St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-18
A MAGICIAN'S FADS
Some Of the Peeuliarities Of
Hermann, the Presti-
digitateur.
HIS PASSION FOR CURIOs.
Description Of His Enchanted
Home on Long ISL
and.
How HERMANN TRAVELS.
He Says He Likes a Chinese
Audience Better Than
Any Other.

an audience. His idioSyncra sizes are
as numerous as they are amusing
and interesting. Hermann is noted
as curio collector. His apartments
at home are veritable museums of
art and nature. They are fairly
stuffed with curiOsitieS and relics of
antiquity, animal, vegetable and
mineral. Herrmann's invariable
practice upon arriving in any town
is to make his way, after arranging
all preliminary theatrical matters,
to curio store. The more antique
it is, the better. Here, for hours, he
will delve in the mold and dust, in
speeding the hideous idols the Pata-
gonianS placed before their houses,
the beautiful porcelain work of Ores
den, the blood-rusted weapons of
Van Dienen'S land, the canoes of the
AZtecs, the wicker baskets of the
Indies, or some rare painting OF the
old masters. From this recreation
hermann always issues forth, laden
with baskets, bundles and boxes of
all descriptions, sizes and shapes.
In San Francisco, for instance, he
purchased a maybe, a bird of para
disc, several parrots, a mechanical
talking bird, old pictures, vases and
Gobelin tapestry.
The ,magician's fondness for
horses is demonstrated by three mag
nificent steeds, which he takes with
him on all his tours, in a car spe-
clally built for them. They are
splendid specimens of horsehesh, do
Gle and remarkably intelligent
They are likewise fleet as the wind
as all can testify who have seen
them speeding along a boulevard
h1tched to a red English dog cart
which Hermann carries to COM
plete the outfit The magician
mounts the cart, which is a lofty
arrangement, and drives the horses
tandem through the streets and
around corners, without ever en-
countering a mishap or causing one
TO any other vehicle. The spect2cIa
IS, to say the least, strange if not
startling, owing largely to the strik,
ing countenance of the wizard Re-
Gently Hermann refused an offer
OF $4,000 for two of his horses
HeFrmann's home is a palatial place
on the tip of Long Island sound
winch, from its beautiful surroundings
ana improvements, is sometimes called
Inc Home of the Fairies" 1t is an
ehchanted realm, as Hermann has
utilized every inch of his domain for
the purposes of his art or the perne.
tratlon OF some new trick or mystery
Inc house and gardens are eouiDped
with perfect network of wires each
one OF which possesses some hidden
and mysterious purpose. The front
gate swings back at the visitors an.
pfoach, the house door opens and ar
automatic Inquire comes forward with a
cara receiver. If you are fortunate
enough TO dine with the great magi.
can, table suddenly appears anC
bursts open in a bewildering manner.
revealing smoking hot dishes. and fur
hishlng banquet fit for a king. IF is
realm of an enchanter, for in if is
deposited the great wealth and COST,
collection of valuables and curios Herr.
mann has gathered in the thirty-siz
years of experience, travelling in every
clVlllZed and unciviliZed corner of the
globe. Naturally, Hermann is so ar.
tached to his home that he breads
leaving 1t to go on the road. However
TO remedy this, he is having a special
palace car built at cost of SGT. OO0 tha
VIII be a Veritable palatial home or
Wheeis, and will contain all the modern
luxuries of his Long Island home
hermann expends nearly 500. O0t
every year simply in Experimenting
upon new features that perhaps never
see the light of day and which are
never seen outside of his workshop
He feels as happy in inventing a new
IDEA as any other man would in strik.
ing a gold mine. He thinks he has
found one in his latest invention. tbc
Artists Dream" 1t is a short nlav in
dialogue, the central feature of which
Is an act OF magic. Such a thing has
never been known of before, and is
different from any of Herrmann's pre.
V1ous experiments, which have bean
simply pantonime Hermann has re-
ceived costly mementoes from all over
the world. Alphonso XII. of Spain
presented him with commodore
cross of Isabel the Catholic" an or
DER which Is seldom bestowed, except
upon nigh diplomats and the nobility.
he also possesses the Legion OF
Honor and decorations from almost
every great emperor.
Hermann says his best audiences
are the Chinese. They are clever and
appreciate the work of the magician
Recently be gave a performance for a
Chlnese tea merchant in San Francisco
at the Chinese theater. His unique au-
dlence applauded, but in the meanwhile
they burned Joss sticks to keep the
devil out.