The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-03

short distance but in vain did the flint pro-
duce shower of sparks; the Marapout
gun did not explode.
1.-THE mystery was simple enough; the gun
did not go off because the Marapout Lad
.'Col. De Neven explained to me ire i'm
opposing to it seight-of-hand trick far
SUPERIOR to it, and had the very article.
81 informed the Arabs that possessed
a talisman rendering me invulnerable, and
I defied the best marksman in Algeria to
hit me.
Arab, who had attracted my notice by the
attention he had paid to my tricks, jumped
use of the practicable crossed the orches-
ira, upsetting flutes, clarion is and sviolins,
escaladed the stage, while burning himself
at the footlights, and then said, in excel
lent French:
:. I will kill you
both the Arabs picturesque ascent and his
murderous intentions, while an interpreter
9 You wish to kill me- I replied, imi-
voice. Well. l reply. that though you are
sorcerer, am still greater one, and
Il held a cavalry pistol in my hand, which
I presented to him.
:. Here. take this weapon and assure
yourself it has undergone no preparation.
DANGEROUS CUSTOMER.
1.-THE Arab breathed several times down
the barrel, then through the nipple, to as
sure himself there was a communication
between them, and. after carefully examin-
ing the pistol. said:
" The weapon is good, and I will kill
you.
certainty, put in a double charge of powder
and a wad on top.
g Tt is DONE
" Now here is leaden ball, mark it with
your knife, so as to be able to recognize
it, and put 1t in the pistol, with a second
1T is done
" Now that you are quite sure that your
pistol is loaded and that it will explode,
tell me- do you feel no remorse, no scruple.
about killing me thus. although authorize
No, for ! wish to kill you, the Arab
without replying, put, an apple on the
point of a kaife and standing q few yards
= Aim straight at the heart l said 10
him.
Ny opponent aimed Immediately. without
THE pistol exploded and the bullet lodged
in the center of the apple.
ct carried the talisman to the Marabout
who recognized the ball he had marked.
Il could not say that this trick produced
ceding it; at any rate my spectators, pal
sled by surprise and terror. looked around
but the Marabout, though stupefied by
his defeat had not lost his wits; no, profit
ing by the moment when he returned me
the plStO1 ne SSlzSu lie dpplc, II
into his waist-belt, and could not be in
duced to return it, persuaded that he pos
seSSed Incompatible taliSman.
For the last trick in my performance, /
required the assistance of an Arab.
AT the request of several interpreters, a
young Moor, about twenty years of age,
tall, we'll built and richly dressed, consented
to come on the stage Bolder and more
civilized, doubtless than his comrades of
the plains, he walked firmly up to me.
Il drew him toward the table that was in
the center of the stage, and pointed out to
him and to the other spectators that it
was slightly built and perfectly isolated.
After which, without further preface,
told him to mount upon it. and covered him
with enormous cloth cone. open at the
top.
Then, drawing the cone and its contents
on to a plank the ends of which were held
by my servant and myself, We walked to the
footlights with heavy burden and up
set it. The Moor had dsappeared-the cone
was perfectly empty.
Immediately there began a spectacle
which / shall never forget
THE Arabs were so affected by this last
trick that, inlpeled by an irresistible feel
/ ing of terror, they rose in all parts of the
!, house and Welded to the Influence of a
general panic. To tell the truth, the crowd
of fugitives was densest at the door of the
dress circle. and Ii could be seem from the
agility and and confusion of these high
dignitaries. that they were the first TO wish
to leave the house
..yainiy did one of them, the Cadi BENZ
/ Salah, more courageous than his colleagues
/ try to restrain them by his words:
| .. Stay. stay; cannot thus lose one OF
/ our coreligionists Surely we must know
/ what has become of him. Stay. stay.
"But the coreligionists only fed tn