The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-12-12

srIty of shape tlm8 would s5sks e easy 10
identify 'he our selected he then ajds
il aay gentleman among you has a
wuteh ofmlhor large size llhi. was the
peeaIsrity Of lae cardlnas) be will cen.
tcta great favor by lending e TO me. ms
. it wiIl greatly facilitate mg experiment. !
need NOT say tint | viii be extremely
careful Of It, Nv object IS to prove ln
superiority, ifu has auy, and, ifuot, 10
wonderfully improve e.,
< All eyes we Dow turned on the cardlu-
al, who as was well known, priced his
ehronometcr on account of ils unusual
size; the large case, as be sald, allowing
thc works TO act more freely. lie besi.
tated, however, to part with bis treasure,
uIl Pins VII said 10 hims
Cardinal, I fancy your watch will suit
exactly oblige ne b. handing It to Sig
nor TorinL
Ills emiucuce complied, though not
without numerous precautions. when
the watch was handed to him, Torrini
assumed 10 be absorbed ia admiration Of
the works and l~auliml chasing, to which
be drew the attention Of the pope aud
the cardinals He then asked the owner
some questions whichelcited the high es-
timatiou in which the cardinal held bis
chronomctcr, which had been made to
his order BY the celebrated Brcguet. The
enthusiasm of his cminence amused the
pope, who looked on attentiycly as Tor
rhi, after saying that he should prove the
solidity and excellent qualities OF the
watch, suddenly let il fall to the ground,
everybody was amazed at the boldness Of
this act, and the cardinal, unable 10 re-
strain his Indignation, yehcmently ex-
claimcd:-
You are playing a very sorry jest, sir.
But, monseigneur, calmly replied the
magician, there is no cause for alarm,
only wish to prove to these gentlemen the
perfection Of Your watch, and you may
rest assured that it will not be injured by
the trials to which shall subject it,
With these words he stamped on the
case, crushing il into shapeless mass.
This act sliIl further excited the ire ofthe
cardinal; but the pope, who took more
sensible view Of the matter, turned to him
aud said:
Come, cardinal, have you no confidence
in our soroerer. For my part / laugh
like a child at it, being convinced there
has been some clever substitution. .
Torrini, who was delighted with the
success of his trick, assured his holiness
that there had been no substitution, and
appealed to the cardinal for Identification
Of his watch. THE latter, examining the
shapeess fragments, and finding his arms
engraved inside the case, acknowledged
that it was indeed his beloved ehronomet-
or, and added, in stern voice:
| do not see how YOU can escape, sir;
you should have tried your dangerous ex-
pertinent on some object that could be
replaced instead of a unique watch like
mine.
The magician, after declaring that this
circumstance give him additional satislac-
tion as ii enhanced the credit of his per-
formance, asked the cardinals permission
to proceed, But the latter said that, as
he had not been consulted in the destruc-
ton of the watch, he did not care what
became of its fragments. Having estab-
lished the identity of the cardinals chro-
nomcter, Torrini's next object was to
pass into the popc's pocket the one he
had bought the previous evening. As this
could not easily be done while his holi-
ness remained seated, the magician hit
upon prelcXt to make him rise. Plac-
iug brass mortar, with an enormous
peste, upon the table, be threw in the
fragments Of the watch, and began pound
ing furionsly. Suddenly u slight detoua.
ton was heard; lurid flame shot up
from the vessel, into which Torrini gazed
with an expression OF profound astonish-
mcnt. Respect for the pope prevented
the audience from rising; bat his holi-
ness, curious TO see the cause Of the con
jurer's interest, approached the table, and
looked into the mortar
do not know, be said, whether it is
because the light dazzles my eyes, but
can distinguish nothing.
TorriHi then begged him to come round
the table aud choose % more favorable
point Of observation. and, as he moved,
dcNcronsly slipped the reserve watch in
20 bis pocket The cardinals chron0me-
ter had now been reduced to small iM-
got. Holding it up before the spectators.
the magician said:
viii NOW restore this crude mass 10 its
original shape, and the transformation
shall take place during i- passage 20 the
pocket Of person who cannot be suspect
"a of completely.
All said the pope, with an expression
of j0cular iHcreduIIty; tha, Is promising a
good deal WI at should y0u 10 IL ask
el SON 20 select my pockett
The orders Of your holiness shall be
obeygd, -aid T0rrini, who, on receiving
au asserting signal from the pope, TOOK
the iHg8t iu his fingers, showed il 10 the
company. aud uttered thc word "Passu'
gheH il instantly disappeared. Plus VII.
with au iucrcaulous expression Of conn
tenaaee, pat hi. hand into his pocket: ge
had hlrli, done so whlu be showed signs
af confusion. and drawing bis hand DOT.
brought with it tbe watch, which he
quickly passed to the cardinal, as if afraid
81 bawiBg hi- finger.
There was great ag,ouishmeut among
ghe dlguilarie. Of the church when hls
eminence, on examining lbe wstcb. de-
elgre8 il was the very one that lad been
made far him bg Brcguc' aud which
lhey hal seen crushed 10 pieces by TIE
rlnLurlr Ihn mNAlnrE ma. innrnn-rl