The National tribune., 1899-03-02
conveyed this impression in my manner,
although was not boorish enough, of course,
to nut NV fhnuuhtS In uordc

conveyed this impression in my manner,
although was not boorish enough, of course,
to put my thoughts in words.
We were on our way to his hotel; rs we
reached the steps leading to the entrance
would have babe him good might and passed
on to my own hotel
Pardon me-, he said, courteously, but
l Have a curious relic in my collection which
viii interest you very much; will you not
step up and see it q
Curiosity conquered other feelings, and
followed him up the stairs When he
| reached his suite of rooms, he found that the
door had been secured on the inside by Il
chain, that allowed a play of a few inches,
but prevented any attempt to enter the room.
Oh, pshaw,' he muttered, Simli has
gone off to sleep, leaving the chain fixed.
Never mind, | will open it, As he said this
the Magician passed his hand deftly through
the opening and deliberately twisted off one
OF the fine steel links, thus allowing OF our
entrance into the apartment. He seemed to
make nothing of the Circumstance, but
threw The wrenclied link down upon the
floor. picked it up with IN exclamation of
surprise at his enormous strength. Had l.
not seen the thing done | should have
thought it could not have been done by a
living man.
g" How unfortunate he exclaimed as we
entered and he turned on the gas. My
assistant has packed up my valuable curios
IN yonder cabinet, and he alone has the key;
he thinks | am too careless to he intrusted
with it. ne said with a light smile.
looked, and saw a cabinet, something
like miniature wardrobe, of polished ebony,
some five feet high and, say, two by three at
the base. In the center there was little
glass window about the size and shape of the
headlights on board of the steamships.
Well, but, said /, little mischievous-
ly, | must admit, locks and bolts have
surely no terrors for you
He looked at me for moment, with
fixed look, and then said:
60 Are you really sure that your faculties
are so alive and under control that you cannot
be deceived in matters where the eye and
the reasoning faculties have supreme sway?'
Oh, said /, experience has le:i me 10
be very reserved in my declarations of indie
pendence; still, l think / can hardly be de
ceived when fully forewarned'
Very well, sir said the Magician;
then ! will put you to the test BE kind |
enough to seat yourself in that easy-chair;
there, here in this corner out of the way of !
the draft from yonder open window
. | seated myself, and he threw off his |
coat and donned short, close-fitting jacket
He turned down the gas just enough to take
away the garish blaze, without making any !
of outlines.
He opened the glass door or window, and |
hen, to my utter amaZement, | had almost |
aid terror, his arms seemed TO detach them
elves from his body, and hoated through the
opening; his head followed then limbs and
runk went next, until he had disappeared
There was a noise in the cabinet as if some
ne were rummaging about. In moment
'oice from the interior was heard:
''' If you please, at the same time, an
EASTERN idol, spangled with gems, was handed
'ut.
81 advanced and took the proffered image
t was Persian or Egyptian figure, elabo-
ately carved and brilliantly decorated with
nlaid precious stones. Limb by limb, the
tlayician reappeared. The next moment.
e stood before me, suave and smiling.
Without adyerting to his performance he !
to tell me that the image had in
ny hand was an idol taken from the pyra-
nids. 1t was said to possess supernatural
fits, and III the hands of those by whom it
vas thoroughly understood seemingly i'm
ossible things could be performed.
- am afraid that my attention wandered
have forgotten great deal of what was
aid. could not dismiss from my mind the
ngular spectacle had just witnessed
''' Tell me- | said at length, somewhat
bruptly, has this image anything to do
18th your unusual method of gaining admit
lnce into the cabinet ?''