M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-04-08
52ljstclIancous artjtIrs.
= Remarkable Magician in All
ECrII,

= EaSusf&ihdDle NalStCitAA lh Ai-
gcriu.
Every one has seen mention made
or heard of the great Robert uoudin.
Besides being the Prince Of coniurors
he is an able mathematician and
mcchanician, and his electric clock
made for the Hotel de Vile OF his ma
tive town Of Blois, obtained a medal
ofthe Paris exhibition. It's not gen.
orally known that he was sent to Al.
geria by the French government, on
IA mission connected with the black
art-probably the first time that a
conjurpr has been called upon to eXcr-
else his profession in government en-
ploy. Some details OF his expedition
have Just been published. It's object
was to destroy the influence cXucised
amongst the Arab tribes by the mara
bouts-an influence often mischluv-
ously applied. BY 4 few clumsy
tricks and imposturt5 these marabouts
pass off as sorcercrs; no one, it was
thought, was better able to eclipse
their skill and discrcdit their science
than the man OF inaXhausta6!e bottles.
One Of the greatest prctcntIons OF
the marabOuts was TO inyUInerabiiity.
At the moment that loaded muskct
was fired ut him, and the trigger pull.
ed, he pronounced a few cabaIistic
words, and the weapon did not 60 of,
lloudin detected the trick and showed
that the touch-holo Was plugged. The
Arab wizard was furious, and abused
his French rival. "You may rcvcng.
YOURSELF" quietly remarked llouIin;
take IL pistol, hold it yourself; here
are bullets, put one in the barrel, but
before doing 80 mark it with your
knife" The Arab did as he was told.
You are quite certain, now said
IIoudin, "that the pistol is loaded and
will 90 oil. Tell me, do you feel no
remorse in killing me thus, notwith-
standing that | authorize you p
You are my enemy" cooIiy replied
the Arab, will kill you" Without
replying, uoudin stuck an apple on
the point Of Il knife, and calmly gave
the word to fire.
The pistol was discharged, the ap-
pie flew iaraway, and there appeared
in its place, stuck on the point OF the
knife, the bullet the marabout had
marked.
The spectators remained mute from
the muraboat bowed be.
lore his superior: Allah is great b.!
he said, 81 am vanqushed." Instead
Of the bottle from which, in Europe,
Robert Houdin pours an endless
stream Of every description Of wine
and liquor, he called for an empty
bowl, which he kept continually full
Of boiling cotit; but few Of the Arabs
would taste it, for they made sure that
it came from the Devils own colfoe
pot. He then told them that it was
in his power to deprive them Of all
strength and 20 restore it to them at
will, and he produced Il small box SO
light that little child could lit itwith
its finger; but it suddenly became so
heavy that the strongest man present
could not raise it, and the Arabs, who
prize physical strength above every
thing, looked with terror at the great
who, they doubted not, cod
them by the mere eHcrtion
OF his will. They expressed this be-
lief; uoudin confirmed them in it.,
and promised that, on a day appoint
ed, he would convert one Of them into
smoke. The day came; the throng
was pyodigious; a fanatical marabout
had agreed to give himself up to the
sorcercr. They made him stand upon
a table and covered him with 4 trans
parent gauze; then Houdin and an
other person lifted the table by the
two ends, and the Arab disappeared
in a cloud Of smoke.
The terror Of the spectators was in.
dascribablc; they rushed out Of the
place aud ran a long distance before
some oftho boldest thought Of return
ing to look after the marabout. They
found him near the place whore he
had been evaporated; but he could tell
them nothing, and was like a drunken
man, ignorant of what had happened
to him. Thencclorward Houdin was
veneratod, and the marabouts despis-
ed; the object OF the French govern
mont was completely attained.
The fashion Of testimonials" hav-
ing, it appears, infected even the
Arabs, a number Of chiefs presented
the French coniurcr with piece OF
Arab writing, wonderfully decorated,
hvperbulical and eulogistio, and to
which they were so attentive as to APP
pend Il French translation. Beside
this memorial of his Algerine trip,
Houdin has rosary which he one day
borrowed from an Arab to perform a
trick with. and which the owner, per-
suaded that Shetan in person was be-