Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-02-18

10 our readers VINO are already i'm
patiently awaiting the arrival of Hermann,
the celebrated "Prestidigitateur" who has
astonished and perplexed the rest of man
kind with his unaccountable feats, we rec
ommend the perusal of the following
strange story, selected from the many that
are told of him. Let us promise that Her.
mann's style Of necromancy is original, and
wholly unlike any thing the world has been
accustomed to see on the stage or elsewhere
lie has no curiosity of papered gimcracks
around him. His assistants are the de-
ceived senses Of his auditory, whom he
swindles out Of all five of them. By his
amazing dexterity and nerve, his tricks
which seem to be mistakes-are performed,
and as they depend solely and simply upon
himself he is not exposed to the usual
chance of failure. But to the story. which
we copy from an exchange :-Philadelphia
UcrcuTy
The worthy IL. D. Russell has become
skeptical concerning every thing he sees,
hears or reads on this side of the Atlantic
hence, when he perused Hermanns pamph-
let land who has nCt2) he rather doubted
the Washington Market story about cutting
live chickens heads of, and restoring them
again-the making dead rabbits as lively as
kittens, &c. During lIermann's sojourn in
Washington, DR.. Russell and the great
Presidigitateur supped together, and in the
course Of the evening the LII. D. expressed
his doubts concerning the truth of the mar
ket story he said that he heard wonderful
things concerning his prestidigtorial feats,
but the chicken story was little to steep
for him. Whereupon Hermann said, "Ac-
company me any morning you please to the
market here and will repeat the expert
ment" The following morning DR.. Russell
and select party accompanied Hermann
to the market on Pennsylvania Avenue,
when an excitement was created among the
market women which will not soon be for
gotten.
"WhNPs the price of this chicken2" said
Hermann at a poultry STALL
"Half dollar" replied the owner.
"ls it young and tender?' said Hermann.
"No better in the market" answered the
woman.
"Well, l just want to see," replied the
prestidigitateUr, and taking the f1utterinr
bird in his hands he deliberately twisted its
head off. AS the crimson stream flowed
from its neck the enraged poultry woman
demanded immediate payment.
Ob' uoh MduJ lue chicken, SAID
Hermann, ''it don't suit me-"
"But insist on your taking the chicken
replied the woman, "you have spoiled it
now."
"What are you talking about?" answered
Hermann, "there is nothing the matter
with the bird" and taking it back in his
hands in a few moments the chicken had
his head on again, and tapping his wings
appeared as lively as ever. The poor wo-
man was so bewildered and astouished that,
looking at Hermann, she said, "You must
be the Devil" and quitting her stand she
bolted out of the market.
Friend Williams store was next visited,
and it was resolved to test the freshness of
eggs.
'Are they warranted good, and how much
a dozenW quoth the Professor. The price
was named and the warranty given.
"Well, let us see." And saying this,
Hermann broke one of the eggs, from which
flowed, instead of yolk, stream of gold
coin, much to the astonishment of Mr. Will
liams, and the crowd which had by this
time been collected, who became so excited
that Hermann and his party quietly slipped
away, leaving them to argue the point
whether the prestidigitateur was man or
devil. DR.. Russell was convinced, and ad.
mitted that Hermann was the greatest
presHdigitOrial artist the world had ever
seen.