The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-11
THAT WONDERFUL TRICK.
From n ShapeIess Mass the SOrcerer
Restores thes Cardinals watch.

From n ShnpeIess Mass the SOrcerer
Restores thes Cardinals watch.
From the Autobiography of Robert
Houdin.
In Rome my performance created a
great sensation. His holiness. himself on
hearing of me, did me the signal honor
of requesting a performance, at which 1
was advised all the dignitaries of the
church would form my audience.
After selecting all my best tricks, ran
sacked my brain to invent one worthy of
my inustrious spectators.
On the day prior to the performance 1
was in the shop of one of the finest watch
makers of Rome, when a servant came in
to ask if his eminence, the Cardinal de
IS watch was repaired.
1T will not be ready TIL this evening"
the matchmaker replied, and / will do
myself the honor of carrying 1t to your
master myself" When the servant had
retired the tradesman said to me-
This is a handsome and costly watch.
The cardinal to whom it belongs ordered
it himself of the celebrated Breguet, and
he fancies it must be unique of its kind.
Strangely enough, though, only two days
ago a young scamp belonging to the city
offered me a precisely similar watch,
made by the same artist for $500.
do you think" said to him, that
this person is still inclined to dispose of
his watch"
"Certainiy," the matchmaker replied.
This young prodigal. who has spent all
his fortune. is now reduced to sell his
family jewels"
well, l am anxious to purchase the
watch, but it must be to-day. Have the
kindness, then, to buy it for me After
hot will on
nence's arms, so that the two watches may
be perfectly similar, and on you discre-
ton the profit you make by the transac-
ton will depend"
That same evening the matchmaker
brought me the two chronometers and
handed me one On comparing them it
was impossible to detect the slightest diff
ference.
The next day proceeded to the pontin's
palace and. at o'clock, upon a signal
given by the holy father. stepped on the
stage.
After the blind mans game of piquet, -
which literally astounded the audience. 1
performed the trick of the burnt writ
ing" in which / received an autograph
set great store by. This is how the trick
is done:
A person writes sentence or two; he
is then requested to burn the paper, which
must be found afterward intact in a sealed
AASA-A--'N
a sentence; he consented, and wrote as
follows:
Il have much pleasure in stating that
NJ Torrini is an amiable sorcerer"
The paper was burned. and nothing
could depict the pope's establishment at
finding it in the center of large number
of envelopes. l received his permission to
keep his autograph.
To end my performance and set the
crown on my exploits / now proceeded to
the trick / had invented for the occasion.
Here had several difficulties to contend
with; the greatest was certainly to induce
Cardinal de - to lend me his watch, and
that without asking him directly for IT,,
and to succeed / must nave recourse to a
ruse.
At my request. several watches were Of
fered me. but returned them with the ex-
cuse. more or less true, that as they had
no popularity Of snap; IT would be difficult
to prove the Identity Of the one l chose.
III any gentleman among YOU, l add
ed, has a watch Of rather large size, =
this was the peculiarly Of the cardinals s..
land would kindly lend It to me, should
prefer It as better suited for the expert
ment. / need not say 1 Will take the great
est care Of II. / only wish TO prove It's
superiority, II II really possess It, Or, On