Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-04-12
MAGIC Of AoUD|N|
He Scared. the AIgerians and
Conquered the Nation.
A LITTLE BLACK Box DID II.

A LITTLE BLACK BOX DID II.
BY the Aid Of a Magnet and a Current
Of Electricity Hs Struck Terror to
tho Hearts Of the Arabs and Took All
the Desire For Fight Out Of Them.
""These are great times" exulted the
Electrician to his friend the Old Togy.
With machine guns and other tnstru.
ments Of war we certainly arc going
some In the lighting game" =
EYES," agreed the Old Fogy as he ad.
justed his glasses, ''but do you know
that before such things were dreamed
OF an entire nation was conquered with
a magnet and little black box" !
And the Electrician confessed, Nor
"You have heard, no doubt" tho Old
Fogy rambled on, "of the marvellous
inventions of Robert Houdin. the great
French c%onjurer, a man who did great
things with electricity when Alexander
Graham Bell was an infant. ,
"Houdin applied electricity to many
Of his magical experiments and de-
lighted the Partisan public for years in
his little theater. When he retired
be was the most favored performer of
his day and had bowed to the plaudits
Of royalty"
Heard all about that" snapped the
Electrician What about the black
box ?" gn e.. .,- .r. ....,.
Coming to that, boy; coming to that.
Houdin retired to his family estate On
the left banks Of the River Loire lear
st. Gervaise, hoping to end his days
in peace. But after a year or 80 there
came to him through a military friend
a request from the French government
that he 60 to Algiers.
I'm his memoirs, translated into Eng.
lish some years before his death, he
says that the Marabouts Of that coun.
Try, a sort of medicine men and won.
der working priests, controlled the
masses and melted them to intermit'
ten revolts against the French by their
tricks. These tricks, he assures US,
were Of the simplest and most prim:
tive type. 80
ut was the hope Of the French gov.
eminent that Houdin by his mysteries
could demonstrate that the white con
queror's magic was superior. And
Houdin did it."
with the little black box and the
magnet" ~.
"Yes. His recital Of his perform
ance in Algiers is exceedingly interest.
ing. Some of the most distinguished
natives were there Houdin showed
them all sorts of things; allowed him.
self to be shot at and caught the bullet
unframed and many other such feats
:But bis piece de resistance undoubt.
eddy was bis, box. He called for q
strong man to come on the stage, and
a giant responded. Houdin toyed with
him for a moment, bantered with him
about his strength and asked him il he
could lift bis little black box. Dis.
painfully the Arab lifted it and smiled
r But Houdin warned him: Wait.
But a moment. and you shall be as q
little child" He placed the box on the
stage over the magnet and dared his
huge guest to raise it. The Arab tried
with one finger: graspcd it with his
great muscular hand: tugged at it with
all the strength Of bis massive arms.
bracing his legs like two huge bronze
columns. 50 Houdin says. to no avail
TRY as he would. this son Of the des,
ert could not stir that little box from
It's place.
FOR a breathing spell he released
his grip for a moment. then, went at 1t
again as Houdin gave a signal to have
the current turned of. And while the
q we stricken audience painted in amaze.
ment he suddenly writhed in acutest
agony and sank Sroveling to the stage.
The current coursing through him had
galvanized him into misery.
"Then. Houdin gave a signal, the cur.
rent from the electro magnet beneath
the stage was turned off. and the Arab
fell back grooming. He lifted himself
to his feet and. hiding his face in bis
cloak. crept away to blush unseen.
The little black box had conquered"
"And?"- inquired the Electrician.
".And." replied the Old Fogy. "Hou-
din was triumphant. The country had
seen him shot Mt by a man who said
he wished to kill: had lei him rob a
giant. of his strength. No Marabout
had ever done that. No Marahout with
primitive tricks could convince. them
that any revolt of theirs could prevail
ngainst the white man and bis magic
his electricity. The c%onqueror's con
quest was complete."-Popular Elec-
Thought He Was on the Phone.
'"Then. Minnie. you are going to get
another physician instead Of the old