The record-union., 1897-12-13

newspaper while he was talking, and
had again written something thereon.
To sll appearances, he had not even
glanced at his newspaper since he came
into the train.
Now, I'll show you variation of the
same thing" he said, and this time his
audience of one was more keenly at
tentive. We'll take a paragraph from
this paper anywhere. Here for in
stance. This sentence" reading it off,
has eight words in it. l could use
the Whole paper just as we'll, but this
will do to illustrate. I'll divide that
sentence in half. Which half will you
take?"
The first half was chosen and the
other half crossed out.
Now out of those four words choose
two" The first two We're chosen.
Take one of the remaining two" The
one taken was crossed off, and one
word remained
Look at your paper said the pres
tidigitateur, triumphantly, and there,
written, was the counterpart of the
word remaining in the sentence. 1t was
very uncommon word, and the man
with the slip of paper began to feel
dle-agcd man again.
Very wonderful he stammered.
Now, suppose 1 had chosen the other
word
Then the other word would have
appeared on the paper. You see
'Twent' third street," yelled the
guard.
My station" said the man of tricks,
/ Ion
his companion sitting open -mouthed in
wonder a2d with a puzzled expression
of countenance that was laughable.
If that's a trick I'm going TO solve
it. If it's anything else l don't want
to- said the man in the train in so
audible tone that several people near
him locked up in alarm and edged
away. Then he started to write down
figures all over the margin of his news
paper. He wrote in and crossed out
and mumbled and swore softly, and be-
came oblivious to everything. He was
to get out at Thirty-third street, but
he rode on, immersed in his figures, un-
til the guard came in and said:
Come on-get out-laSt station-this
here amt no lodging house." and then
he saw he had reached One Hundred
and t1lty-fifth street.
III stay right here and go back
again. he said, wearily, and another
line of figures went down.
Say, where do youse want to get
out?' said the guard
Thirty third street." mumbled the
figurer. odd number, even number,
six, nine, three, eight, four Cross off
two"
We'll, you'll get out there all right,
you daffy jay" growled the guard, "or
I'll call an ambulance"
The train was switched about and
whirleG down town again. The guard
watched the man with the figures mar
rowly
"Thirty-third next" yelled the guard,
making it plain for the first time in
his lie and girding himself up for a
struggle. The train slowed up and
the guard walked up the aisle of the
car.
'Whoop-ee." yelled the man, grab
bing the guard by the hand, I've got
it. 81
That's a cinch and got it bad" was
the guards comment Now, take it
out of here, whatever it is"
The man stood on the platform. A
smile of satisfaction had displaced the
1roWn of worriment on his face He
ciutched his newspaper and started for
the nearest saloon. He stood at he
end of the bar and worked it out again.
Gimme drink, bartender" he call
ed, and take something yourself" The
liquor was poured out. The man took
II, tore corner off newspaper and
wrote the figure on it.
Hold that, bartender" he said; IT
want to show you a trick"
Il guess not" said the dispenser of
liquids, suspiciously
just try it, and give us another
drink, said the other, anxiously. Now
name an odd number between one and
ten"
The bartender named 80
Now an even number The bar
tender said "6."
Now mention some others between
one and ten"
-Four, eight. six, nine, five. seven"
said the bartender
The numbers were written down and
looked like this
3, 4, s. g. 8, 5, 20.
Now Wen divide this line in half for
convenience, and he drew a line be-
tween the six and nine Now which
half do you take?" The bartender
mentioned the first half, and the trick
discoverer drew a line through it Ieav-
ing:
9576.
Now mention two of these numbers
Nine and six" said the bartender.
We have here now and ), which
one of these do you take?"
Seven" was the answer. The
was crossed off, and ) remained. Look
at your paper" cried the embryo pres
tidigitateur in delight. The barten-
der looked. The number on his slip
corresponded with the remaining one
in the list.
You're all right he said. Take
drink on me-"
There was newspaper lying on the
end OF the bar, the new trick artist
sighted line in ii which read:
The Republicans must not remain
separated any longer"
He fixed the location with his eye, and
kept up his conversation with his vic
tim. Then he wrote the word 'separ-
ated' on slip of paper and handed it
TO the barkeeper.
Now take a line at random from this
| newspaper" said the trick convert. Il
could use the whole paper, but this one
| line will do he went on, quoting his
master Then he carelessly looked
/ over the paper and seemingly hap