The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-15
THE GOLDFISH TRICK--HOW 4 NEG
ROMANCER CAME TO GRIEF,

4HE UOLU-fIOH IRlCK--HOW Il NEG
ROMANCER CAME TO GRIEF.
Max Adeler relates the following:
Several of the magicians who perform
i'll public do what they call the 'sgold-fish
trick The jnggler stands upon the
stage, throws handkerchief over his ex-
tended arm, and produces in succession
three or four shallow glass dishes; filled
to the brim with water, in which live
goldfish are swimming. OF course the
dishes are concealed some how upon the
person Of the performer.
Peter Lamb, the young fellow who
lives near me, discovered how the trick
was done, and he offered to do it the other
night. at Magruder's party, for the enter
tainment of the company. So the folks
gathered in one end of the parlor, and in
few moments Lamb entered the door at
the other ind, He said.
Ladies and gentlemen, you will per.
ccive that [ have nothing about me ex.
ccpt my ordinary clothing. and yet
shall produce presently two dishes filled
with water and living fish. Please watch
me narrowly.
Then Peter flung the handkerchief over
his hand and arm, and we could see that
he was working his way vigorously at
something beneath it. He continued for
some moments and still the gold fish did
not appear. Then he began to grow very
red ia the face, and we saw that some
thing was the matter. Then the per-.
SEPARATION began to stand on Peters fore
head, and Mrs. Magruder asked him if he
was we'll. Then the company laughed,
and the magician grew redder. Bat he
kept on funbling beneath that handker.
chief, and apparently trying to reach
around under his coat.tails. Then we
heard something snap, and the next mo-
wizards left leg and spread out over the
carpet.
By this time he looked as if the grave
would be welcome refuge. But still he
continued to feel around under the hand.
kerchiet. At last another snap was
heard, and one more quart of water
plunged down bis right leg and formed
pool about his shoe. Then the NEGRO
manccr hurried!y said that the experi-
ment had somehow failed, and he darted
into the dining-room. I followed, and
found him sitting on the sofa, trying to
remove his pantaloons. He exclaimed:
20, gracious! Come here quickly and
pull these off! They're soakin' wet, and
I've got fifteen live goldfish inside my
drawers fippin' around and raspin' the
skin with their fins, enough to make a
man crazy. Ouch! 0, Moses! Hurry
the shoe off. and grab that fish there at
my left knee, or I'll have to howl right
Quit"
Then we undressed him and picked the
fish out If his clothes, and l discovered
that he had two dishes full of water and
covered with India-rubber tops strapped
inside his trowsers, which were six inches
too short for him, and then he climbcd
over the hack fence and went home. He
says, now, that the next time he gives ex.
hibitions in public he intends to confne
himself to ventriloquism.
The convict was an intelligent fellow,
and eyed his fellow.passenger closely.
presently the stranger said: ssPretty
slow train this?
Convict. II suppose it is rather slow
when one is in hurry
Stranger. eyes; you going down the
road far %.
Convict. mo. sir; I stop IF a. sAu-
burn"
Stranger. "Ah! do you live there?''
Convict. 81 have not formerly
Stranger. ''But you think of taking
up your residence there do you? q
Convict. Il am thinking seriously of
it; yes, SIR
Stranger: s:What business are you in,
if may ask =
Convict. II expect to be in the employ
of the State"
The stranger saw the irons and the sell
about the same time, and calculated,