San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1890-05-22
THE FAKIR.

"You arc invited to be present at tht
resurrection of our friend Athanasc Chap
uzot, artist, which is TO take place at hi,
own residence, Ruo do Venus %, Batig
nolles, Monday, Feb. 10, at 10 p. M, pre-
ciscly."
The resurrection of Chnpuzot,
/ How Is thisS
Chapuzot was then dend. l though,
he had simply gone to America!
What strange adventure is this?
"Parbleu, said musingly. after o few
moments reflection. "Why puzzle my
brain over 1t, when fcw hours patience
will explain the whole matter? Yes, TO-
day is Monday, Feb. Is, 10 o'clock In the
morning.
"Let us waitr'
did wait, but very impatiently, and
ut 0:30 In the evening was ut 29 Venus
street. Batignolles. in the little court al
tho end Of which stood tho well known
pavilion inhabited by Athanase Chapuzo,
for the past ten years
The door wns ajar. l assembled the
winding and creaking stairway which
led to his studio with rapid step and
found myself In the presence Of five per.
sons. One Of these approached mo and
extended his hand. This was Durocher,
the notary. Upon sofa In the back end
Of the studio l recognized DR.. Pourpar.
dot and the sculptor, Roger Lacost, seat
ed close together conversing In sub
lued tone. All three, like myself, were
intimate friends of tho artist Chnpuzot.
Near the window stood two persons
erect, motionless. observant. AS
strained my eyes to distinguish thci,
features Durocher, with slight cere.
monial gesture, presented us, sayings rs
he did so:
"Messrs. Stocllish--
"Stoclsflsh & Co.. Boston, Mass, U.
s. A."
The Messrs. Stockflsh both bowed po.
litely.
did the same.
"Gentlemen," said DR.. Pourpardot, on
rising from tho sofa, ''our number is
now complete; we will proceed to re-
move the seals"
"What sealsr' I demanded. with the
air Of one considerably mystifed.
"a very proper question" said Roger
Lacost, coming forward; 1--WE must not
forget that our friend here knows moth
ing about the matter. It belongs to you,
Durocher, In your legal capacity. to ex-
plain to him what has thus fur trans
pired."
(Which is as follows" replied the no
tary. -Four months ago VIC were here,
Pourpardot, Lacost and myself, guests Of
Chapuzot to a socinl tea You were alb
sent from Paris, and consequently could
not be included among the guests. These
two gentlemen. the Messrs. Stockfsh,
picture dealers of Boston, presented them-
selves, on a matter Of business, as they
were to leave the next morning for
America, and had nearly concluded a
large transaction with our friend. A
few minutes before their arrival Cha
pu9ot, who had been present tho evening
before at one of Pourpadot's clinic lect-
ures, spoke with lively appreciation of
the singular cases of catalepsy no had
seen there. The conversation was con-
tinued after the arrival of the two
merchants, and Pourpardot, in proof Of
his theory nnd assertion. referred TO the
practice Of the fakirs Of India, who per
Initted Themselves to DO inferred while
living and were resuscitated ten or twelve
weeks after.
.1This statement was received with
general expressions Of incredulity. The
Messrs. Stockfish especially refused per-
sistently to put any faith in 1t. and pro
nounced the whole thing q mere feat OF
skillful jugglery and coilusion. Where
upon Chapuzot, with whose impetuous
temperament you are all familiar. cried
out,
"Do you doubt 1t. gentlemen Welli
will lay a wager that I can furnish tho
proof
"'How? was the anxious inquiry.
"'By repeating here In this wide awake
Paris the wonderful feat Of the "Indian
fakirs.-'
For what wager?
".Fifty thousand francs against the
picture which you see herer responded
the artist
"'Ten thousand dollarsl Acoeptedr
-'And when VII the proof be fur
nished7
In three months. at your next visit
10 Paris.
Nov. POurpardo<. Lsoost and myself
thought at the time that the whole
thing was q sort q grim joke. mixed up
with some Of ChayusOt's bravado.
In this we were deceived
'-ChapuEot had spoken IN AL serious
ne.s. Nothing couh move him or in
any way make him reos1e from his crazy
PurPose.
AT the beginning Of Deoenber. when
The Messrs. Stoclhsh bad returDed 20
PARIS. cur friend ChApusOt was fully
prepared TO enter upon the tEying ordeal
having utilized the preoeting three
noushs IN making the necesszsy prep
arz1iols
with an uocooguerzble ene1gT AID
nir.irnhls patience ~ bad T1-s1s.d. p'od1t
80 -rs~. TIE r-efh0i aioTte-l Iy The