San Francisco vindicator., 1889-02-16

HERMANN the Magician AStoni<hes and
Delights Sold .ers and Co vets.


The following is from letter OF q
traveller who accompanied Pres.L
digitateur Hermann on trip through
Siberia. Tney had just arrived III
Never have spent more delight.
ful Christmas, says the writer. Tnrr,
sno limit % the hospitality Of these
dashing Russians.
Away ont on this barren plain,
thousands Of miles from civilization
and our own comfortable tirc~ldes, wp
sit down ~ rrpast tit fur King. al
the table are gathered all tile types d
Russian ntliccrnopd.
Here Il 4 gra, headed. hard-faced old
major, vino. without ''prnlectIOm," HAD
fought Ills sturdy way up through the
grades. with long delays. mucn hard
service and many wounds. lie hud
been an ensign la The Crimea. and
1tlerwari WAS forgotten nobody Knows
how many years IN some odd corner Uf
the Caucasus
de il only major, poor old fellow,
but he has dozen decorations. Tncrt.
il little iii common between lin ana
his side, who IA Ru aIue-de-camp III tile
emperor; grand seigneur of The court.
yet who has never fureswOrH Tile
camp; man who will discuss with y"u
tile relative merits n! Patti and Luccu;
VINO has yachIrd id the Mediterranean,
shot grouse In the Scott eli highlands
audi hunted buffalo on tile American
prairIcs; who wears decorations, tuu,
some Of them earned in battle, diners
as marks Of imperial favor.
On the other side of The table is q
young hnssar ia blue and red. Heran
GaIlOp, he can cut the sword exercise,
he can sing French songs and hu would
give his last cigarette ID cOmrade Or
q stranger, ana in his secret hear. he
has vowed 10 win the cross Of ST.
George.
Everybo contributed To the enter
tainment, spirited cong from one.
recitation Or a story from another, but
chief among them all WAS HERMANN
with lis incxhaustiIle store Uf lIirks
and his marvellous dcxtcritr.
Tie generals wntcn WIZ found in
Gle pocket Of subordinate, "a tile dis
may of the latter and the delight III The
ton which, The major had earued i'll
the Khivan campaign. and from which
he never parted. WAS found id bottle
Of wine; luaves of bread we're trans
formed into oranges, cards Disappeared
mySterinnsly in the mir. chairs we're
sent dancing around The room in the
most Processing way, different kinds If
wine were taken at Will from one
bottle, and live fowls We're discovered
ia tIe most singular places. 1t was /
the most novel Christmas dinner ii was I
ever my fortune to atlend-an enter |
tainment full of surprises anu une That |
Kept the guests in il hilarious state Of I
m, rrlnent for several hours.
When it was over Hermann oh 4
tanned permission 20 visit The prisoners 4
quarters What Il contrast ID tile placc
We had Just left
The poor wrrtches were huddlcd to-
gether like sheep. Their fnnd MAS
bad, their scant clothing Afforded bit
poor protection from tile frosty aIr,
and their misery was made mure I'LL
bearablr BIZ the harsh words anu cruel
blows Of the brutal keepers.
SUCH lDt of haggari faces never
saw. Mn whose ewes looked Tile de-
spair that was slowly eating their lives
away. and from whose hearts all hops
had hel. PlleUu5 looks Of entreutv
were cast upon us as we entered;
gianres SO fun nf woe and misery that
Lacy wound n:eIt heart uf stone.
The sympatlet q mag clan took ia
the SCENE al glance, and then began
> PEI fDrmance that have never seen
slualed. Trick followed trick, each
nnre wonderful titan the preceding
'ue.
Amid the sqnalOr and filth III this :
pen surrounded b. cunvlcts |
4 Ill grades, and with the atmosphere i
nul md ttiing, Hermann remained \
pr nearly two ours, performing as he
ever performed before. Faces that b
AL NOT known 4 Smile for Years re- u
axrd, and The dingy walls echoed with 2
arnus laughter.
With 4 wave Of his magic wand the i
Magician produced Christmas tree
llen with dainties; everybody WAS n
wen a little present Of some sort. In Il
10 delightful sensation Of the moment Il
re prisoners forgot their cares, Their ~
their doom. same were Y
lrried back Ia the innocent DAYS OF
cir childhood in far IF Russia: others ic
ERE astonishcd at the almost super NJ
ltural powers Of the man, and all "a
PRE- amused ar
Tears crrpt unbildcn into the eves d.
many when the time for departure 81
me. and. with hearts full of gratitude en-
the man whn had given them TO
0 only taste Of Christmas they had
lerienced in many years, they babe ~
farewell. In
The friendship between the magician or
d myself, which began with orr ac- sic
aintance at Orenberg. has continued 81
broken ever sifcc, and will CON ~
ne. ! hone. 70 the end Of my days ~
70 lork Morning Jourqa'. ~