Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-06-09
THE coHJUROR's TRICK.
raAssLArED rRox THE GERMAN.

ANNNH WIZ AA1 WNNNA11@ o.
as Won have described" was uttered
in a solemn tone and strange 1ntona'
ton by a tall, dark-lOoking man, who
had the appearance OF a peddler OF
travelling tradesman.
NV neighbor burst into a peal Of
laughter, and said, m~Ockingly:
"fYou appear to know the customs
and manners Of witches very well to
be able to know whether they Objec,
to getting wet or not"
The first speaker looked at him and
cOntpmptuOusly replied:
"Young man, NEEDLE not with at.
fairs which YOU cannot comprehend
sDO YOU mean to tell me that there
exist such things as ghOsts?"
tsPerhaps there are, il you had cOur.
age to face them"
The young man rose angrily, but
Immediately TesUming his seat, said
srThe taunt is too foolish to deserve
any attention"
IFOolish!" cried the merchant,
throwing on the table a heavy purse,
tsthere r a hundred ducats. I am
content to lose them if, before the
hour is ended, I do not succeed in
showing YOU, who seem to be so in.
credulOus, the shape Of one Of your
dead friends, and if, after you have
recognized him, you will suffer him
to kiss your lips"
We all looked in establishment al
each other, but my young neigbbOl
replied, still in the same knocking
tone:
"You will do that, will you?"
Eyes" said the other, 81 will stake
these hundred ducats, on condition
that you pay a likesum if you LOSE
After short silence the young maj
said, lightly:
sHOne hundred ducats, my feared
c%Oniuror, are more than q poor stu,
dent of medicine ever possessed; but
here are ten, which, if it will content
you, 1 viii cheerfully stake"
The other took his purse, saying,
sneeringly:
young gentleman, I see you wish
to draw back!"
81 draw backr" exclaimed the stu
dent. eff I only had a hundred due
ats, you would see very quickly
whether I would draw back"
"Here," said I, ''are ten ducats
which 1 will stake on the result"
My example encouraged the others,
who, attracted by the singularity OF
the affair, now came forward, and
soon the hundred ducats were de-
posted.
The merchant appeared so conf
dent that he required no stakeholder,
and placed all the money in the stu
dents hands; he then prepared for
his experiment.
We selected for the purpose a small
pavilion in the garden, totally isO-
lated, the means OF entrance and exit
consisting only of a door and a win
dow, which we fastened securely, af-
ter placing the young student inside.
We put pen, paper and ink, on a table
in the pavilion, and then took
away the candles. All of US remained
outside, the pedler among US. In a
low, sepulchral voice he began to re-
cite, in a singing tone, the following
lines:
behold the phantom that rises slowly
From ocean caves and stormy surf
And with direct steps advances boldly
Across the green and yielding turf"
Then elevating his voice, he said,
solemnly:
''You desire to see your friend,
Francis Russell, who was drowned
four years ago of the coast Of Brazil.
What do you see?"
Il see" replied the student, ga
white light arising close to the win
dow; but l cannot make out what it
is; il looks more like a shapeless cloud
than anything else"
We, the spectators, remained awe.
stricken and silent.
care you afraid?'' asked the mer-
chant, in a loud voice.
II am not" was the firm reply.
After q moments silence he
stamped three times on the ground,
and Chanted:
And now be shows his white and clay
cold face.
That was once so handsome and fair;
And he dries and wipes with his clingiDg
shrOud
his dripping face and sea-tossed hair. +"
Then he again questioned:
You, who dared to brave the mys-
teries of the tomb, what do you see
nOw?"
The student answered calmly, but
like a man who was giving q descrip-
ton Of things which he was cOntem-
plating:
81 see the cloud assuming the shape
Of a phantom; its head is hidden by q
long veil; it remains stationary"
" Are you afraid?'
81 am nOti"
We looked at each other in silent
horror, and the merchant, lifting his
arms over his head, continued as be-
" And from the phsntom's lips these
words were heard,
As across the green sward he speeds:
1 will 90 TO my friend, smiling and gay,
And remind him Of cbndhood's deeds. ("
"What do you see?" asked he.
81 see the phantom move forward;
be raises his veil; il is Francis Rus
SELL He goes TO the tablet He writes!
IT'S his signature"
Are you afraid?''
The student remained silent. As
for US, we we're too hOTrOr-stricken
make even a motion. At last the
student replied, but in a trembling
1 am not"
With wild and frantic waving of
bis arms, the merchant thea cried:
% And TO the incredulous Q he says:
I've ODe 10 visit from the South;
Place your hand in mine, let my heart
feel yours,
Aud then Iu kiss you on the mouth f"
"What do you see?D
UsHe is advancing-he is approach
.nQ-he follows me-he is reaching
mi his arms-he wants to seize me!
helpl Save mel Save mel"
IS Are Won afraid nOW?" asked the
merchant, m~Ockingiy.
A piercing shrek, and then a low
were the sole reply to this hor-
.ible inquiry. -.
"HelD that foolish young man."
aid the merchant, sa~rcastically. u
.hink / have won the wager. but
lnIy wished to give him a lesson.
Let him keep the money, but let him
be more careful in future"
he walked hastily away. We
opened the door Of the pavilion, and
.Ound the student on the dOOrin con-
yulsions. A paper, with the Dame Of
Francis Russell, lay on the table. as
soon as the student recovered his fac
llties, he demanded eXcitedIy where
The base cODjurer, who had made him
undergo so fearful an ordeal. had gone
10; he would kill him. He searched
or him throughout the whole inn,
and, not finding him, ne dashed fran-
icallV out into the fields to fud him