Evening star., 1886-11-27
lights aud he is only free from torment and tor

/ with the facts. One of the tricks vas performed
wholly among the spectators without the return
| of the magician to the stage and in this Mon
| sieur Blitzini was perfectly successful ana no
But the very next Illusion. called fe Boisson de
/ Iantale, required the constant presence of the
| conjuror on the stage. where ne operated an ex-
| change OF two liquors, filling two decanters
placed at opposite extremities of the footlghts,
/ and although The ignorant spectators saw moth
/ ing at all unusual in the substitution OF a cone
/ of blue fire for a bottle of brandy, yOming and
| Cameron knew that the.moching spirits were
/ again taking a freakish revenge on the froward
| magician who had dared to use their names
/ without asking their permission. In another
| trick, which appeared on the bills as Les Drap-
| eauX de HUnivers, and which required the con-
/ iurer to- produce mysteriously a bundle of the
flags OF all nations, the spirits again gained the
/ upper hand and changed the pretty silken en-
| biems INTO stiff cactus. the sharp branches of
which bristled with thorns. In desperation
| Monsieur Blitzini crossed the line of the loot
| lights, his face white with apprehension, but a
| glance of rigid termination still cleaning from
I MS eye; no sooner had he stepped out upon the
| sheaf OF Italian flags. In yet another illusion,
| the next To the last, entitled Tn Duel aux
Cartes, card chosen by one of the audience
| was TO be caught on the point of a sword when
| the spectator threw the pack III the air. The
| preliminary fourishes of the trick performed
| amid the audience were accomplished without
| let or hindrance. but when Monsieur BlitZini
| took up his position in the center of the stage
/ with the naked sword in his right hand and
| when the spectator threw the card toward him
/ the blade changed suddenly into "a revolver aud
/ the pack was rddled by six bullets discharged
/ by the magician lnVOluntarlly ana as tnOugh IN
| obedience 10 a will stronger than his own.
| THAT is pretty good; / wonder what he will
/ do next" said Cameron, quoting the charming
tale Ol the parrot and the exploded ship.
IF he has as much sense as give him credit
| for" replied Wyoming "he will crawl along to
| the last trick like a streak OF creased light
! ming"
Cameron referred to his program. '.Le Mage
| Invisiblique is the last trick"
| 'Invisiblique is good" Wyoming remarked.
| '.Td like To know what 1t means"
Il take ii TO imply either that the mage-that
is Monsieur Blitzini himself of fcourse-becomes
invisible, or that he has his eyes blindiolded so
| that he cannot see. We've paid our money and
| he Will take his choice
| II have been wondering what he means to do
with that tall cone there at the back. He must
| use it in this trick somehow" Wyoming said;
''it looks like huge extinguisher, doesn't it?-
| fit To put out the candles OF Giant Blunder-
| bore"
| As the American spoke Monsieur Blitzini
| brought the cone forward and placed it
| by the side OF one of the light little
| round tables, OF which there were two,
one at the right and at the lett
| of the stage. To The sharp eyes of the two
| friends II was evident that the magician's s
nerves were unstruDg and that he in great
haste to get to- the end ofd,is labors. He darted
now and again suspicious glances behind him,
rs though III trepidation and bodily fear. w hen
he began to speak his voice was Hurried and
| broken.
"Time runs Short" said Monsieur Bltzini,
| facing the audience, land am now approach
| ing the conclusion of my entertainment. l do
not like to tax The Kindness or TO impose on the
patience OF my friends, the Spirits the Silent
! Sphere"-and here ne shuddered sIightiy-.by
whose aid l have been enabled to work the
wonders you beheld this evening. shall have
the honor of concluding my entertainment by
exhibiting before you the strange feat which
have called the Mage 1nvisibique. For this l
need the assistance of two gentlemen from the
audience, If they will kindly grant me their
help" .
wandering ntiuliy during the delivery OF this
speech, now Tell on Wyoming and Cameron,
who waited for further invitation, but
he's ST ovQ
by his side.
THANK yOu," continued Monsieur Bltzini,
bowling. Wyoming thought he detected fleet
ing expression OF relief on the cOnjuror's face,
as though he was glad TO have some one near
him 10 come to his aid in of need.
