The age-herald., 1901-04-14

the porter the subject of dispute. Doc tors and scientists said that 1t was the moot pronounced case of hallucination that they had ever seen. But the suf- ferer's fellow-servants who had witness ed the laying on of the curse pooh- hooh- ed the suggestion of hallucination, and proclaimed that 1t was witchcraft clearly and undoubtedly, and most of the com mon people sided with them Outside the boundaries of Vienna live many peasant folk who believe implicitly in witches and sorcerly as their ancestors did. For them the story of the mighty cursing was a choice one. The Archduke Frank , Ferdinand. man of much more than or dfnary attachments in many fields, of course, agreed with the doctors, but many others of the imperial house ascrib- ed the porter's plight to supernatural forces, and were apprehensive that 1t was an omen of bad import for the Haps- ourgs. Like the Hohenzollerns, the Hapsburgs always have been more or less inclined to superstition and to place credence in old. legands affecting their house. They dote on the story that tells how an ancestor of the great family once rode out to hunt from the ancient home Of the Hapsburgs. the great Habichts- burg. His horse trop on a gypsy woman Wno was crouching near the gate and she cursed him, living and dying A few hours afterward his horse fell and he was Killed. It Is on record, too, that there times. A younger. son of the branches of was almost a repetition of this in modern times A younger son of one of the branches of the family, while hunting in the preserves of the king of Wurtemburg about thirty years ago, was cursed by an old gypsy to whom he had refused to give aims. He met a terrible death scarcely an hour afterward His shotgun exploded and tore the top of his head off These tales and others were told in the imperial court until a quite awful interest attached itself ito the case of the porter. even in the minds of the most sensible.
 Exercising of the Witch.
 In the meantime the poor victim of pos session or obession was dying a slow deatn that was not pleasant to look at
 Hallucination or spell-wha tever it was. 1t was killing him, and doctor after doc tor retired baffed. He had given up try ing to pray. He declared with tears that 1t was impossible for him to do it. as the witch restrained him forcibly.
 Three weeks ago it seemed that he was doomed and that the end was close at hand.
 Just then the city was being mystified and Interested by man who called him. self the Prince Samonda. He was tall, fine Oriental looking the blue-b -blooded prince to the life, although little was known about him except that, according to the accounts of his servants he belong ed in Northern India. His copjuripg feats were wonderfully clever, and many of his | exhibitions were of nature that defled explanation,s apparently One day Prince | Samonda's servants announced a visitor. | He was admitted and proved to be Mar | kowics The face of the wretched man l was enough to appeal to the most harden ed. Each line expressed tortue
 Like everybody else. the prince had
 heard his story. He was sympathetic at l once and promised the sufferer his aid. | An appointment was made. and on the
 following day. when ,Markowics called. | he was conducted to cabinet that had been erected in one of the rooms Here
 he was stripped to the waist by a ser | want and ordered to kneel. The prince l waved a wand over him and uttered many Indian words. The smoke from a brazier in a high stand of cunning h.
 dian work filled the cabinet and made | the porter's head swim. Strange noises
 were heard and cold hands touched and
 patted him. He was seized with violent
 fit of trembling which lasted for fifteen
 minutes. The noises grew louder and
 more confused. Suddenly there was
 tremendous explosion. The porter leaped to his feet and exclaimed that the vision of the witch had vanished. The
 prince tapped him on the head and l shoulders with his wand and told him
 I