The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-01-09

the house or awaiting their turn to en-.
ter. The door by which they came in
was in close proximity to the dressing
rooms, where the most skillful of lady's
maids and Wallets left the guests nothing
to do but to stand still and be put in
order. A broad hall led through pair
of semi-transparent curtains to the re-
ception rooms. When all were assem-
bled, twenty-five beautiful boys about
twelve years old and as many girls
dressed in eastern fashion appeared and
passed among the company, carrying
trays on which were little cups of pure
crystal, containing an aromatic bever.
age. 1t was too exquisite and ethereal
to be cocktail, and besides the ladies
drank it, but its effect was marvel.
GUS. 1t worked a change of heart in
every one, and change for the better.
Following up this success the boys pre-.
sented bouquets to each of the ladies in
holder of wrought gold fligree, with
her initials worked in it, while the young
girls gave "buttonhole" of similar
design in miniature to the gentlemen.
Hereupon sound like peal of silver
bells rang softly close at hand, and on
all sides, yet invisible, was heard; the
great doors leading to the dining hall
were withdrawn, and the fragrant splen.
dor of that freshly created apartment
dawned upon the company. As they
passed the threshold music was heard,
delicate and remote, as if the flowers
were singing together. Such feast
should begin with nothing less delicate
than nightingales' tongues, and wind up
with apples of the Hesperides.
When the cloth had been withdrawn
after the last course it was revealed that
the great table was composed of upward
of sixty small square tables, like the
joints of a serpent-each accommodate.
ing four persons. Now the fifty Nubians,
who, in the costume of their country (at
least as designed by color loving artists
had been attending during the dinner,
wheeled these tables into great semi.
circle at the lower half of the hall, and
then the guests, reseating themselves,
were served with coffee. Few of them
noticed the entrance of small man,
with dark Indian complexion and curly
black beard, who took up position in
the center of the open space in the upper
end of the room. He wore white tur.
ban, close fitting jacket, with sleeves
to the elbows, showing lean, brown
forearm, loose white zouave trousers,
gathered at the knees, and pair of
Turkish slippers, turned up at the toes.
A sash of fine silk of peculiar red
color and many feet in length was
bound round his waist. A gold bracelet
in the shape of a serpent was worn on
, his left wrist. He looked like Hindoo,
and it soon became evident that the
counts friends were to be treated to an
exhibition of oriental iugslerv.
After making low sa1aam to the
company, the man, holding his bare arms
extended before him, began to rub the
palms of his hands slowly together, and
in few moments fine gold cord ap-
peared dangling between them, and
gradually lengthening till it reached the
floor. 1t increased rapidly, coiling itself
as it did so, until as much of it as could
be contained in hat lay at the mans
feet. He now grasped the end of it in
his right hand and shook it out in the
air, until the whole length of the cord
was undulating before him in thou
sand flying curves. Suddenly the move
ment changed from vertical to horizon
tai, until it seemed as if the cord were
weaving itself into a fabric. before their
eyes; and, in fact, in a wonderfully brief
time a mat yard in diameter had been
thus manufactured, which the man spread
out on the floor and seated himself upon.
He lifted his eyes and gazed upward,
and the audience, following his gaze,
perceived scrap of white tissue paper
floating downward toward him. He
held out his finger and the paper rested
upon it; it futtered there for moment;
he breathed upon it and it grew rapidly
larger; it was now white hen, which
tapped its wings and clucked. The man
placed it on the foor;-it ran about, but
finally settled down and Immediately
laid an egg. No sooner had it done this
than the man seized it by the neck,
whirled it around and it was once more
a scrap of white tissue paper, which
foated up and disappeared in the vault
ed ceiling.
The man took the egg between his
forefnger and thumb, looked attentively
at it and put it on the floor again, bal
ancing it on its end. Then, lifting his
hand little, he pointed downward at
the apex of the egg. Presently steam
or smoke began to issue from the apex,
arising like vaporous pillar and aug
menting in volume until it was several
feet in height and girth. It now took
on a revolving motion, which became
exceedingly rapid, and it was seen that
it was assuming shape and solidity; and
amid a general murmur of aniazement
from the audience it stood before them
as human figure-a beautiful girl, en-
veloped in white robe as soft as mist.
She remained erect and apparently un-
conscious of her environment, her dark
eyes were fixed in gaze of profound alb
straction, as if, just created, she were
marveling at the mystery of being.
Gam awake?" exclaimed Mrs. Van
derdonde ina cracked voice; "because,
if ANIL want to get away. This is
wickedW
"You have hit upon the true explana-
ton, as / understand it, madam" said
the count, who sat beside her, smiling.
"This is all illusion. It doesn't really
take place. These jugglers have the
faculty of hypnotizing their audiences
just to the right point, so that one i'm
agines one sees all that the juggler wants
him to see, and yet remains, in the
ordinary sense, awake. But you are not
awake; you have been dreaming, and
SO have we all. Let us see what the next
variation will bei'
At the same table, on the other side,