, 1859-07-01
The French Wizard. HoudIu.

Every one has seen OF heard speak Of the
great Robert Houdin. Besides being the priucc
Of couiurers, he is m able mathematician, aid
1nechauic;an, and his electric clock made for the
Hotel dc Vile Of his native town, Elois, obtain
ed medal at the Paris Exhibition. 1t is not
generally known that he was sent to Algeria By
ltc French Government on mission connected
with the black art, probably the first time lhnt
q coniurcr has been called upon to exercise his
profession in Government employ, Some de-
tails Of his expedition hare just been published.
Its Object was TO destroy the influence exercised
influence often mischievously applied uy
few clrimsy tricks md imposturcs these mara
bouts PASS themselves on as sorcerers. No one,
it was justly thought. was better able to eclipse
their skill und discredit their science than the
man Of inexhaustible bottles. One Of the great
bitlty. At the moment that loaded musket
WIS 10 be fired at him and the trigger pulled, be
pronounced few caba1istic words. and the
weapon did not 20 oil. Houtin detected the
trick; md showed that the touch.hoic was plug
ged. The Arab wizard WIS furious, and abused
Ills French rival You may revenge yourself"
quietly replied llondin; take pistol, load it
but before doing 80, mark it with your knife
The Arab did AZ he was told. 'tYou aEe quite
certain, now" said HoudIn. "tl,nt the pisto! is
loaded and viii 70 OF. Tell me, DO Eou feel
no rcnorsc in killing me thus, notwithstanding
that authorize you:" '@You are my eneu,y,"
coldty replied the Arab. II will kill you"
Without replying, Houdn stuck m apple on the
point Of knife, and calmly gave tile word to
fire. The pistol was discharged. the apple few
far away, and .l.ete appeared In its place, stuck
on the point of The Knife, the bullet the mara
bout Eaa ..a;. ,la1xeo. The spectators remained
mute from stupefactson; the nsarabont bowed
before his superior; =" Allah is great !" lie said,
an vanquishcd."
Instead Of tl.c bottle from which, In Europe.
Robert Moudin pours M endless stream Of
every variety Of vine aud liquor, bic called for
an empty bowl. which he kept continually full
Of boiling coffee. but few Of the Arabs would
taste, for they made sure that it came from the
drri's own colce-poi. lie then told them that
it was in bis power to deprive them Of all
strength, aud to restore it to them ut will, and
he produced small box. so light TINT a child
could l;ft It With its finger; bui It suddenly be-
came so heayy that the strongest man present
could not lift it, aud the Arabs, who prize the;s.
physical strength ADORE eTer3 thing, looked with
terror at the great magician, who. they doubted
not, could anniiIllatc them by the merc cxertion
Of his will. They expressed this belief; liou-
din confirmed thcm IN il. and promised that, on
a Dag appointed, he would convert orc Of them
into snioke. The day can'c-she tilroug WIS
prodisious: O fanatirat rfarnhont had agreed to
give himself up to the sofceIcr- They maGe
him stand on 4 table and covered him with
transparent guuze; then lIoudin and another
person lifted the table by the two ends aud the
Arab disappeared in a cloud Of smoke. The
terror Of the spectators was intlescribabfe: they
rushed out Of The place; and. rad long distance
before some OF the boidsss thought ol returning
to look after the 1narabout. They, found him
near the place where he had been evauorated,
eu: he could tell them nothing. and was like q
drunken man, ignorant Of what had happened
to lin. Thenceforward IIuudn was yenerated
aud the n,arabouts were despisei; the object Of
the Frcnclt government WIS completely attained.
The fashion Of Testimonials " having. it APP
pears, infected eren the ARABS, i number u
chiefs presented Ill" frrnc!, rcni1r.r with
piece Of Arabic writing, wonderfully decorated,
hsperbolcal and cuIogis'ic, and to which they
werc 50 attentive Us t0 append u French trans
Luton. BESIDES this memorial Of his Algerine
trip, ]ioudio has -!,sa:y which be one day
hprrowed from an arab to perform trick with,
and which the owner, persuaded that Shcitan in
person was bcfure him, refused to receive back.
i1ris Corrt<poadeare Of TIE Time.