Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1912-12-06
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Great MaGiCian'S Mar
rage Fee
Ry Holland.

william r. Wickham. who was
elected mayor of New York city in
1874, was a very jolly man. He serv-
ed as mayor only one term, but that
was sufficient to give him a vast fund
of anecdotes, all of which had some
humorous feature. and these he was
fond of relating to his friends
called one afternoon in the sum
mer Of 1878 upon ex-Mayor wickham,
and after the business which occa-
stoned my visit was ended Mr.. Wick
ham began to tell me some OF his
humorous experiences when mayor OF
New York.
Il think the nuaintest experience
as a marrying Mayor which ] had.
said Mr. Wickham. took place the
first year OF my administration. One
day, as I was walking from my home
towards my office. met Alexander
Hermann, the great magician. i knew
him we'll / was very fond OF spend
ing an hour or two with him. He
was always playing gentle and sur
prislng tricks of necromancy upon
any Of his friends whom he met in
private
He beckoned to me as he stepped
from the door of his hotel. and when
we were together he said to me that
he had been waiting for me because
he knew that ! usually walked for
mile or two down Broadway every
morning on my way to the mayors
Office
Il said to him, None of your tricks.
Hermann. and he replied that IL was
very serious matter that he wanted
to talk to me about I never could
tell from his manner whether his Sc
robustness was assumed the better
TO play some OF his tricks, or wheth-
er he was really I'm earnest.
But when he said to me, I am 60
ing to get married and I want you.
as mayor Of New York and as an old
friend to marry me- I looked scruti-
nizlngly at him TO see whether he
was jokin gor not
He saw me looking at him in this
way and he said that he was really
In earnest and that he wanted TO be
married the next day at my Office and
by me. I said:
"'Herrann, shall consider II an
honor to marry you, but upon one
condition. There mustn't be any fee
and there mustn't be any tricks
He laughed and replied that he
would make me take q fee in spite of
myself
THE next day at the appointed
hour Hermann and his bride came to
the mayors Office He looked as sol
emn as though he we're going to a
funeral. although 7 knew that he was
very happy.
After | had read the ceremony and
pronounced them man and wife !
shook hands with the bride and then
7 shook hands with Hermann. I
said iokingly to the bride, l told your
husband yesterday that he mustn't
play any tricks at this ceremony and
that he had better not offer me any
fee. because I wouldn't take it.
But you have taken it and you
can't refuse it, said Hermann, It is
In your pocket now He pointed TO
my left waist coat pocket. AS | look
cd down 7 saw corner of bill stick
ing out of that pocket. I pulled il out.
II was a fifty-dollar bill. Hermann
stood laughing at me.
II was so nonplused that for a mo-
ment I did not know what to say. So
far as ] knew Hermann had not
touched my person except when we
shook hands after the ceremony. II
was the most wonderful trick ] ever
saw him do. AS he babe me good
bye he said II you do not want to
spend your fee for yourself you have
got some one at home who may find
it useful as pocket money
II asked him to tell me how he did
81. but be only laughed at me and
then he went away"
Copyright, 1912, by p J. Edwards
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards viii tell Of