream
OF every description of wine and liquor
he called for an empty bowl, which he
kept continually full Of boiling coffee
but few of the Arabs would taste it,
for they made sure that it came direct
from the devil, own coiiee-pot. IIr
then told them that it was in his powcc
to deprive them OF all strength, and to
restore it to them at will, and he pro-
duccd a small box, so light that child
could lift it with his finger but it sud
denly became SO heavy that the strong
est man present could not raise it and
the Arabs, who prize physical strength
above everything, looked with terror
~ ,tlo great magician, Who, they doub-
ted not, could annihiatc them by the
mere excrtion of his will. They ex-
pressed this belief; IIoldin confirmed
them in it, and promised that, on a
day appointed, he would convert one OF
them into smoke. The day came; the
throng was prodigious; iauatical
Marabont had agreed to give himself
up to the sorcerer. They made him
stand upon table and covered him
with transparent gauzc; then lIoudln
and another person lifted the table by
the two ends, and the Arab disappear
cd in cloud of smoke.
The terror of the spectators was in
dlscrlbable !; they rushed out of the
place, and ran long distance before
some OF the boldest thought OF return
ing to look after the Marabout. They
touhd him near the place where he
had cvaporated, but he could tell them
nothing, and was like drunken man
ignorant of what had happend to him.
Thcncoiorward Iloudin was venerated
and the Marabouts despiscd ; the OBJ
Jcct of the French Government was
compltcly attained. The fashion of
testimonials" having it appears, af-
fected even the Arabs, Il number of
chefs presented the French coniuror
with pcice OF Arab writing wonder
fully decorated, hypcrbolical and eulo
CYSTIC, and to which they were so attcn-
tive as to append a French translation.
BESIDES this memorial of his AIeerinc
trip, Houdin has rosary which he
one day borrowed from an Arab to
perform trick with, and which the
owner persuaded that Satan in person
before him, refused to receive it back
London Times Paris Cor.
A TWENTY MILLION MAN WORKING
FOR Ills DAILY BREAD.-Mr. Morrison
1.-THE great London merchant, who has
iuSf Iio1 mnr<b 600 nnn onn a.