The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-11-16
Tricking a Magician,
Heller, tie Prestidigitdteur, Beaten at His
OWa Game.

HelIer, the PeStdigitdteur, Beaten at His
OUa Game.
In the car with Mr. Heller and friend,
in Boston, the other day, were somo half
dozen people, among them an estimabe old
lady who had evidently been doing her mar
keting, for she carried a basket on her lap,
cyntaining groceries, vegetables, and in par
ticular a large quantity of eggs. Mr.. Heller
sat down beside the old lady, and for a few
instants nothing of moment happened Mr..
Heller then stopped down and picked up
two eggs from the floor, and handing them
to the old lady, remarked that she was los.
ing them. Tne old lady, little surprised
thanked sthe polite gentleman, and every
thing again relapsed into silence 1t a few
moments repetition of the scene The old
lady wondered how it Was, she hadn't no.
ticed the eggs fall, and still more when Mr.
| Heller third time picked up, several eggs,
which he insisted had dropped from the
basket. This so puzzled the old lady that
she got up, and taking the eggs out sf the
basket, she disposed them on the seat, and,
taking out the vegetables in the same man
ner, put the eggs back and the articles on
top Of them, and then sat down again. Mr..
Heller then leaned over to gentleman who
was on the other side of the old lady, and
remarked audibly:
81 saw you do that. It's wrong"
"What do you mean, sir? What's wrong?''
said the gentleman addressed, rather indig-
nant at being spoken to in this way.
"You shouldn't have taken those eggs"
The old lady turned toward the gentle.
man and looked at him very suspiciouslv
while the OF her answered with great grayi-
ty:
Are you mad took no eggs
"But | saw YOU" said Heller.
BY this time the attention of the othel
passengers in the Ger was directed to the con
versation.
at is ftlse!' exclaimed the one accused
evidently feeling very uncomfortable.
That Is too much sir, when | say | saw
you" said Heller, and with that he rose
and passed before the old lady, who looked
hal f frightened and half angry, and stood
before the gentleman accused.
"What do YOU say to that" said Helle
taking from the mans overcoat pocket tive
eggs, and handing them to the old lady
"and that" taking two more from the othe
p cket
Lord, o Lord who would a'thought it?'
said the old lady.
The gentleman from whose pockets th
eggs had been taken rose from his seat anC
stood opposite Heller, saying:
t 81 don't understand this; perhaps we car
q find some more"
"No doubt can," said Heller, putting
. his hand in a side pocket and taxing ou
e three eggs two more from his hat and
couple from his trowsers. This occupied
some minutes, as Heller proceeded very de
=, liberately and slowlyto the evident surpris
t and Indignation of the other occupants o
1 the car. "And here, look here" continue,
Heller, taking a box of spices from tn
e mans hind pocket
d 'Put that man Off the car" said some
+ body
: The car was stopped and the man o
whom all this had been played waited fJ
e no further developments, and bolted throug
Is the car as fast as his legs would carr
d him.
The old lady confounded herself in thank
to Mr.. Heller and said she would ncyt
{ have suspected-he was such nice lookin
d gentleman, &c. Mr.. Heller's friend whispC
d ed to somebody next him, however, an
pretty soon every body in the car was laugl
h ing, the Old lady being the only one who re
mained in ignorance that this was one {
e Mr.. Heler's jokes,
BY and by the car reached Cambride
e aud Mr.. Heller and his friend got Off
they walked along the friend said he though
F he had noticed that Mr. Heller had pin
d his scarf
d so have" said Mr.. Heller, and he fe
st for the pin, but no pin was there. "Coul
y have put it in my pocket ?" he searche
y in his vest. "Hslloo I" he exclaimed, wher
is the money % and he neryously sougl
, through all his pockets. "Sold by Joye,"
- Mr.. Heller was minus cameo scarf pir
S2S in bills and gold matchbox He Ia
q once struck the wrong man, who while He
7 Ter had been quictly going through him W
going through Heller, Strange to "a
when Mr., Heller got back to Boston,
>, mentioned the secret to nobody and euioi
,t ed strict secrecy on his friends. All of viii,
shows that it take, two TO play ajokc Al
th. hitsrs ar, s,,,st;,,,.- Ifrt.,