Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-14


ST thought as much" the fakir would re-
mark with great assurance, though he knew
absolutely nothing of what card or person
had selected until my answer via the bell told
me the facts. Il was certain of it. Now that
card is in the glass and when / speak the
word it will rise up without being touched.
Riser'
At this poin. would pull the thread and tn e
king of hearts would promptly rise to the rim
Of the glass, to the great establishment OF the
audience. That was very well as far as it went,
but on this particular night l had been an
noyed by fat man in the audience. an alder
man, who did his utmost to make me fail in my
tricks. When / gave him the cards he kept
out Of the pack the one had forced him to
select While / was back OF the scenes
hastily ran over the pack which had still re-
tanned and found this card missing, conse-
quently when the fakir began saying that the
card was in the glass rang the bell once. and
very vigorously too. The fakir was evidently
nonplussed, but he retained his presence of
mind.
so" he said. ''our little spirit speaking bell
SAYS the card is not in the glass Can it tell where
il is!'
1 gave two rings and the fakir edged over to
where i stood
The fat man kept the card" whispered.
IL was mere guess. bIt it was a lucky one.
The fakir asked leading questions and promptly
discovered the card III the mans pocket, amid
uDroarlous applause. IL made such hit that
ceal one of the cards gentleman had selected
In his pocket and make the bell find it. But if
j had not happened to look over my cards and
had not been fortunate enough to guess cor
rectly where the missing card was / would
probably have been discharged that night and
might be a newspaper reporter q millionaire
instead OF a magician today.
That same night / had another experience
with this same alderman which / also turned
to good advantage. We were doing the old
trick of shooting a watch from a blunderbuss
toward a target After the target is examined
the watch is discovered hanging there safe and
sound. borrowed the alderman's heavy gold
watch and in returning to the stage managed
TO fall and break dummy watch which 1 held
in my hand.
Now" said the fakir, II will load this gentle
mans broken watch" ramming the dummy
INTO the gun and pointing it toward the target.
which stood near the back OF the stage. where |
was concealed behind the scenes with the real
watch in my hand. barely had time to hang
the watch on the target, concealed from view
by small black velvet curtain, which rolled
up quicker than flash at the report Of the
gun. He will find his watch unframed. "
continued the fakIr.
Fortunately L had not hung the watch on
the target. Just he finished speaking |
accidentally touched the spring and before the
fakir fire.. the curtain was rolled up and the
empty target displayed. The fakir was at his
wits end. l came out and whispered to him
20 go on with another trick while went down
In the audience with telegraph envelope had
hastily snatched mp from a table. / had
the watch concealed i'll one hand
began asking for a certain Major de Quincy
Jones of Chicago / managed to press
against the fat alderman and drop the watch
ia his right trousers pocket. Then /
went back and when the fakir had ended his
trick told him 10 go on with the watch trick
telling him the watch was in the alderman's
pocket Accordingly he fred. The curtain
again rolled up. but the target was empty.
Where was the watch? The fakir asked the
bell 1t answered and IN response to his ques-
tions and in spite of the intense indignation at
first and the subsequent surprise OF the alder
man the missing watch was found in his
pocket. This also made a great hit.
After serving my apprenticeship with the
fakir / started in business for myself. This
was in 1903 and travelled with more or less
Ill fortune until / found myself after a per-
formanee in south Bend. Ind, on a cold winter
night with nothing but opera hat and my
dress suit Everything else had been taken by
the sheriff. l managed to get 70 Chicago,
throSigh the sympathy Of a freight car con-
duetor, and thence went 70 kenosha, Wis. /
borrowed from good-natured hotel clerk an
oyercoat and pair OF rubbers, aud started out
TO hire hall / did not have a dollar nor a
single piece OF property, but had lots off pluck
and never lost heart.
went to the publisher of the weekly paper
and ordered els worth Of posters When
called for them he presented bill. / confessed
that was Hat broke" and no refused to give
me the printing. then reminded him that
has posters were of no use 70 him. but IL he
would let me have them and give me friendly
notice he could have first chance at the box Of
fce receipts. He accepted my Offer The man
agar Of the Phenix theater arranged 10 iet me