The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-10-26

the weapon would not go of. Houdin
instantly detected the trick, and showed
that the touch-hole of the musket was
carefully plugged. This rendered the
Arab conjuror furious and ne, of course
abused his French rival without mercy
Houdin was perfectly cool, and turning
to him, said:
| You are angry with me-
Il am, said the Marabout.'
And would be avenged
Yes" he replied, regarding Houdin
with eyes cleaning with ferocity.
alt is very easy
Show me the way"
Il will show yOu,- said Houdin, quiet.
ly, while the Arab was all attention"
Take pistol, load it yourself. Here
are the bullets. Put one in the barrel.
But stop"
For WHAT said the Arab.
Mark the bullet with your knife, that
you may know it, The Arab did as he
was told
You are quite certain now said
Houdin, that the pistol is properly
loaded"
Yes
Tell me, do you feel no remorse in
killing me thus, even though consent"
"No7-and the eyes of the savage grew
darker with an expression of cruelty.
at s]strange" said Houdin, almost
sadly.
You are my enemy, and ] will kill
yon > he replied.
wait but a moment"
Houdin then stuck an apple ON the
point ofa knife and calmly gave the word,
as he held the fruit raised in one hand,
Fire"
The pistol was discharged, the apple
flew far away, and there appeared in its
place, stuck on the point Of the knife,
the bullet which the Marabout had
marked. The spectators, though aroused
to intense excitement of feeling, re-
mained mute with stupefaction, while
the Marabout bowed before his superior
saying:
God is great | am vanquished."
Great was the triumph of the Ere ncf
| wizard.
Houdin then called for an empty bow
which he kept constantly full of boiling
coffee, though but few of the Arabs
would taste it, for they were sure that
was the evil ones coffee pot from whence
it came. He told them that it was with
in his power to deprive them OF a!
strength and TO restore it to them at will
and he produced in illustration a small
box, so light that child could lift it Will
the fingers.
And now came their astonishment.
This box now suddenly became st
heavy that the strongest man could no
raise it, and the Arabs, who prize physl
cal strength above everything, looked
with terror upon the magician, who, the!
doubted not could annihilate them b.
the mere exertion of his will.
! The people expressed this belief, il
which the wizard, of course, confirmed
them, and promised that, at day ap
pointed, he would convert one of then
into smoke. The day came and thu
throng was prodigious. A fanatical Mar
about had agreed to give himself up t.
the French sorcerer for the experiment
The preparations were on grant
scale. The Marabout was made to stanC
upon table, and was covered with trans
parent gauze. Then Houdin and anoth
er person lifted the table by the end:
when the Arab disappeared in profus'
cloud of smoke. The terror of the spec
tators was indiscribable. They rushed
out of the place and ran long distanc'
before the boldest could make up thei
minds to return and look for the Mara
bout. They found him near the spo
where he had so mysteriously disap
peared, but he could not answer thei
questions; he could tell them nothing a
all, and only gazed wildly at them lik
one bereft of his senses. He was entirel
ignorant of what had happened to hin
This was Houdin's closing exhibition
in Algeria The minds of the peopl
had been filled with wonder, and he wa
venerated by all, while the pretentiou
Marabouts were in utter disgrace.-Bo