Sharp County record., 1880-05-13

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ed to resemble that of the attendant
with a little stage blood in the hollo"
of the neck. At the moment OF sup
nosed decapitation, the magician, who
Stood with his back to the audience,
pressed upon the attendants head'
which at once sank into the
table and seizing the dummy head, held
it, bleeding, aloft, the cloth about the
neck hiding the angle OF the sunKen
head. To "recapitate" the youth 1t
was only necessary to drop the rubber
head back in its place, release the
spring Of the trap which brought the
attendant head to its proper level, anu
the trick was done. With Hermann
the more horrible adjuncts were done
away with, and a vein OF comedy was
introduced into the act. At the same
time the simplicity of the feat was de,
stroyed by the use of expensive ana
cumbrous machinery. The rustic, VINO
complains of "sorter buzzin" in his
head. was, it will be remembered, seat
ed in large armchair, the back OF
which was thickly padded, with two
gilt cords running crosswise, one from
the inner edge of either arm up to the
top corner of the opposite side, thus
making a broad X. When the elixir is
administered to the patient he is told
he will have to place his head in " re-
ceiver." The moment this receiver
(Which is shaped like divers helme)
is placed over his head the trickery be-
gins. The countrymar's head is surely
in the receiver, because he speaks
through the open visor in full sight OF
the audience, but directly the visor is
closed and whilst Hermann is placing
the cloth about the neck after the fash
ion of his predecessor, the assistant
presses against the back of the chair,
which giyes under the pressure and
opens for triangular space, the two
sides of which are formed by the lower
portion of the X spoken of, the base be-
inc on line with the chair arms, where
this swinging portion OF the back Is
hinged. On this flap, so to speak, the
opening of which is concealed by the
towel and the receiver, Master Rustlcus
rests his head behind the chair, with
his body recumbent and the receiver
left standing empty on his chest, close
to the neck. His right hand is now
adroitlv drawn up, whilst he struggles
and kicks as Hermann plies his muir
derous knife, and false head, which is
hung behind the chair back, is intro
duced into the receiver. The receiver,
with its burden, is placed upon a cabi-
net which occupies the center of the
stage, the vizor is opened to show that
the head is still there, and then dropped
again. This cabinet, shaped like safe,
apparently contains deep shelves filled
with bottles, skulls, etc. In reality
these shelves are very shallow, a mirror,
which is of the same height and breadth
of the cabinet, being placed in such a
position as to leave about fOur-tifthS OF
the cabinet vacant. In this vacant space
sits the smallest of the Lorellas, "made
up to look ike the countrylnan; when
the receiver is placed on the cabinet,
and the yizor down, Lorella No. 2
opens the trap on which it rests, re-
moves the false head and inserts his
own. Hermann takes away the re-
ceiver. the head makes the presumed
last dying speech and then falls over,
this movement being given to the sup
posed member by the young man in the
cabinet leaning his head on one side.
The third Lorella plays the "Devil," "
and the articulated skeleton is worked
by a galvanic battery behind the
scenes.
There was one trick in Hermann re-
portory which ior a long time puzzled
us. The reader will remember that a
small glass box, about nine by four
inches, was exhibited, containing a
number of canaries. This was placed
on one of the side-tables, and cage of
ordinary size and appearance was passed
among the audience, who were thus en-
abled to see that it was "perfectly
empty" The cage was then suspended
from two wires, which were fastened to
a couple of upright brass rods fixed in
the centre-table. Two large silk pocket
handkerchiefs were placed over cage
and box, and Hermann, standing at the
small table, fired pistol, instantly
withdrew the pocket-handkerchiefs, and
showed the glass box empty and the
cage full of canaries. For long time,
as has been said, this trick was a puz-
zler; but the following was found to be
its explanation: The ordinary-looking
cage had in reality false top, or rather
false bottom to the top. The roof of
the cage was peaked, and between its
ridge and the bottom of the caves was
what might be called garret. Before
being brought on the stage the same
number of canaries were therein con-
fined as the box contained. The wires
which held the cage suspended were
connected with battery outside. The
glass box was also peculiarly construct
ed. The sides were secured by brass