The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1885-04-20
THE CONJURER'S BRIDE.



with no stage trappngs of any kind aud,
borrowing rings aud handkerchiefs, no
amused the audience with really wonderful
feats. The second part of his entertainment
consisted of mind reading" aud IL was
with this that he most astonished and con-
founded the minds of the Western aud
Southern people among whom he per.
formed. He had circuit Of towns in each
OF which he appeared at regular intervals.
He never went off his beaten track, and
yet he always had crowded houses, for at
each uappeaIauce he announced some
startling new illusion which proved to be
more astonishing than any preceding one.
Some of his tricks he imported from foreign
countries; quite as many were of his own
invention. His personal appearance was of
some assstace to him, for he looked like a
magician. His hair was Jet black, long
and wavy. His complexion was pale aud
bloodless. His forehead was low, and under
his sharply marked black brows burned
pair Of coal-black eyes, brilliant as dia-
monds and restless as flame.
In Montrose he was great fav0rite. Uo
had given his entertainments there a num-
Der of times and was admired much by the
towns.people. He bad never, however,
made any friends among them. He was
courteous to those who addressed him, but
he repealed all attempts at intimacy.
his entertainments was Irene Washburn,
the daughter of the only editor in the
place. She was only 10 years of age and
was remarkably handsome Her dark
brown eyes and hair, coupled with a COM
plexion in which the blood came and went
like waves on q summer sea, her rosy lips
and milk white teeth, were the loadstones
that attracted many of the village beaux to
her fathers house. She was very intelli-
gent girl, but was given to too much read
ing of the sombre tales Of Poe and the
weird fancies of Shelley Night after
night she sat in the town hall, when Shol-
bach was giving his performances, chained
by q strange fascination which she could
not explain. She shuddered with horror
|. when the magicians keen, restless eye
lighted upon her, and when she found him
gazing at her with a strangely steady,
burning look, as he often did, she wanted to
cry out with horror, but could not. After
each entertainment she vowed that she
would never again visit the hall when the
Professor was there, but when his bills APP
peared in the town she found herself ire
sistibly moved to go and sec him.
This had been the state of matters for
some time, when Suddenly Sholbach threw
of his reserve and began to make friends in
Montrose. Twice, after performing in the
town. he invited several young men to his
rooms at the hotel and there opened bottles
of wine and served them with cigars until
they vowed that he was royal good
fellow. At last he asked one of them, who
was a great friend of Editor Washburn's,
to introduce him to the newspaper man.
The Introduction was performed and Shol-
bach made such pleasant impression on
the editor that the latter invited the magi-
clan to visit his house when again in the
| town.
When Sholbach next performed in Mont
lose the editor gave little reception to him
| after the entertainment. Once in the
| house of Washburn, Sholbach appeared to
| have eyes only for Irene. He devoted
| himself to her and attended to all hei
wants with grave and tender courtesy
that could not fail to make an impression
ON her. But the impression was not such
as the magician wanted. While he fasci
mated her, he filled her with horror. HI
reminded her of a snake.
"Why do you shrink from mel" he asked
her.
''Do shrink from You? she asked tim
idly.
She was afraid to acknowledge it, sht
| would not have dared to acknowledge any
thing that might offend him, for her min(
was completely subservient to his. II
could have mesmerized' her without per
| ceptible effort, had he desired to do so.
1 Aeoj Jbu Wv oAiAAAAA AASeAA AAASi Az Se&A'
gravely.
They were alone an the piazza, wher
| the cold moonlight lent an additiona
keenness to the glitter of Sholbach's eye
I-I-am sorry," she said trying T.
drop her eyes, but finding them irresis
tibly fastened to his.
"Do you know" he continued, Chat
perform in this town oftener than in an
other?"
| GtJs tbot en- 81
eyes. And why do you. suppose
it?"
81 do not know"
She did know. She knew what he wa
going to say, and would have given he
life to stop him, but she was powerless.
81 love you, he whispered in hoar'
voice.
She shuddered and clasped her han d
"Why do you not answer me2' he SAT-
bending closely to her 81 tell you 10y
YOU
81 know it," she said, in faint mu
muir.
She could not move hand nor foot.
"Then why do you not answer me?"
asked.
, She was silent,
"You love me, then. This silence com
from your shyness. / might have know
it,"
And leaning forward he clasped her
his arms and kissed her lips.
= The charm was broken. With loi
: quivering shrek she broke from his arm
and rushed madly into the parlor amor
the startled guests. Sholbach followi
her, but abe fed to her father for prote
ton.
"Take him away F." she cried. "Tal
him away He will kill me with his il
eyes-those serpent's eyes. Take hi
away !"
The next morning sholbach had disa
}. peared from the town, after announcii
J. that he would never return, and Irene Ii
). in fever.
A year had passed away and Irene h
long ago recovered her accustomed heal
and spirits. Sholbach, true to his promii
had never come back to Montrose. In b
meantime John Manners, stalwart YOU
physician, whose ability was unquestion
and whose physical beauty was the envy
every young man in the town, had foui
the way to Irene's heart. She loved al
i was loved in return, and it had been O
ranged that they should be married at h
uncle's magnificent mansion in st. Louis
the fall. The days rolled ON and we
before the day appointed for the weddil
Irene and her parents, together with h
|, lover and his parents, went to the city.
!. The first thing which met Irenes ey
n when she arrived in st. Louis was bill a
nouncing that Professor George Sholba
l. would exhibit mis- wonderful illusions
one week at certain hall. The bill stat
that the magician would introduce his nj
d feat of cutting off a mans head and ]
storing it to its place again without hui
ing the man. Irene shuadered and turn
pale when she saw this bill. Her lover n
ticed this, and, on being told the eau
laughed