Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-24
ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL.
THE MAGIC OF HoUDIN.
Remarkable CIcvcrncss of the Famous
French Conjurer.

A LINK connecting the names of
~ Cagliostro. the great charlatan,
and the French conjurer Robert
Houdin may be found in a sto-
ry that may be justly termed "The
Most Incredible Feat of Magic Ever
Performed"
III 1916 Houdin, then at the height
of his popularity. was invited to ST.
Cloud to give performance before the
king, the royal family and court. The
conjurer had only his young son as an
assistant and could rely on no tricks of
light or mechanism, as the exhibition
was given in one of the drawing
rooms of the palace. He finished with
the following extraordinary perform
ance:
Borrowing several handkerchiefs. he
wound them into a package, which he
laid on the table. Then he went about
among the guests distributing cards on
which were TO be written the names
of places to which 1t was desired that
tho package be invislbly transported.
Houdin then handed the cards to the
king. asking him to select three at haz-
ard and from them choose the destina-
tion he liked best.
The first card read, IT desire the
handkerchief to be found beneath one
of the candclabra on the mantelpiece."
THAT" said the king, 'is too easy
for the ability of a conjurer of tho
ability of NJ. Houdin."
The second read, THE handkerchiefs
are to be taken to the dome OF the
Invalldes."
That" commented the king, "ls bet
ter. However, it is much too far. not
for the handkerchiefs, but for US. The
third card suits me-" said the king "It
is desired that you should send the
handkerchiefs into the chest of the
last orange tree on the right of tho
avenue"
Houdin expressed his willingness to
attempt the feat, and the king whis-
pered an order that Immediately sent
a group of attendants to guard the or
ange tree In question.
The conjurer placed tho package of
handleerchiefs under an Opaque glass
bell and then. waving a wand, ordered
the package to proceed to the place
chosen by the king. When the bell
was raised the handkerchiefs were
gone. but In their place was a white
turtledove a trusted attendant was
sent to the orange tree to open the
chest. He returned bearing a small
iron Golfer covered with rust.
Are the handkerchiefS in this cof-
fer?" asked the king.
"Yes, sire. and they have been there.
too. for long time"
How can that be possible? The
handkerchicfs were given you hardly
a quarter of an hour ago"
"Yet II is so, and your majesty Will
be even more surprised when I prove
that this Golfer and It's contents were
placed in the chest of the orange tree
sixty years ago. Deign to remove
from the neck of the turtledove the
key OF the casSet."
Louis Philippe unfastened ribbon
holding q small, rusty key unlocked
the Golfer. found n document bearing
the seal OF Cagliostro and read:
This day, the 9Th of June. 1855, this
iron box. containing six handkerchlefs,
was placed among the roots OF an
orange tree by me. Balsamo, count of
Cagliostro. to serve In performing an
net of magic which will be executed on
the same day sixty years hence before
Louis Philippe OF Orleans and his faml-
| ly'
Beneath the parchment conveying
this message was found package con-
| tanning what seemed to be the six
handlkerchiefs placed on the table a
few minutes before. In his momoirs