The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-06-16

chair about so? You are giving me a
headache"
AT this moment the mistress of the
house came up to ask Latournelle if he
would net perform some of his amusing
tricks.
Certainly: L shall be delighted" he
answered n~ervously, preoccupied as nc
was by the extraordinary movements Of
the general, who stopped down just then
as if to pick up something and immedi-
ately got up and left the group.
"Well, SIR said the lady, ''give me
your arm, and l will introduce YOU.
Your audience is growing impatient"
Certainly, madame. in just n mo-
ment," said L~atournelle, feeling with
his foot for his slipper, and so recon-
mencing the remarkable jig executed by
the general a few moments before. Now
the other players laughed outright
which they had not dared to do the first
time. And the mistress Of the house
stood there, surprised at being kept
waiting so long and wondering how
much longer her escort would keep her
in that attitude. Impatient ladies came
in shoals to add their solicitations to
those of their hostess.
Our young man positively had to get
out of the predicament some how. He
did get out of it, but with only one shoe.
for he also had stopped down and dis
covered the disappearance of the mis-
guided slipper, and he marveled in deep
nxietyh how he was going to explain such
a state of affairs.
His n shod foot provoked general
hilarity, then delighted applause and
cries of Its a trickl It's some trick"
The petted darling of the ladies smiled
a weak smile and stammered:
eyes, ladies, it is a trick"
Applause, accompanied by a general
clapping of hands, greeted this an
nouncement, while Latournelle kept say
ing to himself:
'Oh, yes, it's a great trick, but some
one has played it on me, and I don't find
it so very funny. If I only knew who it
was"-then, struck with an idea: "Heav-
ems! If it could be the general-his sim
gular performance just now-and I saw
him stoop down-if it was really he, it
would be apretty uncomfortable joke on
me. How a | make sure?"
AS he escorted the lady through the
room he tried to get near the general.
He managed to do so, and with the back
of his hand he cautiously knocked
against the pocket of the generals coat
which he suspected contained the slip
per. There was nothing there! He tried
to sound the other pocket, but a Sigh.
nov on the generals part carried hirs
out of reach. To touch it, it was neces-
sary to pass around on the side where it
was.
"Where in the world are you taking
me?' demanded the lady on his arm.
"Why-er-to the head of the room,"
and as he was now on the right side of
the general he wanted to try the other
pocket. Here was a new obstacle that
he had not foreseen. The fact that the
lady had the arm nearest the general
made any attempt at exploration impos-
sible. He offered the other on the pre-
text of an old wound which was paining
him and was able at last to repeat his
former tactics. This time he was salts
fed. Its there!" he murmured, and he
did not enjoy the reflection that the hus-
band of his adored one had discovered
his under the table.
"Well I'm in a pretty mess" he con-
cluded.
Everybody had crowded into the room,
there was an expectant hush, and all
were OF tiptce for the promised trick.
There was no way to retreat.
"Here goes" said the %imprudent lover.
81 must take the plunge, come what
may" And he plunged.
Ladies" he said, 81 have lost my Slip
per. have not got it concealed about
my person; my pockets are empty"-he
turned them inside out-"nor is it in my
coat"-he heldit open-"nor in my waist
coat"-he unbuttoned it-"nor in my
sleeves"-and he turned them up to his
elbows. "You see, ladies, I have moth
ing in my hands or my pockets. Unjust
find out, then, where the lost article is.
Nothing is more simple. have only to
make a slight cabalistic calculation"
With this he covered his face with his
hands and assumed an attitude of pro-
found cogitation. Then, without re-
moving his hands, he counted: some,
two, three, four, five. My slipper" he
cried, sis in the left pocket of the sixth
person to my right"
This person was the general.
mot bad" the latter exclaimed I'M
der his breath, and in obedience to the
universal cries of "Search yourself,
search yourself. general" he drew the
slipper from the pocket indicated.
A storm of applause was evoked by the
brilliant success of the trick. Then, aft
er much whispering, several voices
cried, "Oh. the general is his confeder-
ate."
Eyes, yes" came a chorus of voices;
"he's a confederate"
The conjurer protested.
do it again, them" some one demand
ed, and everybody took upthe cry: Eyes,
yes! Do it again!"
"Oh," said a lady, 1.-The general has
just been whispering to NJ. Latournelle."
And the cry went up again that he was
a confederate,