The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-07-21
HOUDIN AND THE ARABS.
How the Famous Magician Extri-
Gated Himself from an AyvL-
ward Position.

and glory. Interpreters were scat
tered through the house in order to re-
peat Houdin's remarks to the natives
entail dignity and gravity, the Arabs
witnessed the first tricks in stolid si-
lence, but the taking of huge cannon
ball from borrowed hat caused great
excitement.
by q wonderful power which ! pos
sess," said Houdin, Il can deprive any
man of his strength. l invite anyone
to prove my words"
On this being interpreted to the
Arabs, tall, strong man stepped for
ward on the stage. Houdin held in his
hand little iron box, and, balancing it
carelessly on his finger, he asked the
Arab:
''Are you strong?"
"Yes," replied the man, carelessly.
"Are you always sure of remaining
SOP"
always"
Lift that box"
The Arab did so and asked contemptu-
ously:
''Is that all?"
"Wait," said Houdin, making SOL
emn gesture. Nov you are weaker
that a woman. 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 final effort. He
seized the handle again, but shrieked
aloud with p;seh, dropped on his knees,
then, rising, threw his cloak round his
face to conceal his shame, and rushed
from the theater, leaving his compatri-
OTIS stricken with fear. The trick was
as simple as the result was startling.
The box was placed on powerful cleo
tro-magnet, and, the current being
complete, no man on earth could have
lifted it. An electric shock sent at
signal by Houdin from behind the
stage was what caused the Arab to
shrek and hurriedly retreat.
Before the excitement caused by this
trick had subsided, Houdin announced
that he had talisman which rendered
him invulnerable, and he defied the
best shot in Algiers to kill him. A
marabout Immediately sprang on the
stage, exclaiming: "I want to kill
you" Houdin handed him a pistol,
which the Arab, examining, pronounced
good one. "It is a good pistol, and ]
will kill you"
every WE'LL" said Houdin; ''to make
sure, put in double charge of powder.
Here's wad Take bullet from this
tray, and mark it so you will know it
again. Ram it into the pistol WELL"
Houdin took a pear, stuck it ON a
knife, and walked few PAGES in front
of the Arab and told him to aim at his
heart. He fired, and the marked bullet
was seen ON the pear. After the pow
der and wad were rammed home and
while the Arab was marking the bullet
Houdin slipped 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 into tho ramrod, the tube fitted
snugly on to it, and was withdrawn
with it, being polished to resemble it.
On one occasion during his visit to
Algiers Houdin was placed in very
awkward position, from which he only
extricated himself by his quicl-witted-
ness. He was the guest of an Arab
chief, Abou Allen, and entertained his
host and friends by a few tricks. One
of the company was marabout who as
serted that the spectators in Algiers
had been merely duped by q vision.
Houdin, however, produced the mara
bouts watch in his hand, and on feeling
his sash the marabout found there
five-franc piece. Convinced by this and
other feats that Houdin was really a
sorcerer, he challenged him to repeat
his performance in the theater and pro-
duced two pistols. you need not fear"
said the Arab, "since you know how to
ward off bullets" Without losing his
self-possession Houdin explained that
his invulnerability lay in a talisman
which was with his possessions in AL
giers. "By six hours prayer, however,
/ can do without that talisman, and by
eight o'clock tomorrow morning you
can fire at me-"
At the appointed time there was
large concourse of Arabs, which the
news had attracted, The pistols were
brought and carefully examined. The
marabout dropped in the powder. Hou-
din handed him bullet from the tray,
and he rammed it down. Houdin then
loaded his own pistol, and, walking
about Is 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 cannot kill me-" he said, "and
now you shall see what my shots can
do" He fired at the marabout, and i'm
mediately red splash was seen on the
whitewashed wall before which he was
standing. The Arab was untouched
stepping up to the wall, he dipped his
finger in the red splash, tasted it, and,
realizing that it was blood, collapsed in
amaZement.
Though the trick was simple, only
Houdin could have devised and car
night he had melted some wax, black
ened it to look like lead, and run it into
bullet mold, thus obtaining hollow
globe of wax exactly resembling
bullet in appearance. 1t was with this
bullet the marabout loaded his pistol,
and in ramming it down crushed it to
powder. A second bullet, similarly
1