Litchfield enquirer., 1861-12-19

AN EVENING WITH A NECROMANCER
 Having heard a great deal about Hermann the magician, we naturally enough did not care to see him. It Is human to resist forcble i'm. pulses When man is called the rage we like to stand aside out of the crowd which is running after him, and refuse to merge our independence in the universal shove. Where had Herman not been? What king, queen, crown, prince, heir apparent or dnkeling had not said in the most astonished and unroyal manner: "Really, Herman, you quite take the hair off my head !'' And it was generally credited that if Hermann should put on all the decorations he had rsceiv- ed from the sacred hands of sovereignty, it would be equivalent to the performance of one of his most celebrated feats of magic-making himself invisible. So we never had been to call on Hermann.
 A few days after his arrival in this country, however, there came to us very polite Secreta- " with very polite invitation directed to Mon sieur lEditeur asking the pleasure of his indi- vidual, or our collective acquaintance to be founded and consolidated at little supper which Mir. Hermann would give on certain Friday evening at Nos, street. Friday evening be- ing possible to us, and the terms of the invita- tion so exceedingly gentlamanly, we sgnfed our fixed determination to enter the necromancer's cave at the period proposed, merely stipuiating that, in case of rain, he should dispatch his glo- rifed pumpkin shell for our conveyance, some other necromancer having performed for us the feat, (would we could add, "never before at tempted in America,') of " the disappearing um brella.'
 l On Friday evening at eight o'clock we stood upon the necromancer's doorstep. Fifteen sec onds later were in the diabolcal yet courteous presence-acknowledgi that
 ''The Prince of Darkness is gentleman Hermann he is called ' The chambers of sorcery were any thing but frightful. A pleasantly lighted parlor, filled with laughing faces, opened by folding doors draped with tapestry, into larger saloon beyond, whose adornmcnts were not the ordinary dry and proftless plated tin Ware of the juggler, but table load of fruit cake, wine and bonbons, af rewards proving themselves real by the most valid tests of the human sense. Surrounded by a cordon of editors, musicians and miscellane sus guests, Hermann was necromancng when we came in. pack of cards was in his hand. He handed them over to the gentemanly editor of the Daily-never mind.
 :" Is that full pack?"
 The editor counts them, and answers" Cor rect in all respects"
 Please to look at any card in the pack and remember it."
 "Yes! I have done so.''
 Hand the pack to the gentleman next to you" Addressing the second gentleman.)
 ShufHe the cards, if you please"
 The second gentleman shuies eaborately.
 Hand back the cards 10 tie first gentleman. Now, sir" (addressing the citor) "you wish me to tell you where the card is. Is it the ninth from the top? Look and see."
 A pause. "Yes! So it is!
 Perhaps I have deceived you. It may be an optical delusion. Skut1le for yourself"
 "Ies! Very 'well.''
 "Now be so good as to look through the pack. ! cur card was the deuce of spades.''
 What!'
 "oh, you needn't be surprised Of course I know what it is-lool throug gh the pack and see if you can find it."
 Tha editor looks with the same eagle eve which he would give to the scrutiny of cotemporary's leading editoria-
 It isn't here! !''
 "l thought not. There's gentleman at the other end of the room who seems cut out for a necromancer. I marked him when he came in this evening, and recognized fraternal likeness in him. lie has been watching you narrowly he has evidently spirited that deuce out of your pack"
 The young gentleman indicated blushcd decp- l ly. If you ever noticed, connection with morn ing paper has something dewy and rural about it, which greatly contributes to the preservation of youths roseate flush. The young gentleman furthermore, strenuously insists that he's no such person-hasn't the deuce-never did have 1t.
 Feel in the breast pocket of your coat" re- joins the magician imperturably."
 The young gentleman complies as mere matter of form, and to his own, as we'll as the assembled company's astonlshment, brings out the missing deuce.
 pack is deficient without it. Please to put it back"
 The deuce and general serenity being para doxicay restored at the same time, Hermann takes the pack into his own hands,
 No one who has never seen it,' he remarks quietly, would imagine the multiplying power of a single pack of cards. Take this for in- : stance. Will somebody please feel in all my pockets and look up my sleeves? I may con eeal magazine of packs about my person, you l know"
 His request is complied with. Nothing is found. He now takes the pack like an accor deon-opens 1t to the distance of three feet-the cards seem floating in the air between his hands, he shuts the pack again, once more opens it, and now the cards drop on every side of him in heaps. Kings by the score, aces by the dozen 1t rains cards. The bystanders rake them to- gether, and every man Is set up for life in the euchre business, with at least two four-hand f decks. But Hermann is an Indian giver, he asks them back.
 l ''You think there are good many packs there, eh? (handing the gathered cards to a 4gucst.) Be pleased to count them" RI "Only hfty-two-a single pack" aI "Of course-that's all told you so. vIs lie then passes the pack about among the z 5gentlemen, and asks that each will notice and remember particular card. A dozen of his guests comply with his request; he lays the pack aside and then, with marvellous rapidity :. asks them in turn where they they would like to have their cards found. "Under the sofa,' says one.' Tn Mrs. Els. ,bonnet," replied anoth- CT. And the third mentioned still more i'm , prbable situation. All tax their ingenuity for the selection of hiding places.
 "Permit me-" says Hermann to Mrs. F. : Simultaneously he pulls a card out of the bon net ruches by her cheek. It is the one which should be there. All these cards emerge from : their proper concealment with the same cer tainty.
 We then have little music. Madame Her. man has pure, delicious soprano, cultivated to it's best capacities in the ConserVatore of Paris She sings us duo from Traviata, with the as , sistance ot Sgnor Ardavani Then to the sound or applause, we marched into the festive saloon above mentioned. Herman pours out glass f ot champagne. We are about drinking healths ", With him, when-p -presto-his glass disappears j. m me champagne is still in it but much more ;- etnerial than even champagne, famous for mount t was ever Known to be before, it goes off into hotnihg; and we see, or believe we see, beverage d oeaker and al vanish several feet above the ma, # gicians hand. Querously he asks us:
 ,:, nat makes you take my glass away? l
 unp hnro k .1z.