The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-10-30

the desert. He pretended that he was
invulnerable and offered to let Mara
bout shoot at him. There was great
crowd, and a notwithstanding fellow
came out of it and claimed to have the
honor of killing the hated Frenchman
The pistols were handed to Houdin,
who called attention to the fact that the
vents we're clear. The Marabout put in
fair charge of powder and drove the
wad home. Among the bullets pro-
duced Houdin chose one which he open
ly put In the pistol, and it was also
rammed down. By the same process
the second pistol was loaded. Every
body watched with the most profound
solemnity. Houdin posted himself fif-
teen PAGES from the Marabout without
evinciDg the slightest emotion. The
Marabout Immediately seized one of the
pistols and, on Heudin's giving the sig
nal, took deliberate aim at him. The
pistol went off, and the ball appeared
between the magician's teeth. More
angry than ever. the Marabout tried to
seize the pistol. "You could not in
lure me-" said Houdin; but you shall
see that my aim is more dangerous than
yours. Look at the wall" He pulled
the trigger, and on the newly white
washed wall appeared large patch of
blood exactly at the spot whore he aimed.
The Marabout went up to it, dipped his
finger in the blood, and raising it to his
mouth, convinced himself of the reality.
When he acquired this certainty his
arms fell and his head bowed on his
chest, as if he were annihilated. 1t was
evident for the moment he doubted eve
rything, even the prophet. This seem
ingly incomprehensible feat Houdin
performed with prepared balls. With
bullet-mould and a bit Of wax mixed
with lampblack he had manufactured
a very fair imitation bullet. Another
bullet of the same material he had filed
with blood. OF course, it was by slight
of hand that he changed the bullets
forced upon him by the Marabout end
substituted his own. An old trick en-
abled him to get the real bullet between
his teeth while the waxen one was shat
tered to pieces. So with the second
ball, it was shattered upon striking the
wall. but spot of blood was produced.
If Houdin had not explained this part
it would be quite as wonderful to most
people as the phenomena of Spiritual
ism, and could have been passed off as
SO'NA Va cplL1O dSSChSJs
When William II. Seward made his
tour around the world, he witnessed
some performances of iugglers of India
that were quite surprising. He saw a
man climb bare pole sixty feet high,
standing in the open air, and when he
reached the top he mysteriously disap-
peared. After while, his feet reap
peared, then his legs and body, and he
came down. He claimed no superna
turGl powers. How did he do it?
There was an Indian juggler who had
little den on the Bowery, in New York,
a few years ago. He was dirty fell
low, and respectable persons were not
much disposed ia venture into his place.
A gentleman told the writer that,
moved by curiosity once, he went in.
The juggler made him sit on the floor.
In a moment two figures, apparently
human, rose out of the floor in obedi-
ence to the wand of the conjuror. They
grew to the ordinary height of human
being. The visitor made a motion to
rise, when the figures sank through the
floor instantly. An examination of the
place betrayed no visible solution to the
ingenious performance.