The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-11-19

. rsn. co,r.sposd.s, r4eaoa Times.

From Paris corssposdapi London rirnss
Every one has seen. Or beard speak Of the
great Robert Houdin. Besides being the
prince Of conjurers, he is an able mathema
iician and mechanician, and his electric
clock, made for the Hotel De Vile Of his
native town Of Blois, obtained 4 med
al at the Paris exhibition. II is not
generally known that he was sent to Algs-
ria by the French Government on mission
connected with the black art--probably the
first time that a copjurer has been called
upon 10 exercise his profession in Govern
meni employ. Some details OF his expedi-
ton have Just been published. Its object
was 70 destroy the influence exercised among
the Arab tribes by the marabouts--an in
fuence often mischeyously applied. by u
few clumsy tricks and impostures these mar
abouts pass them elves of as sorcerers ; no
one, il was Justly thought, was better able
TO eclipse their skill and discredit their
science than the man Of inexhaustible bot
ties. One Of the great pretensions Of the
marsbouts was 10 invunerability. At tn
moment that loaded muske, was fired AZ
him, and the trigger pnlled, he pronounced
few cabalistic words and the weapon did
not 20 Of Houdin detected the trick, and
showed that the toachhoe was plugged
The Arab wizard was furious, and abused
hs French rival. You may revenge ysur-
self" quietly replied IIoudin, 'take pistol
load it yourself; here are bullets, put one in
the barrel, but before doing so mark II with
your knife" The Arab did IA he was told
" You are quite certain now said Houdin
81 that the pistol is loaded aud will 90 Off
Tell me- DO you feel no remorse in killing
me thus, notwithstanding that | authorize
YOU" You are my enemy" coolly re-
piled the Arab will kiln you"
Without replying IIoudiu stuck IN apple
on the point Of knife and calmly gave the
word 10 fire. The pistol was discharged
the apple flew far away, aud there appeared
in is place, stuck On the point of the knife,
the bullet the marabout had marked. The
spectators remained mute from stupefaction ;
tho marsbout bowed before his superior ;
allah is great - he said Il am vanquished ="
Instead OF the bottle from which. in Europe,
Robert lioudin pours an endless stream Of
every description Of wine and liquor, he
called for aneinpty bowl, which he kept con
tinually fall Of boiling coffee. but few Of the
Arabs would taste it, for they made sure
that II came direct from the devils own cot
fee pot. lie then told them that it was in
his power 10 deprive them Of all strength,
and to restore il to them at will. and he pro
duced small box so light that d child
could liit i, with its finger; but il suddenly
became so heavy that the strongest man
present could not raise il, and the Arabs,
who prize physical strength above every
thing, looked with terror al the great magi.
clan. who, they doubted not, could annihi
late them, by the mere eyertion Of his will
They expressed this belief Houdin CON
firmcd them in it, and promised that. on a
day appointed, he would convert one Of them
into smoke. The day came the ,hrong
was prodigious fanatical marabout had
agreed to give himself up 70 the sorccrer
They made him stand upon table and
covered him with transparent gauze then
lloudn and another person lifted the table
by tho two ends, and the Arab disappeared
IN cloud of smoke. The terror OF the
spectators was in,eScribable they rushed
out Of the place. and ran long distance be-
fore some of the bol,lest thought Of return.
ing to look after the marabout They found
him near the place where he had been evap
Grated but he could tell them nothing, and
was like drunken man. ignorant Of what
had happened to him. 1henceforcward
lloudn was veneratel. aud the marabouts
despised the object Of the French Govern
ment was completely attained. The fashion
OF testimonials having, il appears infect.
cd even the Arabs, a number OF chiefs pre-.
seuted the French copjurer with piece Of
Arab writing wonderfully decorated, hyper
bolical and astrological characters. aud TO
which they were so attentive as to append a
French translation. Beside this memorial
Of his Agcrine trip, Houdin has rosary
which he one day borrowed from an Arab
to perform trick with and which the own.
er, persuaded that Shcitan in prison was
before him. refused To receive back
A.other Relief Cemu.,tts-.