Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-06-22
PRAY, THE MAGICIAN.
He Tells the Journal Of His Early
Experiences.
Performed at Insane Asylum 20 Years Ago
His Later Fortunes.

The Journal had a very pleasant call
the other day from George H. Pray. a
man who is known all over the coun-
try as a great performer in sleight of
hand tricks and feats of legerdemain
Mr.. Pray is stopping in the city with
his brother-in-law. Charles Weber,
and is resting before entering upon an
other season of his work
Il am most Familiarity known as
Pray Of Insane Asylum fame" said
Mr.. Pray, laughing. That title was
given me by one of the Boston papers.
several years ago. and it has stuck to
me ever since. The way that l came
to get that name is through my places
of giving performances You see |
carry no advertising Of any sort save
the letters of recommendation from
the presidents of colleges where | per
form, and the superintendent of the
vertising because | do not give public
performances. l go about and make
contracts with the insane asylums, the
deaf and dumb schools, the colleges
and schools, and to the schools for
idiots, as we'll as to the blind schools.
1t was after one Of my visits TO an in
sane asylum in Massachusetts that the
name was given me-
Where is your home, Mr.. Pray"
asked the Journal man.
II am native of Portland, where |
was born over GO years ago. | used to
| work at carpentering for my father.
| who was 4 contractor and builder. ]
was always juggling balls and doing
! odd tricks, and | was possessed Of a
/ good gift Of CAB. | lived on Munjoy
| hill. and used to perform tricks for the
| boys at the fire station. one night |
| was invited down to another fire sta
tion to entertain the companies OF the
! city, and it was there that they took
up their collection for me. 50 that | re-
| ceived about 81. That was the begin
ming of my career as a magician. and
it was the finish Of my carpentering
days. The next day secured a chance
to exhibit before some people at the
Prcble House. and for that | received
about SIS. | began to enlarge upon
my tricks and soon purchased better
materials.
1T was not long after that l was in
the large cities with an elegant outfit
that flashed in the rays Of the lamps,
and l was a full-ledged professional.
But to go back before that and to
the time before l ever thought of be-
coming a professional magician. but
when the knowledge of the trick was
Of good account 70 me, | was a mem
Der of the 10th Maine Regiment, and
was through the war, being for eight
months in Andersonville prison. 1t
was here that my powers gave me the
first real advantage Of my life, and
perhaps it saved my life, as we'll as
those of other people. l attracted the
attention 81 some Of the officers Of the
prison by my tricks which l was do
ing to amuse the boys, and | was
called out Of the prison to perform be
fore them. After that they dressed me
little better and had me perform at
some of their little affairs. | was kept
outside the prison in a log cabin and
had many liberties. l secured quite a
little food, and being friendly with the
officers they allowed me to drop some
Of it over the stockade to the boys in
side"
AT the first Of your career did you
so around with stock companies"
No. l always played at private in
stitutions and houses. l have always
preferred it to any other"
! Here, as proof Of the fact Of his
| having played at the various colleges
ana institutions, he showed the Jour
! nal a large packet of letters of intro
| duction ana recommendation. There
were letters here from President Butler
| Of Colby. ana the pr -idents Of both
male and female coil, SIS in all parts
Of the country.
} II was the first performer, if | re-
member right. who ever played before
the inmates Of the Insane asylum in
| this city. which was % years ago. The
asylum was at that time in charge Of
! DR.. Harlow. Then | opened the ban
! for the veterans at the Togus Home at
about that time. or a little later"
do You not find it rather discourage
ing to play before the class of people
that you do?"
Not at all. Exhibiting before in
! sane people is a pleasure. They are
enthusiastic, and they will applaud
and grow more interested than the
average crowd of sane people. They
forget the point upon which they are
insane for the time being, and see only
me. II is one of the greatest things
for the insane people, 50 the doctors