The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-11

| handed four half-crowns to the old lady
| AT that moment he remembered that he
! must see the printer again before he left
| Forres, and, as the day which had threat
! ened to be wet one, was fine, he left
ms umbrella with the widow, whose good
| opinion the payment in advance of one
molety OF the weeks rent had quite secur-
ed But, unfortunately the widow read
| the words, Great Wizard of the North, on
| the handle of the umbrella when Ander-
son had left her; and he observed on his
return, that she trembled and changed
color as she regarded him intently from
mead to foot, without venturing to ap-
| proach him.
Save usr she family calculated. 'Wha
are ye?"
Il am a rather notorious character"
Anderson replied, with a smile, land I
have no doubt, although you have never
seen me before, that you have heard Of
me. My name is Anderson, and 1 am
known as the Wizard of the North"
weezard are ye?" said the affrighted
widow. Then. for the love O. guidness
! gang DOT o my house! l wadna lodge ye
Tor ae night under my roof nae for a the
world. For the love O heaven, gang ava,
and tax your umbrella alang wi ye."
AS the Elgin coach was shortly to pass
the house, Anderson did not pause TO eX-
plain or demonstrate, but stepped at once
| towards the door; when the widow cried,
slap! Dinna. leave ought belanging to
We wi me; TAX your siller wi ye, and
never let me see your face again"
Hastily taking the four half crowns
| from her purse, she threw them upon the
floor, screaming that they burned her fin
| gers, and Immediately fell back in a
sWoon of terror In her fall, her head
struck stool, slightly lacerating her
cheek; and on several of the neighbors
hurrying In on hearing her scream and
fall, they found her, bleeding and appar-
he oria hot
the stranger had murdered the widow,
and the men seized Anderson's arms, to
prevent his escape.
At that moment the coach was driven
up, and the driver, seeing a crowd about
the widows house, pulled up, and inquir
ed the cause of the connection.
on being told that a murder had been
committed, the guard leaped down. and,
looking through the window, recognized
Anderson, whom he had seen several
times in Elgin. The coach started again,
and Anderson, finding that he was in an
awkward position, as the old lady gave
no signs of life, demanded to be taken
before a magistrate at once, This he was
told was impossible, as there was no
magistrate within seven miles, and all
that could be done was to lodge him in
the town goal until the next day.
To the goal the conjurer was taken,
therefore, between a couple of constables,
who were commercially prompt in making
their appearance. The coach went to Ell
gin, where the guard lost no time in
spreading the news of the Wizards arrest,
and, going to the assembly rooms, told the
audience, who were just growing impa-
tient at the eonjurers non-appearance,
that they might conjure for themselves
that night, for there would be no wizard
as he was where he would not get out
with all his magic; he was in Forces goal
for numbering an old woman" A thrill
of horror ran through the crowded audi
tory; then a murmur arose, and loud de-
mands were made for the return of the
money paid at the doors. This was DONE
and nothing was talked Of at Elgin that
night but the horrible murder at Forces
On the following morning, Anderson was
conducted to the residence of the magis-
trate. where the widow, who had recov-
cred in the course Of the night, told as
much of the tragi-comical story as she
knew. The gentleman who administered
Justice in that remote district smiled at
the old ladys narrative, reproved the wit
nesses for their hastiness, and at once
discharged Anderson, with an expression
of regret for the inconvenience and loss
TO which his detention had subjected
him.
ITpon the same Anderson a joke which
would have resulted in his loss of life was
attempted, but never carried out 1t is
narrated by Beckett, in his Green Room
RecOllecllOtlS, dS AOiAOWS'
The professor, in his great gun trick,
used to give one of the audience a rife,
some powder and a marked bullet The
marksman was then requested to load and
prepare TO fire.
Thereupon the professor walked to the
! end of the stage and invited the ritieman
to shoot him. Then, after the marksman
had fred, he used to produce the marked
| bullet. insisting that he had caught it on
! A plate. on one occasion a friend of mine,
| who was an admirable amateur conjurer,
| offered himself as an assistant He took
| the gun and the ammunition and duly
! loaded.
1t was the custom of the professor to
| give the bullet a final tap with his wand
| 10 see that it was rammed down properly
and this final tap, | have been told, ex-
tracted the bullet. This my friend knew
! and when the professor offered his assist
ance he politely declined. Anderson did
not insist, but cooly walked to the end of
the stage and called out, Now, sir, take
a good aim at me and fire.
My friend hesitated, as he was well
| aware that the gun he was holding was
really loaded. Fire, sir, fire!' cried the
/ professor.
My friend lowered the weapon, and, say
ing he could not let il off returned IL to
Anderson, who Immediately. under pre-
tense of seeing whether 1t had been prop
| erly loaded, extracted the bullet Then he
gave the gun to some one else But be-
| fore the rifle was fired he addressed the
audience. Ladies and gentlemen" said
! he. 1.-The person who has just resumed his
seat knew my trick and fooled It. If he
had fired. this probably would have been
my last appearance before you. But he
| hadn't sufficient nerve to shoot me-"
When il dawned upon the house that
Anderson had risked his life rather than
| confess himself beaten, the applause was
! deafening. My friend told me that he felt
rather small, and regretted his penchant
| for practical joking.
| Heller often related with great gusto
/ how he once lost 500 in the performance
of his most SNOWY trick, that of the Null
| tiplied Gold Coins" The trick consists IN
/ placing in the hands of one of the audi
ence ten ten-dollar gold pieces. which are
! afterwards found increased to thirty OF
any other number the skill of the magl-
! clan is able to encompass On this par
! tcular occasion, the man selected to hold
the coins was a negro. The ten ten-dol-
| lar gold pieces were counted into his
hands and he was instructed to stand at
the back of the stage. while Heller toll
/ humorous story intended TO while away