, 1876-06-12
PIRNETTI.
Tho Marvellous Performances Of a European
Conturer.

burg, who aAtpnl8hed the natives by hih mar
vclous performances. 1lls name WAS pIrne.tt,
and Ills fame is yet In tho memory of those who
witnessed his unr!yalcd talents.
Tsu Gar Alexander, having heard Plrpettt
much spoken Ut, was des!ruus Of seeing hI1,t,
md one lay It was announced To the coiltu
TINT lie would have the honor Of giving repre-
scntauon Of his .nageal powers ut Court, the
ance icing O'clock. A brilliant and nu,nes-
uus assembly Of ladies' and courtiers, presided
over by the Car, had met, but thu coulurcF WIS
absent. Surprised and displcascd, the Czar
utcs utter I. plrncttt had not only failed tn be-
Ing su waiting, but had caused the Court to
whit, and Alexander Was not more patient Than
Louis NV. A quarter Of 20 hour passcd, l1nif
been sent III search u him returned unsuetcss-
ful. The anger vi the Cur, with difficulty
restrained, displayed Itself IN threatening ex-
cla'natlor's: Al length, htscr tile lapse Of an
gentleman Of The cliainbcr announced Plrnett,,
who presented himself With calm front, und
tile serenity Of one WHO had done nutling to re-
proach hillsetf with. The Car, however, was
II astonislituent, and replied with GOODNESS:
Did MT your Majesty eonttnand my pres
ence at O'Clock psucisely" -
"Just So: " exclaimed the Car, ut the height
""ei them said P!rnetti, "lct your Maj
esty dcsgn to !uok at yuuf watch, au0 you will
u'c!ock.''
The Car, pulling out hts watch violently, In
order to coniou,d wlat he co,,sidercd piece
VI downright fnsolence, waa completely amazed.
The wateA marked o'clockE In turn ull the
tuurtiers drew uut tllclr watches, which were
iSaa as nsuA s1asty rsgaetsa BY Tint mt, Of
culnulon accurd BY all the watches und clocks
IN the pa1ace. Tie art OF thu maGiciun was at
once manifest tn their strange retrogrcsston In
the march of time; To niger succcsded as
the Cur stnilcd, Prnctti thus addrcsstd hin:
Your Majesty will pardon me. 1t WAS by the
performance vi this trick that was dcslfous Of
making my asst appeasancc before you. But I
know low precious truth Is at Court; y is ut
least necessary that your witch shall tel it you,
s!F. II you consult it now, you will hnd that
IL marks the real time"
The Car ugain drew forth his watch,-it
pointed toa few minutes past y; the same retIce-
tion had tnlicn place IN all the watches Of all
those present, and the clocks Ut the. palncc.
This exploit wns followed by others cquully
amusing and surprising. At the close of tile
performance, the Car, after having compliment
Cd Pltncttf, brought baek To his remembrance
that, iu tile course OF the evenings amusement,
he bud declared that sucl, was the power Of bis
art that hr could penetrate everywhere.
y" Yes, air., everywhere" replied the eonjnrcr,
with modest assuru,lcc.
"What!" exclaimed the Car, "could you
penetrate even Into this palace werr TO order
uli the doors to be closed ind guardedl"
:inty tlis palace, sirc, Or even into the apart;
should enter into n,y own house" said Firnctti.
swell, tlcn," said the Gar, I" al midday 70
morrow sliali have ready in my closet the price
Of this evenings amusement, ,-opc thousand
rouhles. Come and gct thrn. But {otewnru
you TINT the doo5s shall be clused aud carefully
guarded"
"To-morrow at midday shall have The
honor Of presenting myself before your
tfnn y 1jt,i
drew.
The gentlemen Of the house followed the
conjurer to make sure that he quilted the pal
ace; they accompanied him u hiu lodgings, aud
from thu tnolncus he entered It. The palace ~as
instantly closed, with positive orders not u suf-
enter until the Car llimself should Command
were 's' s'1c.y eo!ssa O. Ss eondsaa sss ''dsas per-
The exterior openings to the palace
were guarded by the solalcsy. All tie ap-
dign!tarss, whom u simple professor Of llte at
Of lsgcrdetnain possessed no means Of bs1bing,
In short, for greater security, all tho keys had
been carried Into the Imperial cub!nct. A few
minutes previous to the hour fixed for pfrnctti's
interview with the Car, the Chamberlain on
service brought to HiA Majesty q dispatch wi!ch
u messenger had l,uuded him through m OPEN
Ing III the door. It WIS report froln the atln-
ister VI Police that pirneiti haA not left home.
"Ahal he bus found out that the undertaking
| is tnlpracttcahlc, md bus abandoned IT," OF.
served the Czar, with smile, Twelve o'clock
Sounded. While the lust stroke yet reyerber-
| atca, tho door Which communicated from tho
bcs.Enm Of The cznr to thu cabinet opened,
aild plrnettt appeared. The Czar drew back q
| couple Ut paces, his brow datkenct, and, after
| q nlulslcntary silence, he said, "Arc you aware
that JOY may bceomc very dangerous inli-
| ayes. sire" he replIcd: II Int I nm oplv nm