The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-11-30
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J The Trick That F allied
N old trick? Wen, yes.


sombre case by sending a few of theil
number forward as an inspection com
mittee, and It seems truly ASTONISHING
that the method of illusion, has gon,
for so long undiscovered After in
spection the conjurer's assistant Il
placed in the coffin. in which there
would appear little room for turning
and the lid tightly closed. Now comes
the mysteryl The conjurer takes III
a long sword, as keen of edge and
point as a scythe, and, after handing il
around for inspection, passes it slowly
through a prepared slot in the coffin
lid until the blade shows through an
aperture in the cofin's bottom, directly
opposite the upper slot. The main por-
tion of the audience are puzzled. the
weaker-minded horror stricken. Then
the sword is withdrawn, the coffin lid
removed and the assistant, absolutely
unharmed, comes forth amid thunders
Of applause.
You who read these lines might
laugh at the suggestion of a simple
trick inspiring fear in any one Of ordi-
nary perceptiveness. Yet /. who have
performed in the trick in the capacity
Of assistant shudder to-day at even
the sight of a coffin of construction
genuine or otherwise. | will tell you
why, and you will know that my
nerves had just cause to be shaken on
that, to me, well-remembered night
two years ago.
was ION the road" with as clever
conjurer as ever handled a proper
ty'' silk hat a man whose movements
were as swift as they were accurate,
and my humble position in his employ
as assistant / deemed good enough for
training until / should be competent
to open on my own behalf
Herr Bruers wife had died about
six months before l Joined him, and
even at first sight of his face, could
judge how great had been his sorrow
at her loss Some of his actions off
the stage soon led me to believe that
his mind was slowly but, to sthe most
recently formed of his acquaintance,
perceptibly unhinging.
Had / no fear of placing myself in
the mans power? No, for | so trusted
his ability that at each performance
of his great trick got into the coffin
as readily as if I We're going to bed.
His stage properties, too, were all so
thoroughly made up-as proof against
accident and detection as the special
list could make them. How easily that
trick" coffin baffied the scrutiny Of
the curious, and how readily its side
had fallen outward, affording me
shelf of safety from harm by the
swords downward passage.
Our provincial tour-my first and
only one with Bruer-had so far been
great success. At each Of our new
openings the hall employed was
packed with the thousands who had
heard of his skill, and as the nights
passed l grew more confident of my
own progress. From the moment
when, in answer to an advertisement
for a lady assistant, there came to us
the dearest girl with whom l have yet |
been associated a renewed energy to
learn fresh departures in the conjur- |
ing art with ever-increasing ease. You |
smilel All, yes, loved her-and who
could help doing the same? Millie |
soon came to understand my feeling |
for her, and the joy that filed my soul |
when she one night in answer to my |
proposal for her hand, gave a sweet |
affirmative. l cannot express in words. |
But on my mentioning to her the ne
cessity of announcing our engagement |
to Bruer l noticed a peculiar look of |
fear cross her face.
"Oh, Harry" she cried, cannot we
keep that from him until our wedding
day."
The question struck me as a strange
one. Keep our engagement a secret?
But" / demonstrated, where's the
need of holEng back from the man
what doesn't affect him in the least:
Our union need not deprive him of our
services. for a time, anyhow"
You do not understand she said.
slowly. Something would happen, !
am sure, if he comes to know what |
there is between u.s. Listen" and she
lowered her voice to a whisper. al
though we were out of eavesdropping
reach Last night he called me to his
room, and. to my astonishment. de-
clared his love for me in a mad way.
And when l told him that could
never allow anything more than busi
ness relations to exist between him
and myself a mad CLEAN came into his
eyes. and / hurried from the place
fearful lest he might harm me"
She spoke earnestly. and I promised
not to divulge a word Of our engage
ment to any one.
On the following morning l called at
Miles lodging. and. Ia answer TO my
inquiry for her, was told she had been
sent for by Herr Bruer. who urgently
required her services In the hall. This
Information had a thrilling effect on
me. for remembered what Millie had
told me regarding her treatment OF his
advances. At once I acted on a sud
den impulse TO follow her TO the hall.
and on being admitted by the caretak-
er. made my way toward the little
room which Bruer had set Up as a
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