Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-02-20

"atcn oI lather large size (thls was the
popularity of the cardinal's) he will
confer great favor By lending it to
me, as it will greatly facilitate my ex.
pertinent. need not say that I will
be extremely careful Of it. My object
is to prove its superiority, if it has
prove it,
ALI eyes were now turned on the car
dinal, who, as was we'll known, prized
his chronometer on account of it's I'm.
usual size, the large case, US he said,
allowing the works to act more freely.
He hesitated, however, to part with
his treasure, till Plus VII. said to him
.Cardinal, I fancy your watch will
suit exactly; obligo me by handing it
! to Signor Torrini."
| His eminence complied, though not
without numerous precautions. When
the watch was handed to him, Torrini
assumed to be absorbed in admiration
| OF the works and beautiful chasing, to
which he drew the attention of the
pope and the cardinals. He then asked
the owner some questions which elicit.
ed the high estimation in which the
cardinal held his chronometer, which
had been made to his order by the celc.
brated Breguet. The enthusiasm of
his eminence amused the pope, who
looked on attentively as Torrini, after
saying that he should prove the solidi-
ty and excellent qualities of the watch,
suddenly let it fall to the ground.
Everybody was amazed at the boldness
of the act. and the cardinal, unable to
restrain his indignation, vehemently
exclaimed:
You are playing very sorry jest.
sir"
"But, monseigneur," calmly replied
the magician, there is no cause for
alarm. I only wish to prove to these
gentlemen the perfection of your
watch and you may rest assured that
which I shall subject it,
With these words he stamped on the
case, crushing it into a shapeless mass.
This act still further excited the ire of
the cardinal; but the pope, who took
more sensible view of the matter,
turned to him and said:
"Come, cardinal, have you no conf
dence in our sorcerer2 For my part,
I laugh like child at it, being con-
WINGED there has been some clever SUBJ
stitution.
Torrini, who was delighted with the
success of his trick, assured his holi.
ness that there had been no substitu-
ton, and appealed to the cardinal for
Identification of his watch. The latter.
after exa1ning the shapeless fragments,
and finding his arms engraved inside
the case, acknowledged that it was in
decd his beloved chronom eter, and
added, in stern voice:
II do not see how you can escape.
sir; you should have tried your danger
GUS experiment on some object that
could be replaced, instead of unique
watch like mine."
The magician, after declaring that
this circumstance gave him additional
satisfaction, as it enhanced the credit
of his performance, asked the cardinals
permission to proceed. But the latter
said that, as he had not been consult
cd in the destruction of the watch. he
did not care what became of its frae-
ments.
Having established the ilenty of the
cardinals chronometer, Torrini's next
object was to pass into the pope's
pocket the one he had bought the
previous evening. As this could not
easily be done while his holiness re-
mained seated, the magician hit upon
y pretext to make him rise. Placing a
brass mortar, with an enormous pestle.
upon the table, he threw in the frat.
ments of the watch, and began pound
ing furiously. Suddenly slight de-
tonation was heard q lurid flame shot
up from the vessel, into which Torrini
gazed with an expression of profound
astouishment. Respect for the pope
prevented the audience from rising ::
but his holiness, curious to see the
cause of the coDjuror's interest, ap-
preached the table, and looked into
the mortar.
II do not know" he said, "whether
it is because the light dazzels my eyes,
but can distinguish nothing"
Torrini then begged him to come
round and choose q more favorable
point of observation, and, as he moved.
dexterously slipped the reserve watch
into his pocket. The cardinals chron
ometer had now been reduced to a
small ingot. Holding it up before the
spectators, the magician said:
II will now restore this crude mass
to it's original shape. and the transfor-
nation shall take place during it's pas.
sage to the pocket of a person who can
not be suspected of completely"
'tAh!" said the Pope, with an ex.
preston of jocular incredulity; ''that
is promising a good deal. What
should you do if I asked you to select
my pocketa"
"The orders of your holiness shall
be obeyed," said Torrini, who, on re-
.cciving an asserting signal from the
Pope, took the ingot in his fingers,
showed it to the company and uttered
the word Pass!" when it instantly
disappeared. Plus VII, with an in
credulous expression of countenance
put his hand into his pocket. He had
already done SO when he showed signs
of confusion, and, drawing his hand
out, brought with it the watch, whlcl
he quickly passed to the cardinal, rs il
afraid of burning his fingers.
There was great tastonisbment among
the dignitaries of the church when hif
eminence. on examining the watch
declared it was the very one that hat
been made for him by Breguet, ant
which they had seen crushed to piece
by the conjure. The mystery was in
creased when Torrini declared that Ii,
had fulfilled his promise, and had onl,
tested the superiority of tho chronme
ter.
The next day the pope sent him
rich diamond ff-box, with thank
for the pleasure his performance ha,
afforded. His fame was now ut it
height. Attracted by the news of hi
wonderful exhibition, crowds flocke
;: to see the magician who had accom-
plished such marvels. They did not
however, have the qualification of wi,
Messing the famous trick of Il,
"broken watch; for the expense {
undertaking an experiment., whic
J could never again be repeated unde
such favorable auspices, would be wal
$ rnntcd only by the circumstance
which originally brought together Il,
4 pope and the conjuror.
81 ALEXANDER You've.