The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-21


gave tinal blaze and sudden bang. and died
out and disappeared.
II say" said Cameron. "this is something like
a trick"
''As you justly observe Wyoming returned,
lit grows interesting. Who would have thought
that the old flower trick had so much fame in
itP'
"A man must know his Shakespeare to talk
with YOU" Cameron answered.
''You see I'm an American" Wyoming replied,
''and it is meat and drink to us to quote Shaks
peare, even when we see a coniuror bound upon
wheel of FIRE, like King Lear Did you notice
that Blitzini seems quite as much surprised as
we are7"
He bears the ordeal by fire very bravely"
Cameron assented, ''but confess that don't ex-
actly understand this
Meanwhile the spectators had been tumultu-
Gus in their applause of this truly brilliant trick
Monsieur Bhtzini stood silent in the center of
the stage, bowling his acknowledgements without
trace of the flower or the fire which had fol-
lowed it in the lapel Of his coat. His black
doeskin coat was immaculate. There was
Pickering smile on his lips, and it seemed as
though it was only by astrong effort that he was
able to keep the wand In his hand from trem-
bling. AS the applause died away he reused
himself, and, taking up t1e fower-pot, he de-
scended the down and stood among the
audience. Here he finished the trick ia more
conventional fashion. He borrowed hat and
held il over the flower Dot and asked a lady TO
pace ner mana on tue nat ana then removed tn
hat to reveal beautiful bouquet of dollhouse
flowers standing upright in the earth of the pot.
He presented the bouquet to the lady gracefully,
and then returned to the stage to bow again.
1t was with lighter heart, evidently, that he
began the second trick on the programme, where
it figured As La Montre Indestructible Under
this title Monsieur Bhtzini began to perform the
familiar feat with borrowed watch. which is
first proved to be repeater, with the eccentric
faculty of striking any hour that the owner may
mir Sc hAA Eanrx
mighty mortar In the beginning of this trick,
while the performer among the audience.
all went WE'LL bat at the end, when he returned
to the stage and wrapped the shattered fragments
in a sheet of paper, this sheet OF paper suddenly
disappeared and the wheels and springs fell to
the stage and scattered. Wyoming noticed
curious and enigmatic expression IN the con
jurors face as he stopped to gather up the broken
bits Monsieur Blitzini took another sheet of
paper and again IL vanished from his fingers and
the fragments of the watch fell to the stage.
Collecting them once more and taking a third
sheet of paper Monsieur BlitZini stepped out
upon the run down and this time he was success
full in making parcel. He gave this parcel to
the owner of the watch and asked him to open it,
whereupon the timeplece was found intact
Il shall now have the honor of showing you."
said Monsieur Blitzini, as he again took up his
position in the center of the stage 'f the assist
ance count upon from the Spirits of the Silent
Sphre Is vouchsafed to me, the wondrous expert
-
tenne par Belialides."
His French accent is good" Cameron re-
marked
But he isn't easy in his mind" answered
Wyoming, who kept his eyes fixed on the face of
the magician.
Il shall now" continued Monsieur Blitzini.
venture to tax your good nature again by re-
Questlng the loan of hat" AS he came down
from the stage his eye caught that of Wyoming,
to whose questioning look he returned glance
M Tan md MIC frion hod
seen already that the performer had recognized
them as experts in the art. and they were con-
scious that. as is the custom of coDjurors, he
playing at them. Wyoming held up his hat
and the magician smiingly took it from him
and returned to the stage
L'Ecole de Cuisine tenue par Beaides was
soon seen to be variation or the familiar trick
of the omelette cooked in the hat the fame
OF acandle-the trick over which Robert Houdin
in his prentice davs burnt his fngers and the
borrowed hat Monsieur Bltzini broke an egg
into Wyomings hat. whereat the young ladies
in the audience eiggled conyulsively. He added
butter, and salt. and pepper. and he stirred these
together turlously with long handled spoon
snch as a man should have when he sups with
the devil. Then he held the hat over a candle.
and sudden smoke arose, and fragrant odor
was waited across the foot-lights. The evidence
of the nose proved that the trick had been
comp,ished. Monsieur Bltzin laid the hat
on the stage just in front of the run
down. aad about to put his hand into
IL to Withdraw the omeiette chatting pleasantly
the while and making many small jokes about
his own culinary facilities when he happened to
cast Ms eyes into the hat Instantly he with
drew his hand and started back in undisguised
comminged with terror The head
of large snake protruded from the hat and ex
tended itself threatngly With a sinuous move
ment it thrust itself forward from the hat and
started toward the spectators. 1t was a huge
boa constructor, apparently. and in grth it was
almost equal to the hat from which it was pro
ceeding. The magician stood stock still on one
side staring at the serpent as though fascin-
ated; only tremor in his knees betrayed his
fear The head of the great snake crossed the
two yards or more OF the space between the hat
and the footlights and still the body continued
to emerge from the hat At last it arrived
at the raa down and with a slight effort 1t
raised itself and started to cross this little
bridge to reach the audience. There was a sud
den movement of alarm among the spectators,
most of whom thought that the appearance of
the serpent was part of the trick, and we're yet
frightened by the fearful reality. but this alarm
was allayed when the head of the snake, as it
entered on the rundown and passed the line of
the footights. suddenly vanished. The tortuous
body could be still rising from the hat and
pressing forward. only To become invisible it
left the stage. 1t was some seconds after the
head had disappeared before the tall OF the snake
left the hat, but soon it followed the headless
body. which continued TO move toward the spec
tators. and which was steadily disappearing as it
left the stage The tail was advancing nearer 10
the footiiehts, until only yard of the snakes
length was To be seen; then only half yard
was visible; at last the final few inches. thin and
tapering, were gliding across the diminishing
until, with sinister vibration the tip
of the tail waved itself upon the rundown into
invisible space.
ITO BE CONTINUED NEXT SUNDAYl
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Honfuclv Go1ao9a%iou