The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-02-06
Ross-H HuntressCompany
Cor.West and Grove SITS.
Rutland Vermont
Dan Cupid
Magician.
Rutland, Vermont.
By HARRY HOUDlNI.


In ngony Of apprehension Williams
/ started to arrange his modest conJur.
Ing apparatus. A few hours earlier his
debut as parlor entertainer had been
matter OF joyous and ambitious an.
ticipation. Now the brocaded walls
of Senator Morgan's music room fair
Iy threatened to close In and choke
him, while the fragrance of hothouse
flowers oppressed him strangely. He
wondered how he had ever dared to
ask the vaudeville agent who supplied
Mrs. Morgan and other fashionable
hostesses with talent to let him sub
stltute for Thorley, the eminent ma.
gician who had fallen victim to Ia
grippe or course he would fail, Mrs.
Morgan would be furious, the agent
( would never give him another engage.
ment, and his career would come to an
ignomnious end. The laughter and
chatter OF the children, dancing on
the other side Of the folding doors,
sounded like the deathknell Of his long
cherished hopes
"Can help you In any wny2 ! am
Miss Morgan The servants are all
busy with supper-and ! thought-per-
haps"-
Young Williams had never thought
of needing help, but as he faced the
clear eyed. hower-lIke girl and the echo
OF her well modulated voice rang In
his ears he felt that his one hope OF
succeeding lay In her presence. Men
and women wiser In the social world
than Frank Williams had fallen under
the spell OF Helen Morgan's rare sym.
pathy and charm and wondered how
this girl OF high ideals and gentle man
ners could be the daughter Of Senator
Morgan ponderous with the arrogance
OF newly acquired wealth, and Mrs
Morgan, who radiated commonplace
attributes MS her recently purchased
diamonds scintillated light
At Franks faltering thanks Helen
Morgan began quietly. but deftly. to
carry out his instructions, placing a
light gilt table here, taboret there
and where II would be within reach OF
the conjurer's hand candle or q |
cleaning revolver. And, though after
ward Frank Williams could not tell
how II had happened. before the set |
tlngs for his act were prepared the girl
had drawn out his tale of half tragic |
struggle. the prosaic, hard headed IA
ther storming over the visionary. inex-
piicablc nature OF his youngest son. the
loyal mother secretly brooding over
and abettlng this odd chick OF her 1T
tie flock, his constant endeayor TO
learn the secrets OF magic and then TO
secure hearing, even the rented dress
suit and the gold watch which had
been pawned that very afternoon to
buy bonbons and gilded trinkets to dis
tribute among his youthful auditors.
And as he finished II seemed 10 Helen
Morgan that she stood In the presence
OF a struggling genius. She had read
such stories OF poets. musicians and In
ventors. The tawdrlness Of the conjur-
Ing world faded, and tenderly her hand
rested on the white satin cover OF the
stHhE lHuu Del ifHht1s ~ "ns |" Wv "a
his mothers wedding dress. sacrificed
gladly 20 her sous art, rich fabric
yellowed with age and finished with
strips OF rare old lace.
The performance was great sue
cess. The children we're duly mystifed
and more than delighted with the
showers OF trinkets and bonbons which
came from an inexhsustible
source Mrs. Morgan had condescend
81 10 express her appreciation. foot
man had served q supper OF such rare
1elicacies that Frank had longed 10
pack them all up with his psrsphernas
ia and take them 10 his mother. and
now as be walked down the broad ave.
1ue leading from the house be felt M
4 the house behind him was fairyland
indeed and Helen Morgan its princess
But be was reused from bis dream
BY grim faced butter. who came hur. ,
'yiDg after him.
You're 10 come back 10 the house." {
was the brnsque order. and, reenter
ng bis fairyland, Williams faced Sen. |
tor Morgan, glowering figure. In tbs /
'oseground and As Morgan, . bys 3