The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-11-10
NOT on THE BILLS.

NOT ON THE BILLS.
Punching q Hat and Its DeIuded Owuer-A
Jolly Old Gentleman's JolIIty Terned to
Anger.
Who that has ever witnessed Herr
mann's tricks will fail to imagine the
effect of the following scene on San
Francisco audience:
Eat a theater in San Francisco was en-
acted an inspiriting comedy which was
not down on the programme, but which
enlivened the audience in a most won
derful manner. Hermann, the magician,
appears, and performs his dexterous
tricks for the edification of the audience.
One of his most amusing ventures is the
demolition of "plug" hat, borrowed
from some good natured spectator, and
its subsequent wonderful restoration to
its owner. There was a jolly-looking
old man seated near the stage with q
new silk hat, which he very readily
loaned to the professor. When Herr
mann explored the inside of the hat and
brought forth an egg, the jolly old fellow
laughed quite heartily, and when the
facetious magician again explored the
prolific interior of the hat and brought
forth in some mysterious manner two
rabbits, the jolly old fellow grew quite
hysterical, and his face became of livid
hue. Hermann handed the hat to his
female assistant, with instructions to
brush it for the gentleman. The assist
ant retired with the borrowed hat, and
exchanged it for an old one, with which
the trick was to be concluded. In the
meanwhile Hermann was engaged in
performing some other impossible feat,
after which he espied the hat on the lit
tie table. He directed his male assistant
to return the hat to the jolly old gentle
man. The assistant, on his way to the
gentleman's seat, stumbled, and, to the
dismay of the professor, audience, and
particularly the jolly old gentleman, who
was perfectly aghast, fell on the hat and
crushed it into q shapeless black lump.
The unfortunate assistant sheepishly
returned the disordered tile to his mas
ter and retired in most disco1solate
manner. The professor apologized very
humbly for the accident to the owner,
whose jollity had seriously departed,
and who looked quite savage, and
promised to do all in his power to restore
the hat. To cheer the spectators he exc
cuted trifing diversion with a hand
kerchief. He rolled it into small ball
and pretended to throw it to the owner
in the gallery, but it mysteriously dis
appeared. Themagician assumed a look
of surprise, and approaching the owner
of the luckless hat, who had not abated
his ferocity jot, said: "You have that
handkerchief, SIR" The man surlily de-
MED the charge, whereupon the profess
sor applied his capacious hand to the
mans nose and slowly unfolded to view
the handkerchief. The spectators roared,
but the man, whose forbearance had
been sufficiently tried, he thought, raised
his cane and dealt the astonished Herr
mann four or five heavy blows about the
shoulders. The theater resoundcd with
cries of Put him out, "Bounce him."
and "Bif him once for luck, Perfess,"
and there was much excitement for q
time. Hermann took the matter very
coolly, however, and regaining the stage
took the battered tile and saying: "I'll
give you your hat, sir" began tearing it
into strips. He rolled the pieces into q
package, and approaching the man, re-
"Heres your hat, sir; very
much obliged, SIR" The man indie-
nantly refused the bundle, and Herr
mann transferred it to the hands of an
assistant, whom he directed to hold it
above his head. He then discharged a
pistol ut it and a hat was perceived
flying across the upper part of the thea
ter.
The bundle turned out to contain an
apoplectic doll, and another shot dis
toward the flies brought down
the gentleman's hat unhurt and shining.
The professor paused moment before
he returned the hat, and in loud voice
said: If you stay here for two minutes
after give you your hat, I'll put you
out, SIR" The man received his hat,
but settled back in his seat with the evi-
dent design of remaining. The profes-
sor leaned over and clutched the portly
man by the coat, and there waa an ami
mated struggle, which was enlivened by
remarks from the "gods "
in the gallery, such as "Sock it to the
old duffer, Hermann" "Give him one
for me-" etc. A police officer connected
with the theater interfered, and led the
unfortunate man out. On his way out
some person punched him in the neck,
and Immediately he was surrounded by
q crowd of fifteen or twenty of the audi.
ence, who pummelled him in most un-
manner. After struggle, he
succeeded in regaining the street, and
the scenes were related and laughed over.
by groups in front of the theater until q |
late hour.