The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-05
MAGIC AID TO LOVE.

and as she is my legal guardian what can
I do?'
The matter was worse than had
thought. Mrs. NaRley, the aunt IN cues
tion, 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 Ceoile 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 Coolies fortune
for her favorite brainless and scapegraos
nephew.
'Would you marry Mr.. Barnard at
oncef' asked the girl. She blushed and
hesitated to reply, which Of course IN
deFstood as :. Yes" She was softly playing
Schumann's "Iraumerei'' to cover the
sound Of cur voices for Mrs NagIey was
seated at q front window Of the parlor.
'fThat being settled, s. I continued, 81
have a plan by which you will be able to
do so next Tuesday evening. On that
night, ycu know, 1 am to give an enter
tainment in Rousby hall for the benefit Of
st. Si1nian's hospital. You must attend,
and when I call for some young lady to
come on the stage and be made TO mystic
Elously disappear step up promptly. Wear
a dress of some soft, elinging stuff, mount
the table and trust to me. Only you must
promise never to divulge my trick"
4
"Good When you feel yourself sinking,
do not get friR htened and shrek or make
any movement. You will be quite safe.
When the sinking stops you will be under
the stage and young man there viii show
you out Of the back door. On the street
you viii meet Harry The rest I confde to
your united Intelligence"
had no Doubt when made that ar
Eangement, OF being able to see Harry and
arrange the part be was to play in the pro
ceedings, but he was out Of town and all
I could do was to leave at his place of bust
ness an earnest message that be 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
dTaWing power Of that last clause of the
message. Tt seldom fails.
/ enjoyed in those days rather an envi-
able reputation as an expert amateur per
former Of paFlor magic, one who could be
depended upon to do some Of tho 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
the night Of my last performance was COM
fortably crowded. Near the front on one
side I had the satisfaction Of seeing Cecile
with her aunt and the obnoxious nephew,
while at about the center of the house, by
the aisle, sat my friend Harry.
The first opportunity I had for any per
sonal communication with him was in the
course of my spirit writing trick, when
messages, supposedly written by spirits,
were caused to appear upon states that had
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
How their sudden appearance was man
aged do not deem it necessary to explain
even now. The trick was too good a one
to DO exposed. Harry was one of those
most astonished when he read his mysteri-
GUS missive from the invisible.
"When CeoiIe mounts the stage, go out
Immediately, get q cab. meet her at the
stage door, marry before Mrs Naglsy
catches you" He fairly gasped as with
nervous haste he rubbed out the written
words. Then the performance ran along
smoothly with the goldfish trick. % card
manipulabiOns, and 50 on, until we came to
the mysterious disappearance of a young
lady" 7 had followed with much interest
the optical illusions invented by Professor
Pepper and by Maskelype in London, the
ghost, - sphinx, and on with the
result of being able to get up for myself a
now trick that felt assured would make
a sensation, as it did, though I am bound
TO AGlllG lay L19NDDQ las DG54 Ndsbly III
proved upon since. My stage was boxed in
triangula rly with a shoulder high screen
of green baize Well back in its center
stood a large circular table. Apparently
one could sse under it perfectly. but really
its lower part was boxed in by mirrors
that. rejecting the screen, gave tho nlu-
sorry effect Of clear space there. The top
was a large trap.
called for a young lady volunteer from
the audience. OF course one was provided
in readiness, had CeciIe backed cut, to
take her place, but happily the girls love
madO her courageous, and before her aston
ished aunt could interfere she was out in
the aisle and mounting the runway to
the stage, amid the loud applause Of the
spectators.
Whispering renewed injunctions to stand
steady and not be frightened, / assisted
her to stop on a chair and from that to the
table. We of course, had to approach the
table in a straigh line IN the center of
the stage so as to avoid the angle Of re-
Fiction in the mirrors, and the lights were
lowered slightly as an additional precau-
ton When she was in place, a huge CYL
inder-swung about to show its empti-
ness-Was lowered over her from the flies
and rested n the table. Settling it in
place. I touched the spring that held the
trap and felt that she was sinking. Then
I walked to the front Of the stage waved
my baton, the lights flashed up, the orehes-
ira played, and when, in a few seconds, I
heard a faint click that told me the table
top was back in place gave a signal. The
cylinder arose again and swung about
empty. The girl was gone.
Tho curtain fell behind me while was
bowling to the aPplauding spectators, and I
went OFF at one side. The applause con
tinued as 7 had expected, and the curtain
was raised, showing me again bowling my
acknowledgements in the center of the stage.
In those few seconds my precious trick
table had been replaced by my able assist
plicate, except that it had no mirrors or
trap.