Evening star., 1899-04-08
HOUDIN AND THE ARABS.
Tricks with which the French Ma
giciaa Astonished Native Fakirs.

gfciaa Astoaished Native Fakirs.
From the Household World.
To witness Houdin's first performance in
Algiers tn. neighboring tribes were invited.
The theater was speedily filled with them
and the French officials who attended IN
all their pomp and glory. Interpreters were
scattered through the house in order TO re-
peat Houdins remarks TO the natives in
their own language. With true oriental dig
nifty and gravity the Arabs witnessed the
| first few tricks in stolid silence. but the
taking of a huge cannon bail from bor-
rowed hat aroused great excitement Then
came the great tricks Of the evening, espe-
cially prepared 10 astonish the Arabs.
by wonderful power which l possess"
said Houdin. Il can deprive any man of
his strength. l invite any one to prove my
words"
On this being interpreted to the Arabs a
tall. strong man stepped forward on the
stage. Houdin held in his hand little iron
box. and. balancing ii carelessly on his lit
tie finger. he asked the Arab:
Are you strong?"
Yes replied the man carelessly.
Are You sure of always remaining so?'
Lift that box"
The Arab did so and asked con;emp;u-
ously:
rs that all?"
Wait" said Houdin, making solemn
gesture. NOW You are weaker than
man. Try TO lift that box again"
The Arab seized the handle and tugged
again. He could not raise the box an inch
from the floor. After many attempts he
paused for moment to brace himself for
a final effort. He seized the handle again,
but shr!eked aloud with pain. dropped on
his knees, then, rising. threw his cloak
around his face TO conceal his shame and
rushed from the theater. leaving his COM
patriots stricken with fear The trick Was
as simple as the result was startling The
box was placed on a powerful electro-mag-
net, and the current being complete 10
man on earth could have lifted it. An
electric shock. sent at a signal nv HOudin
from behind the stage, was what caused
| the Arab TO shrek and hurriediy retreat
Before the excitement caused by This
trick had subsided Houdin announced that
he had a talism1u which rendered him in
vulnerable, and he defied the best shot in
Algiers TO kill him. A marabout immedi-
ately sprang on the stage. eNclaiming. Il
want to XIII you Houdin handed him a
pistol, which the Arab. examining. pro-
nounced good one. "It is a good pistol.
and 1 Will kill you
Very well, said Houdin; "to make sure
put in a double charge of powder Here's
a wad. Take a bullet from this tray and
mark it so You will know II again. Ram
ii into the pistol we'll
1T Is done"
Now" said Houdin. You say the pistol
is good one, and you've loaded it well. -
kill me-
Yes" replied the marabout, Il viii ID
that"
Houdin took a pear, stuck Il on a knife
and walked few PAGES in front Of The
Arab. and told him TO aim at his hear.
He fired and the marked bullet was seen
on the pear. After the powder and wad
were ramrned home. and while the Arab
was marking the bullet. Houdin slipped a
little tube into the pistol. This tube was
closed at the lower end, and into this the
Arab dropped the bullet. As he thrust the
wad down with the ramrod the tube fitted
snugiy on to 1t, and was Withdrawn with it.
being polished to resemble it, Houdin thus
got possession of the marked ball, and all
was then plain sailing.
On one occasion during his visit to Al
giers Houdin was placed in a very awkward
position, from which he only eXtricated
himself by his quick-wittelness he was
the guest Of an Arab chief. Abou Alien,
and entertained his host and friends by "A
few tricks. One of the company was a
marabout, who asserted that the spectators
In Alg1ers had been merely duped by
vision. Houdin, however produced the
marabout's watch in his hand. and on feel
ing his sash the marabout found there n
fVe-franc piece. Convinced by this and
other feats that Houdln was really I; sor-
cerer, he challenged him to repeat his per-
formance in the theater, and produced two
pistols. You need not fear" said the
Arab, 'since you know how to ward or
bullets" Without losing his self-possession,
Houdin explained that his invulnerability
lay In talisman which was with his pos
sessions In Algiers. by six hours prayer
however, / can do without that talsman,
and at O'Clock tomorrow morning you can
fire at me-"
At the appointed time there was a large
conoourse of Arabs. which the news had
attracted. The pistols were brought and
carefully examined. The marabout dropped
in the powder Houdin handed him a hui
let from the tray, and he rammed il down.
Houdin then loaded his own pistol and.
walking about fifteen PAGES away, turned
and faced the marabout. The shot was
fired, and the Frenchman opened his mouth
and showed the bullet between his teeth.
You could not kill me-" he said. 'and now
you shall what my shot can do" He
fired at the marabout, and Immediately a
red splash was seen the wall before
which he was standing. The Arab was un-
touched; stepping up TO the wall, he dipped
his finger in the red splash, tasted II, and.
realizing that 1t was blood. collapsed in
amaZement.
Though the trick was simple, only
Houdin could have devised and carried II
out successfully. During the night he had
melted some wax, blackened il to look like
lead, and run it into bullet mold thus
obtaining a hollow globe of wax exactly
resembling a bullet In appearance. 1t was
with this bullet the marabout loaded his
pistol, and in ramming il down crushed II
to powder. A second bullet similarly made
Houdin filed with blood obtained from his
own body. This he dropped into his pis-
tol, and rammed it down very gently, so
as not to crush II. AS it struck the wall it
was broken, leaving a red splash Of blood.