The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-03-07
A C)NJURER.'S FEAT.

The signor was giving series o'
highly successful performances in
the city of Mobile, where Gas he tells
Us in his auto bi ography) pc eople
came to consult hirn privately about
love affairs, matters of business and
future events, thinking that one who
could do such won ders must be able
to unravel all the mysteries OF life.
1t was a rather primitive, simple
minded communi, y in those days. In
vain he disclaimed ID the fortune tell
ing powers ascrib,.d to him. 1t was
still believed he could give the re-
quired informatio if he would.
He was one day in the hall, pre-
pairing for the evenings performance,
when an elderly gentleman called
upon him aid wi tn profound respect
asked the honor of taking him by
the hand.
Il saw your doings here last
night" said the 'Yisitor, land let me
tell We, twas the most wondsrfulest
thing l ever did see! Inever laughed
SO in all my bo. n daysr'
81 am glad you were pleased" re-
piled the signor.
How You could take so many
eggs out of a bag that had been
threshed on the stage and tramped
on, upset all nay calculations And
how could you know that stranger
in the middle of the hall had a
chicken under his coat ? | couldn't +
see a feather of it until you called
him up and pulled the squeakin'
critter out"
The signor silently listened to 4
good deal more talk of this sort, un-
I'll the speaker came to the object of
his visit.
''They do say, signor, that there's
nothing Won don't know, or can't
find out if yo'u try. And I've come
to consult yor,'-the old gentleman
looked cautio usly about the hall and
lowered his 'sOice-''on a question
that I'd vii lingly give one of my
fingers to un puzzle. "
That pro baby question l could
not unpuzzle ifall my fingers depend
on it." repli ed the signor. ~ have
no such po' vers, outside of my own
business, as many people suppose.
MAKE th is your business, and III
reward you. well for it, said the Wis
itor. MY name is Oatman. / live
on my plantation in the summer,
and bring my family to town in the
winter. We bring only two servants
with us, and they are old family SER
wants, that | can't think would steal
from US"
"You have been robbed ?" said
the signoI.
"Now, now did you ever find that
out ?" cri ed the planter.
"You Just told me-" laughed the
signor.
Not L % chuckled the other, with
sagacious shake of the head. Il
hadn't come to that part of my story.
But see yon can read my thoughts
before / can out with them. l have
been robbed in the strangest way"
As every well-to-do planter car
ried his watch and dangling fop
chain, and as Mr.. Oatman's person
showed none, the signor, who was
fond of joke, could not help an
swering in fortune telling fashion:
"Your watch has been taken ?"
"Now how could you know that ?'
the simple minded man exclaimed,
in delighted surprise. 1T was the
first thing / missed. Then we made
search and found that my wifes dia-
mond ring was gone, and that over
two hundred dollars had been filch-
ed from my TILL
''The thief must have been ac-
quainted with the premises" said
the signor.
There you hit it again." said the
planter. with lively satisfaction
"You score one every time. He must
know the premises, whoever he is
and that's the strange part of it
Servants faithful-good Lord, they
wouldn't know what to do with ths
imoney and things if they had them