Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-06-26
TALES OF PLUCK
and ADVENTURE.
Houdin and the Marabouts.

fcials, who attended in all their pomp
and glory. Interpreters were scattered
through the house in order to repeat
Houdin's remarks to the natives in
their own language. With true Orien-
tai dignity and gravity, the Arabs wit
messed the first few tricks in stolid ST.
lence, but the taking of huge cannon
ball from borrowed hat aroused great
excitement. Then came the great
tricks of the evening. especially pre-
pared to astonish the Arabs,
"By a wonderful power which pos
sess," said Houdin, II can deprive any
man of his strength. invite any one
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, balanc-
ing it carelessly on his little finger, he
asked the Arab:
''Are you strong?"
EYES," replied the man carelessly.
"Are you sure of always remaining
SOP"
always"
Lift that box"
The Arab did so and asked con-
temptuously:
SIS that all?"
"Wait," said Houdin, making
solemn gesture. "Now you are weaker
than 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 a mo-
ment to brace himself for final eff
fort. He seized the handle again, but
shrieked aloud with pain, dropped on
his knees, then, rising, threw his cloak
around his face to conceal his shame,
and rushed from the theatre, leaving
his compatriots stricken with fear.
The trick box was placed on a power
full electro-magnet, and the current be-
ing 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 an
nounced that he had talisman which
rendered him invulnerable, and he de-
fed the best shot in Algiers to kill
him. A marabout Immediately sprang
on the stage, exclaiming. 81 want to
kill you" Houdin handed him pis-
tol, which the Arab, examining, pro-
nounced good one. "It is q good
pistol, and will kill you"
Every well," said Houdin; "to
make sure put in double charge of
powder. Here's a wad. Take q bull
let from this tray and mark it so you
will know it again. Ram it into the
pistol we'll"
''It is done"
"Now," said Houdin, "you say the
pistol is good one, and you'ye loaded
well, so kill me"
''Yes,' replied the marabout. 81
will do that"
Houd1n took pear, stuck it on q
knife, and walked a few PAGES in front
of the Arab, and told him to aim at
his heart. He fred, and the marked
bullet was seen on the pear. After
the powder and wad were rammed
home, and while the Arab was mark
ing 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 down with the ramrod
the tube fitted snugly ON to it, and
was withdrawn with it, being polished
to resemble it. Houdin thus got pos
session of the marked ball, and all was
then plain sailing.
On one occasion during his visit to
Algiers Houdin was placed in very
awkward position, from which he only
extricated himself by his quick -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 asserted that the spectators in
Algiers had been merely duped by a
vision. Houdin, however, produced
the marabout's watch in his hand, and
on feeling his sash the marabout found
there tive-franc piece. Convinced
by this and other feats that Houdin
was really sorcerer, he challenged
him to repeat his performance in the
theatre, and produced two pistols.
'You need not fear," said the Arab,
"since you know how to ward off bull
let's" Without losing his self-pos-
session, Houdin explained that his in
vulperability lay in talisman which
was with his possessions lin Algiers.
; "By six hours prayer, however, can
, do without that talisman, aud at s
: o'clock tomorrow morning you can
,, fire at me-"
, At the appointed time there was O
: large concourse of Arabs, which the
news had attracted. The pistol were
/, brought and carefully examined. The
!. marabout dropped in the powder,
Houdin handed him bullet from the
| tray, and he rammed it down. Roudin
then loaded his own pistol, and, walk.
, ing about fifteen PAGES away, turned
and faced the marabout. The shoi
was fired, and the Fredchman opened
his mouth and showed the bullet be-