The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-07-01
THE CONJURER'S BRIDE.

TIE C0NJURER'S BRIDE.
Professor George Sholbach was a
magician. He was not q commonplace
coniurer with blocks and balls and canes
and trick tables. lie appeared before
his audience with no stage trappings Of
any kind, and, borrowing rings and
handkerchiefs, he amused the audience
with really wonderful feats. The Sec
ond part of his entertainment consisted
of 'mind reading" and it was with
that he most astouished and confound-
ed the minds of the Western and South
ern people among whom he performed:
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 temperance 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
assistance to him, for he looked like a
magician. His hair was jet black, long
and wavy. His complexion was pale
and bloodless. His forehead was low,
and under his sharply marked black
brows burned pair of coal black eyes,
brilliant as diamonds and restless rs
fame.
In Montrose he was great favorite.
He had given his entertainments there a
number of times, and was admired much
by the townspeople. He had never, how
ever, made any friends among them. He
was courteous to those who addressed
him, but he repelled all attempts at
intimacy.
Among those who constantly attended
his entertainments was Irene Washburnc,
the daughter of the only editor in the
place. She was only nineteen years of
age and was remarkably handsome. Her
dark brown eyes and hair, coupled with
a complexion in which the blood came
and went like waves on 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 intelligent girl, but was
given to too much reading of the somber
tales of Poe and the weird fancies of
Shelley. Night after night she sat in
the town hall when Sholbach was giving
his performances, chained by strange
fascination which she could not explain.
She shuddered with horror when the
magician's keen, restless eye lighted
upon her, and when she found him gaZ-
ing at her with a strangely steady, burn
ing 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 appeared in the town she found
herself irresistibly moved to so and see
him.
This had been the state of matters for
some time, when suddenly Sholbach
threw off his reserve and began to make
friends in Montrosc. Twice, after per-
forming in the town, nc 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 a royal good fellow. At last he
asked one of them, great friend of Ed
itor Washburne's to introduce him to the
newspaper man. The introduction was
performed and Sholbach made such a
pleasant impression on the editor that
the latter invited the magician to visit
his house when again in town.
When Sholbach next performed in
Montrose the editor gave little reccp-
ton to him after the entertainment.
Once in the house of Washburne, Shol-
bach appeared to have eyes only for
Irene. He devoted himself to her, and
attended to all her wants with a 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 fascinated her, he
filed her with horror. He reminded her
of snake.
"Why do you shrink from me2" he
asked her.
"Do shrink from you:" she asked,
timidly.
She was afraid to acknowledge it; che
would not have dared to acknowlcdg ge
ANYTHING that might offend him, for her
mind was completely subservieut to his.
He could have mcsmerized her without
perceptible effort, had he desired to
do so.
eyes, you do shrink from me-" he
said gravely.
They were alone on the piazza, where
the cold moonlight lent an addi-
tional kecnness to the glitter OF Shol
bach's eyes.
"T-I-am SORRY" she said, trying to
drop her eyes. but finding them irresis'
tibly fastened to his.
''Do you KNOW" he continued, "that
perform in this town oftencr than in
any otherl"
'Is that so?"
"Yes. And why do you suppose I do
it?"
II do not know"
She did know. She knew what he
was going to say, and she would have
given her life to stop him; but she was
powerless.
Il love you," he whispered, in a hoarse
voice.
She shuddrrcd and claspcd heI
hands.
"Why do you not answer me-" he
said, bending closely to her. "1tcll you
love YOU"
81 know it," she said in faint mur.
mur. She could not move hand OF
foot.
''Then why do you not answer mc!'
he asked.
She was silent,
"You 1--we me, then. This silence
comes from your shyness. might have
known it"
, And leaning forward he claspcd her in
his arms and kissed her lips.
The charm was broken. With a long,
ouivering shrek, she broke from his
arms and rushed madly into the parlol
among the startled guests. Sholbacl
followed her, but she fed to her father
for protection.
"Take him away" she cried. "rake
him away! lie will kill me with his
icy cyes-those serpcnts EYES. Take
him away"
The next morning Shobach had dis
appeared from the town, after announc
ing that he woald never return. and Irene
lay in fever.
A wear had passed away and Irene had
long ago recovered her accustomed health
and spirits. Sholbach, true to his prom
$50 had nevcr como back to MOutrOsr