Year: 1861




guests comply with his request he lays tht
pack aside, and then, with marvellous rapidity
asks them in turn where they would like tc
have their cards found. Under the sofa,
says one. In Miss F.'s bonnet" replied
another And the third mentioned a still
more improbable situation. All tax their in
genuity for the selection of hiding places.


"Permit me-" says Hermann to Miss F.
Simultaneously he pulls card out of her bon
net-ruches by her cheek. 1t is the one which
should be there All the cards emerge from
their proper concealment with the same GER
tainty.


We then have little music. Madame
Hermann has pure, delicious soprano, cult
waited to It's best capabilities in the Conserva-
toire of Paris. She sings us duo from Traviata,
with the assistance of Signor Ardavani. Then
to the sound of applause we marched into the
festive saloon above mentioned. Hermann
pours ont a glass of champagne. We are
about drinking healths with him, when-presto
his glass disappears The champagne is
still in it but much more ETHEREAL than even
champagne, famous for mounting. was ever
known to be before it goes off into nothing {;
and we see, or believe we see, beverage, beaker
and all, vanish several feet above the magicians
hand. Querulously he asks US;


" What makes you take my glass away? |
did not ask you here to steal wares p


And suddenly convicted we find ourselves
holding both the glasses in one hand Herr
mann relieves us of our extra burden, but pro-
ceeds to amputate a dozen pums from various
portions of our system. They are hanging
from our buttons-they bulge ont from our
to think of Ovid's metamorphis-whatha have we
ever done to the gods that we should be chang
ed into a green gage tree ?-when 10 on the
opposite side Of the room another gentleman is
caught with pocket full of peaches, and pub
lie distruSt is still further diverted from us by
the discovery of third person with a whole
tray full of brimming Rhein-wue glasses in
various recesses of his raiment.


At length we all banquet heartily. The
fruit, wine and cake cut up no further didoes
until the great aud frequently attempted act of
their disappearance has been naturally consum-
mated. After supper we had a chat with the
good-natured Musio-bear his history of all the
celebrated pupils to whom he has taught ope-
ratio stage business-listen to some music, and
are about to go home, when Madame Herr
mann kindly assents to assist her wonderful
husband in q very successful, though extra
professional exhibition of impaired diablerie.


Madame Hermann hides her young and
winsome face in a corner Monsieur Hermann
with inconvincible rapidty. runs about the
room among his half hundred guests-whispers
to them-and asks each what article IN their
possession lie shall touch. AS they whisper
their reply. he asks Madame, with the utmost
rapidity, " What is this ?' A button."-
" Right and this ?" "The ace of hearts
Right again and this ?" " A coat sleeve -
d" Once more right = And right always
through as many trials as there is guests pres
ent All this time there is not the slightest
variation in bis tone, nor the form of bis ques-
ton. He says -does-nothing that can afford
the slightest Indication of his secret. And any
preconcerted formula seems utterly impossible
considering the fact that every man is allowed
to select his object for himself Then we part
from Hermann with the conviction that
Cornelius Agrippa is great, and Hermann is
his prophet New \ ork Evening Post.


DEcIs1ox-H Hesitation is a sign of weakness;
for, inasmuch as the comparative good and evil
of the different modes of action about which
we hesitate are seldom equally balanced, a
strong mind should perceive the slightest in
clination of a beam with the glance of the
eagle, particularly as there are cases where
the preponderance will be very minute even
though there should be life in one scale and
death in the other. 1t is recorded of the late
Earl of Berkely, that he was suddenly awaken
ed at night in his carriage by highwayman,
who, forcing pistol through the window and
presenting it close to his breast, demanded his
money-exclaiming at the same time, that he
had heard his lordship had boasted he would
never be robbed by single highwayman, bat
that be should now be taught the contrary
His lordship, putting his hand in his pocket,
replied Neither would l now be robbed if
it were not for that fellow who is now over
looking your shoulder The highwayman
turned bis head. when bis lordship, who had
drawn pistol from his pocket instead of a
purse, shot him dead on the spot.


LAKE HoSDA-The drainage of this pody
Of water continues. The engineers have dis
covered that this lake is fed by one large spring