Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-08-06
MAGIC AID TO LOVE.

my aunt" said Cecile Raymond, "has
planned to take me to Europe. We start in
two weeks. Her detestable nephew, Pen
field Mickle, goes along She is determin-
ed to break off my engagement with Harry
Barnard and make me marry Penfield,. ,
and as she Is my legal guardian what can
do?"
The matter was worse than l had
thought. Mrs. Nagley, the aunt in ques-
ton, was a very determined and shrewd
woman, SO sharp that believe she would
have seen readily things that escaped the
hundred eyes Of Argus, and, though GER
tainly neither Cecile nor Harry had taken
her into their condolences, she had very
clear idea of the attachment between them
and the necessity for prompt and decided
action if she would save Cecile's fortune
for her favorite brainless and scapegrace
nephew.
"Would you marry Mr.. Barnard at
hesitated to roply, which Of course UNI
derstood as eyes" She was softly playing
Schumann's "Traumerei'' to cover the
sound of our voices, for Mrs. Nagley was
seated at front window of the parlor.
"That being settled" I continued, II
have plan by which you will be able to
do so next Tuesday evening. On that
night, you know, I am to give an enter
tainment in Rousby hall for the benefit of
ST. Simian's hospital. You must attend,
and when call for some young lady to
come on the stage and be made to mystic
riously disappear step up promptly. Wear
a dress Of some SOFT clinging stuff, mount
tho table and trust to me. Only you must
promise never to divulge my trick"
II promise that very willingly"
"Good! When you feel yourself sinking,
do not get ghtened and shrek or make
any movement. You will be quito safe.
When tho sinking stops, you will be under
the stage and young man there will show
you out of the back door. On the street
you will meet Harry. The rest conade to
your united intelligence"
had no doubt, when made that ar
rangement, Of being able to see Harry and
arrange the part he was to play in the pro-
oeedings, but he was out of town and all
l could do was to leave at his place Of bust
ness an earnest message that he must on
no account fail to be present at my per-
Torrance, for reasons very important to
himself. His return to the city In time
was assured and had great faith in the
drawing power of that last clause of the
message. 1t seldom fails.
enjoyed in those days rather an envi-
able reputation as an expert amateur per-
former of parlor magic, one who could be
depended upon to do some of the best
tricks of the professionals and generally
to produce something new, and the charity
for which the "benefit" was given had the
support of our best people, so the hall on
tho night of my last performance was COM
fortably crowded. Near the front on one
side had the satisfaction of seeing Cecilt
with her aunt and the obnoxious nephew
while at about the center of the house, by
the aisle, sat my friend Harry.
Tho first opportunity had for any per
sonal communication with him was in thu
course of my Esprit writing" trick, wher
messages, supposedly written by spirits
were caused to appear upon states that haG
just been passed about among the specta
tors and seen to be quite clean.' OF course
the messages were written In advance, and
as I knew much about each person des
tined to receive one it may readily be sup
posed that those communications were
sometimes startling and always effective
How their sudden appearance was man
aged I do not deem it necessary to explain
even now. The trick was too good q on,
to be exposed. Harry was one Of thos
most astonished when he read his mysteri
| Gus missive from the invisible.
"When Cecile mounts the stage, 60 on
Immediately, get cab, meet her at tn
stage door, marry before Mrs. Maggie.
catches you" He fairly gasped as witt
nervous haste he rubbed out the writer
words. Then the performance ran along
smoothly with the goldfish trick, " cart
manipulations, and So on, until we came tt
the mysterious disappearance of q younl
lady" 1 had followed with much interes
the optical illusions invented by Professo
Pepper and by Maskelyne in London, tn
"ghost, "sphinx," and SO on, with tn
result of being able to get up for myself
| new trick that felt assured would max
sensation, as 1t did, though am boun,
to admit my method has been vastly i'm
proved upon since. My stage was boxed Ii
triangularly with a shoulder high screel
| of green baize. Well back in its cente
stood large circular table. APPARENT.
one could sue under it perfectly, but reall
its lower part was boxed In by mirror
that, rejecting the screen, gave the illu
sorry effect of clear space there. The to-
was large trap.
called for young lady volunteer from
the audience. OF course ono was provides
in readiness, had Cecile backed out, t
take her place, but happily the girls low
made her courageous, and before her aston
ished aunt could interfere she was out Il
| the aisle and mounting the runway"
the stage, amid the loud applause Of tn
spectators.
Whispering renewed injunctions to stan
steady and not be frightened, I assiste
her to step on O chair and from that to tn
table. We, of course, had to approach tn
table in a straight line in the center {
the stage SO as to avoid the angle Of re
Election in the mirrors, and the lights wer
lowered slightly as an additional precau
ton. When she was in place, huge Cyl
inder-swung about to show its empt
ness-was lowered over her from the file
and rested on the table, Settling 1t !
place, touched the spring that held tn
trap and felt that she was sinking. The
/ walked to the front Of the stage, wave
my baton, the lights flashed up, the orche
ira played, and when, in few seconds,
heard faint click that told me the tab
top was back in place I gave signal. Til
| cylinder arose again and swung abou
empty. The girl was gone.
Tho curtain fell behind me while WI
l y