Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-01-18

morning at o'clock l will allow you to fire
at me in the presence of these Arabs, who
we're witnesses Of your challenge
"Bou Allen, astonished at such promise,
asked me once again II this offer we're seri-
Gus, and IL he should invite The company for
the appointed hour. On my affirmative, they
agreed to meet before the stone bench have
already alluded to.
"I did not spend all my night at prayer,
as may be supposed, but employed about
two hours in insurng my invulnerability (;
then satisfied with the result, | slept sound
ly, for was terribly tired
by the next morning we had breakfast
ed, our horses were sadded and our escort
was waiting the signal for our departure,
which would take place after the famous ex-
pertinent. None Of the guests were absent
and, indeed, great number Of Arabs came
in to swell the crowd. The pistols were hand
ed me called attention to the fact that the
vents were clear, and the Marabout put in a
fair charge of powder and drove the wad
home. Among the bullets produced, l chose
one which l openly put in the pistol, and
which was then also covered with paper.
The Arab watched all these movements, for
his honor was at stake. We went through
the same process with the second pistol, and
the solemn moment arrived
Solemn, indeed it seemed to everybody
to the spectators who were uncertain of the
issue, to Nine. Houdin, who had in vain be-
sought me to give up this trick, for she fear
ed the result-and solemn also to me, for as
my new trick did not depend on any of the
arrangements made at Agiers, l feared an
error, an act Of treachery-I knew not what.
Still posted myself at 10 PAGES from the
sheik without evincing the slightest emotion.
The MarahnpN i'm adi a. Nalv oaiyoA Of tho
pistols and on my giving the signal took a
deliberate aim at me- The pistol went of,
and the ball appeared between my teeth.
More angry than ever, my rival tried to seize
the other pistol, but l succeeded in reaching
il before him.
"'You could not injure me, said to him.
but you shall now see that my aim is more
dangerous than yours. Look at that wall
Il pulled the trigger, and on the newly
whtewsshed wall appeared large patch of
blood, exactly at the spot where had aimed.
The Marabout went up to it, dipped his fng-
or in the blood, and, raising it to his mouth,
convinced himself of the reality. When he
acquired this certainty, his arms fell, aud his
head was bowed on his chest as il he we're
annhilated. 1t was evident that for the mo.
ment be doubted everything, even the proph-
ct. The spectators raised their eyes to heav-
en-, muttered prayers, and regarded me with
a species Of terror. This scene was triumph
ant termination of my performance. there
fore retired, leaving the audience under the
impression l had produced. We took leave
of Bou-Allem and his son and set of on a
gallop.
The trick | have just described, though
so curious, is easily prepared. l will give
description OF it, while explaining the trouble
it took me. As soon as l was alone in my
room l took out Of my pistol -case-without
which never travel-a bullet mould. l took
a card, bent up the four edges, and thus
made a sort of trough, in which l placed
piece of wax taken from one of the candles
When it was melted, mixed with it little
lamp black | had obtained by putting the
blade of knife over the candle, and then ran
this composition in the bullet. mould. Had l
allowed the liquid to get quite cold, the ball
would have been full and solid but in about
10 seconds turned the mould over, aud the
portions of the wax not yet set ran out, leav-
ing a hollow ball in the mould This opera.
tion is the same as that used in making ia
pers, the thickness Of the outside depending
on the time the liquid has been left in the
mould. / wanted a second ball, which |
made a little more solid than the other and
this l filed with blood and covered the ori.
fee with lump OF wax. An Irishman had
once taught me the way to draw blood from
the thumb without feeling any pain, and
employed it on this occasion to fill my bullet
Bullets thus prepared bear an extraordinary
resemblance to lead and are easily mistaken
for that metal when seen at a short distance
of.
with this explanation the trick will be
easily understood. After showing the leaden
bullet to the spectators, changed it for my
hollow ball, and openly put the latter into
the pistol. BY pressing the wad tightly down,
the wax broke into small pieces, and could
not touch me at the distance l stood. At the
moment the pistol was fired, opened my
mouth to display the lead bullet l held be.
tween my teeth. while the other pistol con-
tanned the bullet filed with blood, which
bursting against the wall left it's imprint
though the wax had flown to atoms "-CHl-
drens Museum