Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-15
HINDU LEGERDENAIN.
what Mr.. q. Il. Robinson Saw i'm India.

| From the Boston Herald
| Wnen he entered the room he spread a white
cioth upon the floor and sat down upon il with
MS oack to the wall, the door of the room being
| on the right hand. His spectators were dis
| poseo In the following fashion: Mr.. Smyth sat
On chair nearly in the middle OF the room. /
| was sitting on a sofa near the dAor: the Parsec
merchant stood in the doorway about arms
| length from me. The servants stood about in
groups, the largest group being between the
door and the coniuror. AS soon as he had set
| tied himself he turned to the Parsee and asked
| 1or the loan of rupee. The peddler at first
| oemurred n little, but on being guaranteed
aga,nst loss ne produced the coin. He was
Iatter refused, and told the Parsee to hand IL to
MI Smyth's bearer. The bearer took 1t and at
cared IT to be really a rupee. The conjurur
then told him To hand il TO his master. Mr..
Smyth took it. and then followed this dia-
\ lOgue:
SS1 %J,S VA you sure that is rupee
Conjuror-Ciose your hand and hold it tight.
NOW think OF some country in Europe, but do
hoI Tell me your thought.
Inen the conjuror ran over the names of sew
| sla, turkey and America-ior the native Indian
is under the impression that America is in Eu-
| rope. Alter moments pause Mr.. Smyth said
ne MAD thought of a country.
Then open your hand - said the jugyler,
| see what you have got, and tell me IL il is a
coin of the country You thought or
,, ~ was lixc-lranc piece, and Mr.. Smyth had
! ehouSut OI france. lie WAS going To hand the
com 10 the conjuror, but the latter said
| no; pay IL to the other sahib.'
Mr.. Smyth accordingly put the five-franc
piece into my hand. l looked closely at il. then
| smut my hand and thought of Russia. When
opened it found, not Russian, but q Turk
ish silver piece about the size OF the ffye-franc
piece, or OF our own crown piece. This handed
10 Mr. Smyth, and suggested that he should
name America which he did, and found Mex
lean dollar in his hand. The coin. whatever il
was, mad never been in the conjurers hand
rom the time the rupee was borrowed from
t tne Ia na ir merchant. Mr. Smyth and his
bearer mad both of them closely examined the
| rupee, and Mr.. Smyth and turned over several
Times the iiVe-iranc piece, the Turkish coin,
ana the dollar; SO the trick did not depend on "A
| reversible coin. Indeed, it could not, for the
| coin underwent three changes, Us has been
| seen. need only add for the Information of
| readers who know not India, that a rupee is
| only about the size OF florin and therefore
about half the weight of a fiye-franc piece.
| lie ana another trick almost equally AS Won
| derful. As before he was seated on "a white
| cloth, which this time, think, was Il tahlecloth
borrowed from the mess sergeant. He asked
| some one present 10 produce rupee aud to lay
| 1t down at IA remote edge of the cloth. The
cloth being three Or four yards in length. the
| ConJuror could not have touched the coin, and,
| III Tact, did not touch Ii. He then asked for a
| sSnet ring. Several were offered him, and he
| chose out one which had "a very large oval seal
| projecting well beyond the gold hoop on both
j sides. This ring he tossed and tumbied several
times in his hands, now throwing it into the air
| ana catching ii, then shaking it between his
ciitsped hands. all the time mumbling half mar
! diculaie words in some Hindostanee patois.
| about nalfarm'S length in front of him. he said
slowly and distinctly in good Hindcstanee:
! Rlng, rise up and 80 to the rupee" The ring
! rose, with the seal upperinost, and restin., on
| inc hoop, slowly, with a kind OF dancing
jerking motion, it passed over the cloth until it
came where the rupee was OH the remote cd-,,
| then it lay down on the coin. The conlurer
! then said: liking, lay hold of the rupee and
oring II to me- The projecting edge OF the seal
seemed 10 graphic with the edge of the coin;
! the ring and the rupee rose into kind OF
Wrestling attitude, and with the same dancing
| or jerking motion the two returned to within
reach OF the juggleris hand.