The beginning OF this experiment is very
simple; II Is only the end which is strangely
startling and inexpressibly surprising. put a
pack OF cards ON the center table here. Then [
stand on this little table with q glass top and
ask these gentlemen TO cover me over with
this extinguisher, in order that may be wholly
unable to see what may take place ON the stage.
Then one gentleman will count thirty seconds,
while the gentleman takes card from the
pack looks at IL, shows 1t to you and returns ii.
At the end OF the half minute both gentlemen
lift the tall cone and release me from my soli-
tary confinement in this dark cell. Then will
declare the card which the gentleman drew.
First ask the two gentlemen TO examine this
little table,
The two friends looked at it carefully. 1t was
very simple In constructions; ii had three light
steel legs, and it had top OF thick plate glass.
Ihey declared themselves quite satisfied.
and as he stood beside ii he at lest eighteen
inches less in height than it was.
please examine this also,' he said, tapping
~ Win MS nnger y on Will see that IL is very
light, that it is made OF several thickness OF
tough paper, and that there are no holes in it
through which may see."
Wyoming lifted the cone up and held it
against the light, and he saw holes in it.
Then he and Cameron serutinized the external
surface thoroughly. AT last they declared
themselves satisfied again.
Very well, said Monsieur Blitzin; ''then we
VIII proceed at once. You understand what is
TO be done? 1 am to he covered tor exactly
thirty seconds, during which time one OF YOU is
to take "a card from the pack and return it,
leaving the pack III exactly its original posi-
ton"
The two friends told him that they understood
what was required of them.
Then mere goes, SAID Monsieur BlitZini. and
although he was obviously trying TO keep mis-
voice steady, there was IL distinct tremor In it,
Placing both hands on the little table, he sprang
upon 1t and stood erect. Wyoming and Came
ron mounted on chairs, one his right and
one on his left; they raised the huge cone from
the floor and slowly lowered il over nim. 1t
rested nightly on the rim OF the little table.
Wyoming drew out his watch and began
counting the seconds. Cameron stepped down
from his chair crossed to the large table in the
center of the stage, selected card from the
pack, glanced at 1t, showed it to the audience,
returned III and replaced the pack as il was
Then he walked back and mounted mis- chair
again wyoming had stood motionless, with
his eyes on the dial and his ears strained to
catch the slightest sound.
AT last he returned his watch to his pocket,
saying, "Iime's upr'
Tnen he and Cameron, amid dead silence in
the nall, seized the eXtinguisher ana lifted it
slowly. As 1t rose in the air they heard a sud
den murmur of astonishment among the audi
ence. In another second as they lowered the
ight paper cone to the stage, they saw the cause
OF this. The little table whereon Monsieur
B1tzini had stood was empty. The magician
had vanished; he had gone without "a sign or
sound; IT was as though he had melted into
air.
Wyoming and Cameron examined the extin-
gulsher, but 1T was no heavier than it had BEEN
nor was the little table in any way altered. The
spectators clapped and shouted with delight at
TINS most original trick. The two friends
looked at each other In surprise. After ex.
chahsins puzZiing glahces they stepped down
from the chairs on which they had been stand
Ing ana again examined the little table and the
cone. But they found no clue to the disappear-
ance OF the magician.
Then there arose from the body of the hall n
loud cry 1or the conjurer TO appear 1t was n
nearly anu genuine CALL sucu few OF the
stroling actors who had starred at the Pavilion
had ever been honored with.
"Fetcfl hin out, said Wyoming To Cameron.
you know the topography OF the place."
Cameron crossed at once To the two dressing
rooms on the right of the stage, whence Mon
sleur BltZini mad Issued at the beginning OF the
performance. Wyoming heard him Knocking
and then opening the door me said "a few words
To- The impatient spectators, suggesting that
they should give Monsieur BliiZini breathing
time alter his extraordinary exertions
The audience took this in good part There
was acessatlon OF the loud shouts and tumuI-
tuous applause. Then In a minute Cameron
came back, looking flushed and scared
lies not there, he whispered to wyoming
Then where Is her asked the American
startled and with q sinking heart
doh Know. I've searched the stage and