The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-11-29
mere embroidered with gold, while
mon his head waved a peacock's
niume held by a diamond star.
Il >.a.axxl,3 I'D tho child /

mere embroidered with gold, while
mon his head waved peacock's
plume held by diamond star.
"Mercy! mercy!'' cried the child.
"No-no mercy. You are an Indian
and prince, and must die, was the
savage response.
II am only child" cried the limo
cent boy.
"That will not prevent my killing
YOU"
With piercing shrieks the child |
broke away and rushed to the size
wing, only to be seized there by ms
executioner, who, lifting him IN MS
arms, plunged him into the basket
which he closed, strapping down the
cover. Then he drew his sword, ana
having tested it's sharpness by striking
it in the floor, he thrust it IN the
basket again and again, While the
victim inside gave the most heart-
rending cried of pain and agony.
Each time the sword was pulled out
e. was seen to be covered with blood,
while the sobs and groans from the
inside of the basket grew fainter and
fainter. till at length they ceased, and
4 phostlv silence ensued. During this
scene the excitement among the au-
dience was intense. Ladies hid their
faces behind their fans; some Wept
alond: men shouted hoarsely,
"Enoughr' The smiling juggler
bowed, and proceeded to unstrap the
basket. which he turned, mouth up
wards. to the audience, showing it to
be entirely empty. In the midst OF
the applause which followed from the
amused and relieved audience, the
; little Indian prince was seen to be
seated in box in the centre OF the
auditorium, kissing his tiny hand to
those about him, as we'll as TO MS
friend the executioner on the stage;
This trick was performed with the
aid of looking-glasses inserted between
table legs-a contrivance now COM
monty used in pantomines and other
show pieces upon our stage. But 1t
was new thing then, and the scene
was remarkably we'll played by Hou-
din and the child. AS soon as the boy
, got in the basket he opened trap
: door in the bottom of it. which was
I placed over corresponding opening
6 in the table. Hidden by the looking
!, glass, he crouched below between the
table legs, and shrieked and sobbeo
= until the proper moment came fol
/ him to descend through trap in the
/ stage, and so pass around to the box
! in the front of the theatre. A sponge
full of red liquid was placed at Ger
i tain spot inside the basket, and thu
e sword, passing through this, seemed
+ to be dripping with blood. 1t was i'm
I perative that the juggler should no
IS pass in front of the table, else his leg
q would have been reflected there, an'
V that would have disclosed the entir
a secret. Houdin become dissatisfie
with the trick, and made many i'm
&c provements in it, which the Juggler
a. of our day have still further perfected
" It is palpable that this can not be tn
N way in which the Indian jugglers pei
70 form the trick in the market-place
IT, or other public squares in broad da.
Of light. They have no looking-glas
III table no traps through the earth.
OF Houdin's theory concerning thel
al was that their basket had an openln
III in it either at it's front or its bacl
We and that, while buckling and stral
ps ping down the cover, with the kne
lifted up and pressed on the basket a
if to tighten the leather strap MOI
securely, the child crept out und'
ne the bent knee, and hid beneath II
en- voluminous robes of the juggle
20 Then, while the sword is piercir
ny the basket. and the child's sobs al
as most heart-rending, the crowd gathe
!, IL In compact mass about it, and in
'iy the crowd the child easily escap
We without being seen, and runs ava
les At the proper moment he come I'll
eu ming back as if from distance, al
'hI of course the establishment of Il
CT: crowd is unparalleled, for the bask
:, VI has in the mean time been opened a
nc shown to be empty