! ! have no theory to explain either of these
| Tricks. should mention, however, that the
| juggler entirely disclairned all supernatural
power and alleged. that he performed his tricks
9y mere ne, slight OF hand 1t will be observed
that he pad no preparation OF his surroundings,
no machinery, ana no confederate.
| DuVafs Restaurant System.
FROM the Pail Mali Gazette
The Duval system is to be introduced to Lon
doners early next week, and most OF them who
nave crossed the channel are familiar with its
great advantages in the city OF its origin. Duval
| was q butcher i'll Paris who conceived the idea
OF selling good bouiilon to workmen at cheap
| rates. The scheme prospered, and new word
was added, if not to the French dictionary at
| least to the spoken language. Soon there were
"Duvals" scattered all about the capital. The
Idea. though u limited one, seemed SO success
| iul that it was determined to push it a little
| further There were to be varieties of refresh
| ment Something else was To be offered than
bread and broth. The success was Immediate
The menus kept lengthening and the homSes
multiplying. But the principle always re-
manned the Same. II was this-tO give very
small portions OF the very best food at the
very lowest prices. The dearest dish YOU can
get at any OF present Duvals-a Chateau
BRAND - costs franc Everything is
chaTsed except service, and the prices. are .ex-
tremeiy moderate. \ mutton chop is I'D, a
salac Al, potatoes DID,, salmon Cd. soup 3D.
pudding i'd, a creme Superieure 4d., u small
bottle OF ;ierated water I'D, wine 4d.. and SO
| or. These are matters OF detail. The success
OF the venture has been due to the steady ad-
hcrcnce to the principle OF excellence and
cheapness combined, aud this has been p.,ssI-
| BILE by The snIailness Of the piuts. AT most
restaurants a lunch or a dinner Tor single per-
n portion WAS enough Tor two, and was
practically charged Tor two and you could
not order a;l haii portion The original Duval
| MADE his fortune by recognizing public want
| and supplying it. He was able to multiply
| that fortune many times by conscientiously ad-
| herring To his original program. Fifteen years
ago Dt0isOn Durat had rather q poor sound
Now three OF the establishments-those near
| the Paas Royal. opposite the Madeleine on
| boulevard, and at The corner OF the Rue de
| Rivoli, near the statue OF Joan OF Arc-rank
| among the most frequented Of the Paris
| restaurants.
They Had Travelled.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
| 81 am sorry You two ladies are going all that
distance alone" said TO some friends going
east some time ago. eff we see anybody on
the train know, I'll put you in his charge"
| Don't; I'd rather not" one Of them an
4 swered.
| "Why?"
because You always get more attention from
strangers We are all right. II we have any
cliaperon he'll be bored 10 death, and he will be
| dIsagrceablc all the way. Ii we have none
| every man on the train viii be at our service
| and he only be glad too attend to u.s."
"Thats queer. never thought OF that"
| adventure, and formal introduction or an in
Innate acquaintance makes it duty, and duty
| is always iiSaareeable."
"Well, suppose you arc right"
"Do you see that gentleman there? He's been
quietly looking around to see what pretty
| women are on the train. Before We get to Port
| Costa he'll be asking my sister If he can do
anything for her. Shes prettIer than am, But
what he is willing to do ior her he do for me to
keep me sweet.
II don't think you'll get left yourself"
between you and me and the window don't
| think WILL
And left them with their ARRANGEMENTS all
| made AS TO how they were going to treat every
man on the car.
The Aner.Dfnner Nap.
From the FOrtuightly Review.
There is much difference of opinion concern
ing the deSirability OF aiterdinner-nap
Those who advocate it cite the example of
animals. but these gorge themselves with food
! whenever opportunity offers and ara baayy