Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-01-26
Magic's Wonders.
.ncinnati Enquirer.

time ago." said the professor, ''our
Oxford street waiter was m&de the vic
tim of a practical joke. One morning,
as this tOnsorial artist sat reading his
newspaper, he was startled by seeing a
young man enter in a very excited
manner. who, throwing, rather than
seating himself in the chair, demanded
a shave instazter. The barber, who was
a ready fellow, at once set about obey
ing the commands of this excited and
hurried guest. With a rapidity that
surprised himself. he shaved the right
side of his customers face, ana then
Immediately turned to the left. That
side he also shaved with cleanliness and
dispatch, but, judge of his surprise,
when his customer demanded to know
in tones anything but pleased why he
did not shave the right side. The poor
be9ildered barber was almost certain
that he had done so, but perceived, to
his surprise, that the side in question
was covered with et-black hair. Again
he shaved it, but while he did so, to
his surprise and horror, the hair was
growing on the other side. Thus it
continued for an hour. While he
shaved one side he could actually see
the hair growing on the other side.
Terrified beyond expression, he
stood motionless; hereupon the young
man leaped from the chair, and, snatch
! ing the razor, drew it across his throat,
and fell to the floor covered with blood.
The barber flew into the street halloo-
ing Murder ? at the top of his voice.
A crowd soon gathered, and, with the
affrighted barber, beheld the supposed
corpse quietly arranging his tie before
the mirror turning very pleasantly, he
paid the barber and departed. A the
atrical gentleman among the lockers
OH soon gave it out that it was Profess
sor Hermann, the great American
Magician. l went to my hotel and
awoke next day to find myself the talk
Of London" concluded the Professor,
''for it was [ who did it. [ gave the
poor barber fits. Did you ever hear
how gave friend of mine the snakes?"
asked the Professor. On receiving an
answer in the negative, he said:-"A
friend of mine, who was as great a
drunkard as an actor, and that is say
ing great deal, was one morning seen
by me to enter drinking-salo when
he was almost on the verge of delirium-
trements. and knowing his horror OF
snakes, as mania a-pOtu is vulgarly
called, [ resolved to save him. [ en-
tered just as he raised a glass of wits.
key to his lips, and rushing forward I
snatohed the glass from his hand
crying at the same time. Hold,
S., until l take this fly out Pre-
tending to take the fy out,
held up serpent. G. cried out: MY
God that is a snake = Not at all,
said I; it is a simple house-fy. See
you are covered with them saying
which [ approached, and from his
sleeves, and hair, etc, I proceeded to
pull snakes, protesting all the time that
they were flies. They are snakes !!
cried G. again. My God that is q
snake; tell you, Hermann, they are
snakes!' Nonsense said /, they are
but flies. Then said he, 8 [ have the
snakes myself ? and he rushed from the
saloon. He was not seen for more
than a week after, but when next seen
he was sober, and has been since
Professor" asked the interviewer
"were you, who are so fond of surpris-
ing others, ever surprised yourself ~
"Once," was the answer; then the sur
prise was very great and agreeable
one, [ assure you. 1t came about in
this way: [ was for number of years
a sufferer from cramps in my left side,
Immediately under the heart. / suf-
fered regularly at the close Of each per-
formance, and very often was COM
PEELED to cancel engagements which I
had made, owing to my inability to fill
them, being Frustrated by cramps, and
being in very weak condition. / en-
tertained very serious thoughts of Civ
ing up my profession and spending
some years in travel. and would have
done so but for an attendant of mine,
whose head | had cut off occasionally
while performing my wonderful decapi-
tation act. The Individual to whom
complained of the pains and cramps
in my side on one occasion and said it
was curious-that /, who could decapi-
tate another and replace his head at
will, ought certainly to be able to cure
myself. [ told him how some of the
best doctors in Europe and America
had failed. He laughed at me, and
said he could cure me in week. That
hlSub u6 pIGSSuI6u l10 Will d DOlGl0 Oh
St. Jacobs Oil, the Great German Rem
edy, saying that its use would produce
an effect more magical than [ could
readily believe. [ laughed at the idea
Of St. Jacobs Oil doing what had baf-
fled the greatest doctors, but said that I
would try it, simply to convince him
that trying it would do no good. That
night, on retiring, [ rubbed my side
with the Oil, and, sure enough, It's good
effect was Misunderstanding in
fact; felt relieved at once. [ slept
better that night than I had done for a
long time before. Again in the morn
ing 1 rubbed with the Oil, and at the
close of the afternoon performance l
noticed a great diminution of the
cramps. Was l surprised? Well, [
was very much surprised, and told my
attendant so. In less than week, and
before [ had finished using my third
bottle, [ was entirely and permanently
cured. The effect of St. Jacobs Oil
was indeed magical, SO much so that 1
couli scarcely believe my senses. [
have never felt a cramp since-nor is
there prophet, seer, soothsayer or ma
gician who can perform such wonders
as St. Jacobs Oil"