Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-11-05
a Coniurer nj Home.


sd' O. a Coniurer nj Home.
A writer in Belgravia describes visit to
the magician" Hermann, al his private resi-
deaee near London. and the tricks there played
for the entertainment Oft guests
Presently Herr Hermann rings the bell,
and tells the man-sergant, who answers 1t, to
Rrch some cards The man retired, and came
back with two packs of cards 10 secured cases,
and placed them Oh the table. Take one of
these packs, said our host, addressing himself
TO Skeptic open the cover, and see If all the
cards are right. No pTeparationY demand
ed Skeptic. No | assure you. What | am
about to show you now | could do with any
cards. OF course, calculated Skeptic sneer-
ingly, and began to tear the cover from the
rack. Skeptic looked at the cards, aud We all
looked at the coDjurer, When Skeptie pro-
n0unced the cards all correct. Herr Her
mann took them in his hands, and finging
them down on the table with their faces up
permost, said, There are eight Of you. When
[ leave the room and the door is shut on me,
let each person draw a card from the pack re-
turn it and shuttle the cards. He left the
room, bidding US recall him when we were
ready. Each man took card and put it back.
'Pnen we all had a sufHe at the pack, excepting
Skeptic, who thought he knew all about the
trick, and the cOnjurer was brought back IN due
time. lltrtrh ~aI 1 a..
''He took the cards in his hands. There are
eight of YOU, he said Each one has drawn
q card aud replaced il; aud the eight cards. if
you have well shuffled them, should be dis
persed through the pack. No eye could see
into this room when the door was shut. EVen
knowing the cards--were that posslble-would
leave the seeming impossibihty of bringing the
eight cardstogether you will all acknowledge
that. Behold what art can dol He gave the
cards asort of flourish, and placing the pack on
his left palm, drew from the top the eight cards
which be had drawn. He then turned to
Skeptic, and with a goOd-natured smile in
duired whether he had any idea how that trick
was done. Our nil admirari friend laughed,
and said nothing; but shortly afterwards he
was heard to observe, Curious, amt it 2 This
trick gave rise to a good deal Of talk and some
disputation but there were no two opinions
about it; itlwas allowed by all to be the most
complete and inexpheable feat OF legerdemain'
ever witnessed. .y
Trick No. 2 was even more astonishing
and incomprehensible. You know, said Herr
Hermann, addressing the whole party, after
some discussion had gone on about the sleight-
of.hand performances, I work by wit and not
by witchcraft.' For wit read trick, interposed
Skeptic. But what, cOntioued the conjurer,
not needing the interruption, 'supposiug were
to interpret your thoughts-to know what was
passing through your minds? That, IN
deed, would be q trick above natural magic l
exclaimed aSkeptic flied. his glass and winked
st.his neighbor, as who should say i know all
about it. We shall see, SAID Herr hermann.
Nov, each fyou two gentlemen, hewent
on, speaking to his two right-haRd guests,
~ L Il as ff
and taking up the pack he threw the cards
frontwards on the table The choice was quick
" made. Mr.. Hermann recovered the eards,
shufled them aud spread them out as before,
The card, he said, 'one OF you tnrought Oflt
there the card the other thought offs absent.
The gentleman searched One of the cards
selected was not to be seen-the other was
found. So far, so good, exclaimed Herr Her
mann; but the trick is only half done The
cODjurer took the cards again, shuffled them as
before, and exposed them on tho table. Now,
he cried, the illusion is reversed. The missing
card reappears, and the card thought OF that
was present is not to be found. Search And
such was the case. The cards had come and
gone at the bidding Of the magician, who
seemed to exercise mental rather than physl-
calinfuence over them. Wonder was express
Sed in every countenance, and SkeptiG, annoy
ed because he was toiled drank off an addi-
tiOual bumper to qualify him for elueidatlon.
"a moments consideration of this trick
must satisfy anybody OF its extreme cleverness
and iucomprehensibility.
FASHION DETERMINES F0Rs.-The fol-
lowing is the Introduction Of fur dealers ad-
yertisement in the Toledo papers: 3
Just quarter of century ago | entered Che
iur trade, paying eighteen cents to- minis,
twenty-five cents for muskrat, and two dollars
Tor little yellow marein skins During these
twenty five years there has been some vide
ranges OF prices. | sold a lot Of mink for
5000 that now would have brought $24 O00.--r
Then again | sold lot OF coon tor $4,000,
thatin Iondou to-day would not bring $4,000
The little marein skin is now worth the same
price of yellow dog skin-two sbilllngs. The
opossum has been from three cents to sixty,
and now down to eight cents. War has been
one cause of these fluctuations but the
mlghtier power than armies, fashion, has done
most. Willis the combined armies of Europe
could only put down coon and skunk 90 per
cent, that powerful goddess. fashion, run the
eighteen cent mink up to $l5, and knoekedtbe
the big black lynx muff dowH4to four shlllings
DARN MILLIlL .blo1TA FARM MILI4l
1HIo@ sa5 g FARM MILLt 9cl 9
One "a inch French Burr stone Farm Mill, in
perfect order, will be sold 90 per cent below
he regular price, This mill is admirably
adapted 10 the grinding of corn meal, by steam,
|sler or horse power. ~ 1,,, y AMT
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