Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1877-11-06


there, at the proper moment, was sent
the current. The bottom ofthe box
was covered with wallpaper, which
made It look like wood but it was
in reality a strong iron plate. He re-
quested his auditors to lift the little
box, that they might see how light it
was. They did so its weight was
trilling :; it was apparently wooden
box. "Nevertheless,n said he, If |
want to put bank notes in It for safe
keeping-they are not heavy-I lust
pass my wand over it and l can make
the box so heavy that no thief can
run off with it,"
lone hundred candles lighted by a
pistol shotW was q seeming marvel
that drew all Paris to HOudin's hall
for time. This was an application
OF thp old principle of the electric
spark, and though only 100 candles
were modGstly mention by HoudIn.
he might have lit more than that with
his pistol shot, aud so he informed his
hearers. Houdin was the first TO
make use of the Ruhmko rfl coil,
which, to the great joy of the juggler,
rendered his trick safe against wind
and weather.
There is nothing juggler's patrons
are fonder of than ghosts, aud Robert
Houdin had quite number of these
phantoms at command. The strange
receptions brought about by optical IL
fusion are practically limltless, and
one Of the most startling WAS produced
by Houdin. In this scene two per-
sons are, or are supposed to be, walk
ing about the stage. They rush from
side to side; they gesticulate, they are
heard to speak to each other the
dramatic movement they go through
is actually blOOd-curdling. For one is
q creature, like ourselves, of flesh and
blood, and the other is a phantom, an
impalpable spectre. The living being
vainly tries to seize the phantom. He
thrusts password through and through
it; he even himself passed through it
as the sunshine penetrates rain
cloud, In spite of this the spectre
does not lose its humaL shape. 1t re-
maine seemingly intact; it continues
to gesticulate, and appears to haughti-
ly defy it's mortal asssilant. Finally
it vanishes, and the living man, with
sweating brow and hOTroT-stricken
features, remains alone upon the
stage. The principle of this en- err
taiuing illusion, which is well known
in America, where it ID technically
known as Peppers Ghost" may be
explained 10y fe " strokes of pen and
pencil. Just stand upon table a
sheet of glass about II or 10 inches
high and about as wide, 1t is strictly
important that the glass should be of
fine quality, free of flaws, aud trans
parent. Put lighted candle al a dis
lance of five or Six inches IN front OF
81, 81. IL a 81, a l.,
book TO serve as q screen. In looking
over the book aud into the glass you
will SEE reflected there the candle
which the screen hides from your di-
rect vision, and the candle will virtu-
ally appear to be behind the glass, and
at exactly the same distance from il
that the real caadIe is. still looking
through the Il ~, you will find that
you may put your hand around there
and pass it apparently through the
flame again aud again, and through
the candle still seems All Opaque SUBJ
stance, your being EOle 70 pass your
lingers through it shows cleHrly that
it is airy aud impalpsble. II, in the
place of the candle, you substitute q
white body strongly illuminated, you
will have the precise explanation OF
the ghost effect as used by Houdin,
and later by Pepper. All lights in
the hall are turned of with the eXcep-
ton of that used for the production of
the spectre.
HOudin sometimes employed acous-
tic receptions with good effect. AS
good a one as any was that of the -four
harps, which played singly and in
quartet not only without hands TO
touch the strings, but also not harp
music at all, for one harp gave the
strains of plano. another Of a violin
cello, another OF violin, and'auOther
of a clariOuet. The spectator cav on
the stage four large harps, each sup
ported by small, upright, trlangu-
lar piece of pine wood, that was all.
HOudin appeared aud touched the
strings of one Of the hsrps, whereup-
on il started of it's own accord and
played an autricate piece with the eX-
act quality of the piano. Each other
harp was touched in turn and each
proved itself first harp, aud then not
harp, but the violin, the clariOuet
aud the viOloncellOr respectively; Their
they al played together. Houdin had
but to swing them around on their
pivots, and the music ceased. The Sc
cret of the trick was that there were
four musicians down in the cellar
with their four instruments named.
The triangular piece of pine. which
was not more than about an inch in
diameter, was attached to the harp
strings, and then, descending through
| the stage, was attached, In the cellar
| below, to the divers Instruments
But, to enable the juggler to shut OF
the music when he liked without the
| clumsiness of cOmmun eating with
those below, each wooden triangle wal
sawed in two about an inch above the
no difference in the matter Of commu
nicating the music, so long Us the two
sawed ends OF the triangle were placed
Together ; but when the harps were
swung around, and the triangles sepa'
rated, the vibrations from below ceased
to be ansmitted. aud you could no
| hear a sound no matter how Justify
! the musicians played.
1t IL al axiom in natural philosophy
! that the c0nteuts OF any given recep
tacle must be smaller than til,
receptacle. No juggler ever seemed
to defy this physical law more amaZ
ingly than Houdin, HE fantastic port
folio has never been surpassed. Hou
din's quickDess Of hand was so won
derful, bis flow Of small talk 20 un
Ceusiug, that lie could force your ~
tentiOn in auy direction he chose, an'
in this way make you look vt on
thing, although you had made up you
mind that, this time, you would Ger
tainly keep your eyes fixed on anoth
| l. t.ia Ia