The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-07-06
AN ESOTERIC CLIMAX.
WHILE sPlkeTowN COUNTED SIXTY
HoKo PREPARED 1T.

yibody had ever heard of the cele-
grated Hoko Effendi, but the public
curiosity to see him was no less keen on
that account. In the little western Illi-
nois town on which he had alighted like
a flaming meteor the visit of professor
Of magic was an event. All that was
known Of him was that he had made his
appearance about the time the stage
coach from Shacksville came in, and
was supposed to have travelled in that
conveyance; that he had procured the
printing of several hundred small bills
at the Office of The Blizzard, promising
to pay for them the next day.
The evening came. The price of ad.
mission to the entertainment was fifty
cents for adults, children half price.
The celebrated Hoko Effendi was his
own doorkeeper, and the people of Spike.
town turned out in large numbers
There were no deadheads except the
editor of The Blizzard and the digniiied
citizen who wore dyed whiskers and a
plug hat and announced himself at the
door as the mayor.
When the audience began to show I'M
patience by the customary stamping and
whistling the world renowned master of
Egyptian magic accepted the proffered
services of a leading citizen as door
keeper, and went back to the other end
of the hall, disappearing behind the cur.
tain that hid the stage from view.
In few moments he reappeared in
front of 1t and made pleasing little
speech, requesting close attention to the
performances, as many of them were of
q nature bordering on the supernatural,
and promising an entertainment such as
had never been seen in Spiketown be-
fore and never would again.
After performing some curious tricks
with playing cards he announced that
the first really difficult feat Of the even
ing would now be shown-that of baking
a cake without pan of any kind.
THE ladies in the audience" he said,
when they bake cakes are compelled
to use butter, eggs, -four, sugar, fla
voring extract, icing, etc., and put the
the kind. By the simple manipulation
Of -four, sirup and hat can produce
cake in five minutes that no lady in
this house can equal. | will make q
cake that committee, to be selected
from the ladies present, will pronounce
the best they ever tasted. will do this
or forfeit 800. Will some kind gentle
man present oblige me with the loan OF
high silk hat? Will you kindly lend it
to me? will take excellent care of it
and return it in few minutes"
The mayor demurred.
Your hat will not be injured in the
least, SIR" the magician assured him.
II will return it to you without spot,
blemish or stain. have performed this
feat thousands of times without the
slightest injury to the hat"
The mayor of Spiketown, thus ap-
pealed to, relented and handed over his
cherished tile.
Then the magician produced pan Of
-four, which was passed through the
audience and unanimously declared to
be genuine. He poured it into the hat.
Then quart measure half filed with
New Orleans molasses was produced and
handed around in like manner, pro-
nounced the pure, madulterated stuff,
and returned to him. he poured this
into the hat likewise and stirred the
mixture with long lead pencil. The
mayor involuntarily gasped and hall
rose in his seat, but the wizard again as.
sured him, with q wave of the hand,
"Your hat will not be injured in the
least, my dear sir" and he proceeded
with the performance
''Now, ladies and gentlemen" he said,
We will witness the finale, the denoO.
naong, as itwere, Of this unparalleled feat
Of illusion. l can bake the cake just as
well on piece Of ice as ON q stove; but
as there happens to be good fire in this
stove near the stage will bake II on tor
Of that. Again, assure you, Mr.. Mayor,
that your hat will not suffer the slightest
injury"
Stepping briskly down. he placed the
hat on the stove.
"Now, good people," he said, "keep
your eye on that hat till you can
count sixty. Twill retire and prepare
the esoteric climax"
he mounted the stage and stepped be-
hind the curtain.
In moment a smoke went up from
the hat on the stove, and the odor of
something scorching filed the air.
The mayor of Spiketown jumped from
his seat, and with one bound cleared the
distance that lay between him and the
stove.
He lifted his precious hat.
The bottom, or rather the top, fell
out The sizzing batter spread out over
the stove. II hissed and sputtered and
few. And even asdhe mayor held up
the hideous ruin of his once glorious hat
and locked through it some of the yell
lowish mixture trickled ON his vest and
ran in sad, discouraged, bilious looking
streams down his trousers
His honor spoke few words briefly,
but emphatically-through his hat-and
broke for the stage, followed by several
- IL - lIsI