Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1878-01-31
HOUDIN, THE MAGICIAN.
HIS GREAT BASKET TRICK.
Prom I[arper's Magazine

velous fests performed by the native
jugglers. Naturally, Houdin's an
of the Indian basket
trick made great sensation. The
curtain arose and disclosed wicker
basket of oblong shape standing upon
what appeared to be a light table
without any cloth cover upon it. The
iuggler entered, dragging beautiful
youth, dressed rs an Indian Prince,
wearing robe of white cashmere /
embroidered with gold, while upon
his head waved peacock's plume /
held by diamond star.
Mercy! mercy!' cried the child. !
''No-no mercy. You are an In
dian. and a Prince, and must die"
was the savage response.
81 am only child,' cried the in
nocent boy.
s'That will not prevent my killing
you."
With piercing shrieks the child
broke away and rushed to the side
wing, only to be seized there by his
executioner, who, lifting him in his
arms, plunged him into the basket,
which he closed, strapping down the
cover. Then he drew his sword. ard,
having tested its sharpness by strik-
inc it into the floor, he thrust it in
the basket again and again, while the
victim in the inside gave the most
heart-rending cries of pain and ago
nv. Each time the sword was pulled
ont it 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 a ghostly silence cnsued.
During the scene the excitement
among the audience was intense. La
dies hid their faces behind their fans,
some wept aloud men shouted hoar.e-
lv. "Enough,'' The smiling jug9ler
, bowed, and proceeded TO unstrap the
basket, which he turned, mouth up
; wards. to the audience, showing it &C
be entirely empty. In the midst o.
the applause which followed from tho
, amused and relieved audience, thC
little Indian Prince was seen to b'
seated in a box in the center Of thu
; auditorium, kissing his tiny hand t
those about him, as well as to hi
friend, the executioner, on the stage
The trick was performed with tn
aid of looking-glasses inserted be
tween the table-legs-1 contrivanc
a now commonly used in pantomime
# and other show pieces upon our stage
e But it was new thing then, and tn
@ scene was remarkably well played b
O Houdin and the child. AS soon 8
d the boy got in the basket he opene
e a trap-door at the bottom of it, whlc
II was placed over a correspondent
e opening in the table. Hidden by tn
J. looking-glass, he crouched below be
r. tween the tablc-legs, and shrieke
: and bobbed until the proper momer
- came for him to descend through
a trap in the stage, and so pass arorn
" ia the box in from; of the theatre.
" sponge full of red liquid was place
ID at certain spot inside the bsske
4 and the sword, passing through TIN
,s seemed to be dripping with blood.
S. was imperative that the juggler shou
te not mass in front of the table, else h
re lens would have been reflected the
ld and that would have disclosed Il
t. entire secret. Houdin hecaule di
lv satisfied with this trick, and ma
so many improvements in it, which t
nh iugclers of our day have still furth
ed pertected. 1t is palpahlc that I'll
ne cannot be the way in which lndl
Id lugglers perform the trick in the m;
re ket-place or other public squares
do broad daylight. They have no loo
nir ino-qlass tables, no traps through
en- earth.
we Houdin's theory concerning tn
IT, was that their basket had an openl
to in it either ut its front or its bat
ely and that, while buckling and str;
IA ping down the cover, with knee hf'
its up and pressed on the basket us if
in tighten the leather strap more secu
ra- lv. the child crept out under the b
de knee and hid beneath the vclumin'
,ct, robes of the juggler. Then, wi
in the sword is piercing the baskets
and the child's sobs are most heart-re
ght ing, the crowd gathers into comp
fter mass about it, and into the crowd
b is child easily escapes without be
,ss) seen, and runs away. At the pro
the moment he come running back q:
,rts from distance, and OF course
astonishment of the crew is UNI
We" alleled, for the basket has in
has meantime been opened and shown
me, be empty.
out A LUDICROUS EXHORTATI
ater,
tudy The story is told, and it is sal
in. be entirely true, that at the re
dedication of Baptist Church in
''ei' county the ceremony of immel
ana was performed for the first tin
I'M that church by we'll known Ba
vent minister of this city. When he
entered the water and while wa
for the candidate, the minister
saws gested that somebody should sir
s;t;on appropriate hymn. One of the
az cons who stood near by heart