The Osceola times., 1882-11-04
The DEVIL WALKS,
Ihea Great Hermann Gives an Impromptu
Open-Air Seance.
St. Louis Post Dispatch.


The Devil was seen at the Union Mar
ket this morning, as several eminently
respectable hucksters, male and female,
can testify. In other words the great
Hermann, finding time hang heavily on
his hands, went marketing. As soon as
a Post Dispatch reporter understood the
magicians purpose he attached himself
to theprestidigitating party, and followed
it through the stalls. Hermann looks
a good deal like an idealized and human
lied Satan anyhow. He is of the dark
est dark brunette, while blazing black
eyes and the blackest of black
hair on his face and head. He dresses
in black, the only white showing in his
costume being his shirt collar. At the
market he was at once recognized by the
gamins who came trooping after him,
and when he stopped at vegetable
dealers stall, the crowd formed ring
on the outside. "How do you sell these
soup bunches," said he, picking up Il
peck measure full of herbs. 1.-TWO cents
apiece, replied the ample matron behind
the layout. That's cheap" said Herr
mann, very cheap" and then suddenly
looking into the heart of one of the
punches he pulled out plethoric wad
of twenty dollar bills. The woman
made grab for the money, but as sud-
denly as il appeared it vanished and she
looked from the bunch to the magician
and from the magician to the bunch
in puzzled way. $50 way with your
foolishness," she said at last, and
declined to be further interested.
A couple of stalls below there
was great selection of eggs.
These at once caught Herrmann's eye:
"Are these eggs fresh?" he inquired of the
damsel in charge. "Yes sir" He picked
up one and ratified it besides the wo-
mems ear She started back at the
singular metallic sound, whereupon he
smiled accusingly at her, broke the egg
and took out two five-dollar gold pieces
laying in the yolk. She stared and he
got ten dollars more ont of another egg
After collecting about thirty in this way,
she suddenly declined to have any
more eggs broken, As she spoke blue
tongue Of flame sprung out of a score
of eggs on the tray, and the
whole party started back in alright
The fame died away, and the woman
turned on Hermann with almost carse
"You are sorcererw BY this time
great throng of people had gathered
around, and each new feat of the master
was honored by round of applause. A
stall or two lower down Hermann picked
up cabbage and asked the man if it
was not imprudent to leave his valua-
bles exposed that way. The man glow
cred at him and said he wasn't there for
Joking "What will you take for the cab
bage?" inquired the melstro. Give
cents" The money was passed and the
cabbage became the property Of the
magician. Taking a knife, he cut it
open. and before the astonished gaze of
the multitude they lay perfect nest of
treasures. Hermann deliberately be-
gan to fill his pockets, first with a wad
of bills, hundred-dollar one on the
outside, then a gold watch and chain,
next two or three diamond rings. and
finally heaping handful of twenty-dol-
lar gold pieces, and last of all United
States bond for 81 900. Powers of de-
cription fail to paint the changes which
passed over the huckster's face as this
find was being appraised and pouched
ty the magician, Doubt, fear, avarice
dnddespair fitted one after another,oyer
his countenance, And at last when the
cabbage was evidently empty he flung
himself on the bench behind the stall
and refused to be comforted "That's
pretty good trade" said Hermann, and
the boys cheered him to the echo.
A few PAGES farther on was a game
dealers stand, and here the miracle of
the day was performed. Picking up
rabbit that was lying without any head
on the pavement. Hermann asked the
man how long il had been dead. "Only
a day or two" "Smell it," said Herr
mann. The reporter shifted at it, and ii
certainly was gamey. Don't you know
how to freshen up animals?" said
Hermann to the man. And he took
the rabbit doubled it up and back and
laid it dowu on the pavement with
head on it and evidently alive. The
dead rabbit at once leaped in among
the boys, who chased it and finally
brought it back, in sore need of the
kindly magician's good offices again.
Then he took dove from the cote over
the stand, deliberately wrung its neck.
pulled off its head and threw it to the
owner, and before he had time to exam
inc it returned him his pigeon none the
worse for wear BY this time the crowd
was so large that locomotion was i'm
possible. and with quizzical glance at
hisadmirers Hermann huriedly boarded
Il.