The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-06

80
any against them. and those Of the
highest p~retensions were apt to be
ciassed with those who a dealings
with the devil. Though the legitimacy
OF magic was disputed, its reality as an
art and a science was scarcely doubted
down to the eighteenth century. 1t has
sui In Europe a few learned and re-
spectacle professors n adopts. while
throughout the Mohammedan and pa
gan world its reality is almost univer-
sally admitted. and its professors are
still numerous." This quotation has
reference to magic as IL was anciently
regarded. Modern magic. or the con-
jurer's art. is a different thing in most
respects.
II. ]. Burlingame Of this city was
fortunate. when he was in Paris. in
meeting with the sons Of the founder of
modern conJuring. Robert Houdin, as
by them he was introduced into the al
most secret circle OF such performers.
There he met with Robert Manning. the
intimate and ~biographer of Houdin, and
from him learned many interesting par
ticulars. But M son of the master
was not a conjurer. but chose instead
to be a c~lockmaker. Once the father
was asked how IL happened that his
eldest son. Emile Robert Houdln. did
not follow the trade Of magic. and he
answered the question in a few auto
biographical sentences. IF you believe
In hereditary vacations. here is a case
for their just application. My sons
maternal great-grandfather. Nicholas
Houdin. was a matchmaker of great
merit in the hast century. ]. F. Houdin.
his son. has gained a prominent place
among the most distinguished watch
makers OF his time. A certain modesty,
which you will understand. prevents
me from praising my father as highly.
i shall only say that he was a very
skillful and ingenious matchmaker. Be-
fore devoting myself to the art of con-
1uring, based on mechanism, i. too was
for a long time a matchmaker and
achieved some success. With such a
genealogy, should not my son be pre-
destined to horology?' The second. Eu-
gene. assisted his father in performing
his tricks and himself became eminent
In the art. He appeared in st. James
theater. London. i'm the trick known as
the Suspension by Ether" the drug
being then only recently in vogue as an
anesthetic. Houdi led his handsome
boy by the hand to the footlights TO
make the most mechanical DOW to his
audience. The two slowly retired back
ward. when the father fixed an upright
rod under each arm of the son.. who had
assembled three steps for the purpose
of raising himself from the stage. The
father then expiated gravely upon the
marvels of ether. and. pretending to
administer IL to the boy. a simulated
slumber followed. and. the steps. being
- -, Ntes ttl1 " Itu
by the two rods only. his body retain
ing its vertical position. the feet eigh-
teen inches from the stage. Then the
visible rods were knocked away. leaving
the invisible ones. This simple trick
II would now be thought c~lumsy-flled
many of the spectators with terror.
This son was not the equal of his
father. Robert Houdin was in his
chosen line a great nan He gave his
exhibitions in all the cities and towns
DN ~ A-I
guage of the city he came to. He
amassed a large fortune. and upon his
final return to Paris he devoted him !
self to certain branches Of true science.
After maxim a watch with a pedo- |
meter movement which was always
winding Itself up-that is to say, when
the wearer moved about all day II re-
ceived sufficient winding impetus to go
on through the night: so long as the
owner walked the watch never ran
down. After making this watch he de-
voted himself to the science. among
others. of optics. He was the inventor
Of an opthalmoscope which was i'm use
for many years. He made great use
Of electricity and was the first who ever
made and used an electric call bell.
Hence IT is seen that this man. besides
amusing and puzzling the world, was
also of real benefit to the world.
From the general interest that is
taken nowadays in coniurers. as seen
In the large audiences the best OF them
draw. one may almost believe that
many people still have their doubts
whether the actual old devil of the
t~heologians be not in the performer.
This undying interest in conturing
tricks tustifies and prompts ingenious
men to ever renewed efforts to improve
upon ancient tricks and devise new
ones. In Europe the business of max
ing suitable mechanism for conjuring
uses is carried on in nearly every one
OF the large cities. In the United States
IL is carried on much less extensively.
SO far as the present writer knows.
there are In this country only three es-
Establishments that turn out conjuring
properties-they are respectively in
Boston. New York and Chicago. Among
the performing craft Chicago is credited
with the latest-improved stage table.
Until lately every such table has had
drapery about It's lower parts. More
recently the draperies are discarded
entirely. The table in question Is not
very deliberately ornamented, but IL Is
highly finished, and looks exactly like a
good piece of drawing-room furniture
of the kind. Nothing could be more in
nocent looking. But concealed in II are
many mechanical c~ontrivances and all
are under the secret command OF the
performer. No one hat is not right
fully in the secrets of this table can
see how impulse is given to any single
button. electric or other. and no sus-
picious nail head is visible. Yet. the
performer will stand by IL and without
seeming to touch IL. wonderful effects
will result; the devil. sure enough. will
stir within the table: and things beau
tiful will be produced and in turn made
TO disappear In a most astonishing man.
ner. This is said to be the greatest
success of its kind yet invented. But
not all the new property articles are
successes. A decided failure has re-
Gently been recorded in London.
The Vanishing Man" is the title of
n trick that was a week or two ago
tried by the most celebrated conjurer
in London before a large audience. The
contains a ladder and an
man upon II. There is a sus-
pended platform up to which the man