These motions, out of a large number, were selected for their simplicity and usefulness for regular daily exercise.
[THE INCANTATIONS OF ALI BEN MESROUR.]
BY W. A. CURTIS.
The fame of Ducardanoy and Bouchardy spread through Algeria. Tho methods by which they had deceived and despoiled the Arab tribes gradually became known, and threats of vengeance coming to their ears, they decided that it was no longer safe to dwell so near the Sahara and its wild tribes, and they removed to the northern side of the Atlas. But even in their new home they were destined to encounter the power of the Shiekh of the Mountain of Singing Sauds, though not in a way that menaced their personal safety.
It was at the close of the Mohammedan fasting season of Ramadan that the great Arabian magician Ali Ben Mesrour came to town. Bouchardy, who attended all of his performances, declared his feats to be easy of execution, and their mechanism readily detected by the most unobserving. Ducardanoy was inclined to attribute this to professional jealousy; but when the magician began to cure the halt and lame among the Arabs of grievous corns and bunions, he too denounced Ben Mesrour as a bungler and a charlatan. Hearing of the criticisms of the two experts, the Arab sage gravely sent them a challenge. He announced that if they dared to give him a trial he would appear at their house, and by a certain magical process change the one into a dromedary and the other into a mule, and he agreed that in case of failure there should be forfeited two five-franc pieces of silver, which he would deposit with the commandant of the garrison previous to the trial. Two five-franc pieces were nothing to the chiropodist and the prestidigitator, grown exceedingly wealthy with the prudent investment of the results of their late encounters with the Arabs, but they hailed with pleasure the prospect of amusing themselves at the expense of the magician.
The lamps had been lighted an hour when Ali Ben Mesrour was ushered in to begin the process of transforming Ducardanoy into a camel and Bouchardy into a mule. He was attired in a robe of dark red silk, and upon his head was the green turban that indicates descent from the Prophet. Upon the side of the turban a white aigrette was fastened by a single emerald, and about his neck was hung a long gold chain. Ducardanoy and Bouchardy received him with great courtesy, and profoundly salaaming, conducted him to a divan resting against a heavy portière. The magician sat down, and the divan instantly flattened out beneath him. He leaped to his feet, whereupon the divan promptly resumed its former shape.
"I beg pardon for the conduct of the divan," said Ducardanoy. "Sit down in this chair," and Ben Mesrour sank down in a huge arm-chair, which rose beneath him and dropped him to the floor.
"Why, what's that on your turban?" exclaimed Bouchardy, and he reached forward and took from Ben Mesrour's head a white rabbit and a pair of doves. Bang! and the turban flew up in the air, and then settled back again, and Bouchardy further relieved it of a frog and a large carrot.