The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-20

WASHINGTON, April 19.-Eleven weeks
ago an Austrian magician, short and
stout and of a wholly unwizardlike APP
pearance, dropped into Washington and
began the practice of his art.
He was absolutely unknown, and the
mention of his name, Malini, was without
significance.
Today it may be said that he is the
most talked-of person in a city of talk
ed-of personages, and stories of his queer
doings with diplomats, cabinet members,
senator's, representatives and other great
men who go to make up life at the ma
tional capital are daily rehearsed over
the teacups of the fashionables.
He has fooled distinguished gentlemen
without number, whose business in life
is to fool other folks. The most adroit
juggIers in statecraft and legislation have
gone down before him, not excepting
that most willy of foreign ministers, WI
Ting Fang.
And this onslaught on the camp of
Washington notables was premeditated
and done in conformity with a design
terminated years ago in the far-off land
of legerdemain, Bohemia.
1t was there that Malina was born,
and it was there, too, that at the age
of five he ran away from home and hir-
ed himself as an assistant to the two fore
most magicians of Austria.
His diminutive frame was utilized in
an humble way in the working of their
wonders, and it naturally came about
that Malini absorbed the characteristics
that go toward the making of a sue
ceSsful magician. But his young head
contained ideas other than those sug-
gested by the performances in which he
was a daily participant. One day, when
he was but six years old, pack of play
ing cards fell into his hands. They fas-
cinated him and from that time to this
never a day has passed that he has not
handled them. To work with them has
become his second nature, and if there
is another man who can make them do
more remarkable things than he this
cosmopolitan town has not seen him.
Besieged the Palace Doors.
"As far back as I can remember said
Malini to the Sunday World correspond
ent, 4 had an ambition to perform with
cards for none but royal families 1
Travelled all over Europe, but l found
that the door of palaces would not easily
open to a poor and unknown boy, no mat
ter what his ability. It takes months
there for a stranger without wealth or
position to reach the outer portal. q
Then suddenly 1 began to hear Of
America and of the crowned head there
who was chosen by the people If the
people choose their king said 1 to my
self, They certainly do not have as hard
a time to see him as I have had trying
to reach the czars and emperors on this
side of the Atlantic To America, then, I
shall go and work to play before her royal
family. That will be the opening wedge;
the rest will come in time -
Malini stands upon the threshold of his
ambition. He has performed before the
leaders in thought and action at the capt.
tai and arrangements are being made by
which he is to appear before President
Roosevelt at the White house.
Now as to Malinfs tricks. In the first
place there are but few of them that can
be satisfactorily explained, and those
which offer a chance for explanation are
done with such wonderful cIeverness that
one is even then mystned, simple as tney
appear to be.
He was performing one day in Senator
Gallingers committee room in the capitol
before an audience composed exclusively
of senators and representatives.
Senator Hale Amazed.
Here, change that into a lemon" said
Senator Hale, laughingly, as he picked
up a big orange on a desk and tossed it
to the magician. The orange vanished the
instant it reached Malinfs hands-where.
no one present could say-and at the same
time a lemon was being offered to Mr.
Hale
can lemons L want you down on my