The weekly Butte record., 1861-11-30
An Hour with a Necromancer.


impulses. When a 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
1 had not Hermann been? What king. queen,
crown prince, heir apparent or dukeling, bad
not said in the most astonished and unroyal
manner =" Really, Hermann, you quite take
| the hair off my head r And it was generally
credited that if Hermann should put on all
the decorations he had received from the sa-
cred hand of sovereignty, it would be equiva-
lent to the performance of one of his most
celebrated feats of matchmaking himself
invincibe. So we had never been to call on
Herman.
a few days after his arrival in this country,
however, there came to us very polite secre-
tary with very polite invitation directed to
Monsieur l'Editeur, asking the pleasure of his
individual, or our collective acquaintance
that acquaintance to be founded and consoli-
dated at little supper which NJ. Hermann
would give on certain Friday evening at No
S street. Friday evening being possible to
us, and the terms of the invitation so exceed
ingly gentemanly we signifed our fixed de-
termination to enter the necrOmancer cave at
the period proposed, merely stipulating that
in case of rain, be should dispatch his glorfed
pumpkin shell for our conveyance, some other
necromancer having performed for US the feat
(would we could say -" never before attempted
in America of " the disappearing umbrella"
On Friday evening at eight o'clock we stood
upon tie necromancer's doorstep. Fifteen
minutes later we were in the diabolical yet
courteous presence acknowledging that
{" The Prince of Darkness is a gentleman
Hartmann he is called'
The chambers of sorcery were anything but
frightful. A pleasantly lighted paror, filled
with laughing faces, opened by folding doors
draped with tapestry, toto large saloon be-
yond, whose adornments were not the ordinary
dry and proftless plated tinware of the juggler,
but table load of fruit, cake, wine and bon
bons, afterwards proving themselves real by
the most valid tests of the human sense
Surrounded by Gordon Of editors magicians
and miscellaneous guests, Hermann was nee
romancng when we came in. A pack of cards
was in his hand He handed them to the gen.
tlenany editor of the Daily-neyer 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, have done So"
" Handlhe pack to the gentleman next you"
addressing second gentleman) Shuttle the
cards, if you please"
=" Hand back the cards to the first gentle
man. Now, sir" Undressing the edtor) you
visa me to tell you where your card is. 1t is
the ninth from the top Look and see'
A pause. Yes! So it is!'
Perhaps have deceived you. 1t may be
an optical delusion. Shuttle for yourself"
"Yesl Very we'll"
Now be so good as to look through the
pack Your card was the deuce of spades"
"What p
"Oh, you needn't be surprised. OF course
I know what it is-look through the pack aud
see if you can find it."
The editor look with the same eagle eye
which be would give to the scrutiny Of CO.
temporary's leading editorial
''It isn't here -
a thought not There's a gentleman at
the other end of the room who seems cut out
for a necromancer. | marked him when he
came in this evening, and recognized frater-
nal likeness in him. He has been watching
you narrowly-he has evidently spirited that
deuce out of your pack"
The young gentleman indicated bushes
deeply. If you ever noticed, connection with
morning paper has something dewy aud ru-
raj about 1t, which greatly contributes to tie
preservation of youths roseate flush. The
young gentleman furthermore, strenuously lu-
sists that he's no such person-hasn't the
deuce-never did have it.
" Feel in the breast pocket of your coat, ,
rejoins the magician, imperturabIy.
The young gentleman complies, as a mere
matter of form, and to his own, as well as the
assembled companys astoDishment, brings out
the missing deuce.
Il knew you had it, said Hermann. THE
pack is deficient without it. Please to put it
back"
The deuce and general serenity being para
doxically 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 single pack of cards Take this. for
instance. VIII somebody please feel in all my
pockets and look up my sleeves. l may con-
ceal magazine of packs about my person, you
knowH
His request was complied with. Nothing
to be found He now takes the pack like an
accordeon-opens it to the distance of three
feet-the cards seem floating in the air be-
tween his hands-he shuts the pack again
once more opens it; and now the cards drop
Il