New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1902-11-05
costume. i was a. athlete and IS good

costume. / was an athlete and IN good
training; q magician has to be. The
roar Of the river told me the road,
and as / sped array into the darkness /
ran full upon a man and Knocked him
flat. The mischief was done. The
| view halloo of the man hunt rang in
| the air, and, with a roar, the pack of
human hounds was on my trail. Down
! the road 1 went at my best speed a
| good hundred yards in advance Of the
van of my pursuers. Presently be-
came aware of a brightness in front Of
me, and, coming around a turn, / saw.
half "a dozen negroes seated around a
! fire at the roadside There was but one
thing to do. With a demoniac roar i
charged them. It was as had hoped.
The sight of scarlet and black devil
leaping at them from out the blackness
of night was enough. Like rabbits
they plunged into the brush, and the
sound of their frantic prayers bore me
| company as I sprinted past the fire. 1t
would have made corking fine poster
that scene, "The Apparition Of Pyro.''
Then a shot sounded out behind me-
and I put my thoughts into my heels. l
| was gaining on the pursuit when my
| feet splashed into water and l was up
| to my knees before l could check. Fl
Il wasn't in the river, for / could hear
the food roaring we'll to the right Of
me; besides, this water was stagnant.
The true nature Of the pool flashed into
my head; it was "a backwater from the.
river that had flooded the road and was
probably but a short distance across.
But if the miners knew Of any path
around they could head me off, as my
progress through the water sWould be
slow, even if did not have to swim for
it and lose my bearings. Nevertheless,
straight ahead was my only chance.
Before 1 had got waist deep there
was a flicker Of light on the bank, and
by the glow of brand which they had
snatched from the negroes fire saw a
group of my pursuers peering out
toward me. ,.,z.s.y. s.s,.sg...s
| "He's taken to the water" said one.
'eThen we've got him." cried another.
"Bill, you and Bibbey get around and
head him off" #r ~ i
kept on till the water was at my
shoulders. Then something choked me
like a rope around my neck. had
heard about the choking feeling of de
spair, and I thought this was it. /
staggered aud almost fell back as
strange, thick smell clogged my nose.
On the surface Of the water there was
bubbling and chuckling. I could feel
it at my feet too. 1t was queer, but 4
queer things don't make much differ
ence to a man who is going to be
hanged in five minutes. That was my
first thought. Then l had better one. /
remembered the high water and the
gas, and I knew what that bubbling
was and was ready to take the chance
and do special turn for my life.
OF course had to have some talk
You don't get the full effect of these
things without good SPIEL. The only
thing could think of was a patter
from a book called the s'Last Days Of
Pompeii," SO gave 'em that.
"Earth born villains shouted, "be-
hold how the avenging Orcus spouts
forth flames from the face Of the wa
tiers to protect it's owny' AvT..
There were answering shouts from
all around the pond: "There he isv'
"Where's the roper"
"Silence," / yelled, land beholdv' ~
Then flashed my electric spark into
the middle Of the gas and dove. When
I came up ten yards away after stay
ing down as long as could, there was
a big circle Of red, yellow and blue
fame dancing beautifully over the wa
ter. On the shore the brands fickered, /
but they cast light only on trees and !:
bushes. There wasn't a living being in
sight, but all around there were a
mighty crashing Of brush and bowls
that would shame a catamount. The
miners lodge had chased the devil just
as far as they wanted to. My act was
sure enough hit 49, al
I craWled out on the opposite side
and went on to Carton in a boat that
found. Two days later my assistant y
came along. Sledge Turner wasn't dead
after all. That's the reason they hadn't
lynched Bob. He said if I'd go back
there I could play to S. R. o. for a
month, but couldn't see it. I'd had
enough. But it was great ad. for me.
Some day I'm going to make an act out
of that nights work: s.
Brain Weights.