Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-12-05
PUZZLED THE MAGICIAN.
He Was All Right Till He Tackled the
 Old lady on the Ouestion of Age.

He Was All Right Till He Tackled the
 Old lady on the Question of Age.
 The professor came teetering across the stage leading a small boy by the band and lowing wildly to the ''sea of upturned faces.''
 1.-The first feat I shall attempt this afternoon" smiled the professor, twill be performed by the young gentleman you see before you. He was born in Paris in 1882, and is now nine year old. Tell the ladiee and gentlemen where you was born, M4urice."
 Maurice stated, in the voice of fif- teen-year-old lad, that he was born a.. | the place and time stated by the pro- lessor, in spite of which corroboration one could not but feel his Halsted | street personality. The lecturer then teetered down the steps at the end of | the stage and whispered few words to an elderly gentleman in the row. Then | he demanded:
 Tell me how old is this gentleman. |" "He thinks" said Maurice, in high pitched voice and very swiftly, ''he thinks he was born on the 5th day of October, 1889. He was not He was | born Octobe. f, 1889, an 3:30 in the af-
 
 l Whereat the younger and more inn l presslble among the auditors Uttered audibly. The professor teetered along the benches little way and then said:
 'Describe this gentlem ans watch in his pocket. Maurice"
 l ''It is a ifteen-karat, ten-ieweled, l gold hunting-case watch of the Elgih pattern, and it is now thir teen and a l l piled the boy, whereat the more thoughtless auditors marveled and ex- pressed great wonder, for the gentle man reported that Maurice was right. The professor teetered along a little farther and whispered to shrewd. looking old lady, who seemed to have all she could do keeping a reticule, handkerchief and pocketbook in her lap.
 ''Tell me how old is this lady, Mau- rice," cried the professor rising with an anticipation of triumph.
 'She thinks she was born on the 21st of September, 1S41," replied the mind. reading prodigy again In a high. pitched hurrying tone. "But she is mistaken. She was born at twenty minutes before 12 on the night of Au gust 8, 1S41. She looked at the clock at half-past on the morning of the 9th and then for the first time recorded her arrival"
 Again the audience laughed. Yor would have been sorry for that ole lady; but she wouldn't have needed it Just one moment she sat there gather ing up the things in her lap and look ing wonderingly after the departing exulting professor, and then she said "Please have him repeat that.'
 ''The lady wishes you to repeat that Maurice" said the professor. Blu there was note of apprehension in hi tone.
 ''She looked at the clock,' began Maurice; but he was at sea, feeling about for some one to guide him again Repeat what you said about tn lady's age, Maurice" said the profes sor, this time little impatience mar ring his voice.
 "She was born at--'' began the boy
 No, no," protested the professor now quite angry, as he bounded up tn little steps and confronted the youth full mind-reader. "Tell her exactl, what you did moment ago. Repea it all. Begin at the beginning"
 There was a moment of agonizing or the part of the lad, and then he brok, down in a laugh that confessed tn whole imposition. 'I can't" he said looking with half apprehension at tn routed professor.
 "I thought not,'' said the old lad, calmly. Everything was contented t. , lie still in her lap now. She had pun , ished a magician.-Chicago Herald.