THE WIZARD AND EDWARD.

Lake County Press, Issue 2136, 20 September 1906, Page 2

THE WIZARD AND EDWARD.

To mystify ills .Majesty King' Kdward \" 11., a man who has seen er,v ih i tiff there is to see, and Knows the tricks ot everyone, from courtiers to cooks, is to achieve tile almost, impossible. Ve! t hat is the particular leather which graces the cap of Max .Malini, a ymmy New York conjurer. who is about to return to America after a successful trip abroad. dtlriuy which he was a yuest of the I 'tike of Pod land at Melheek. Mr .Malini has been speeia Il.v enyayed entert.’pn a flist jshed pa’ty. including*' Kiny Kdwttrd anil the Ipieeu. and loiind that he was expected to do his coniuriny and leyerdenniin n I the very elbows of the audience, its it were, in fact, he was never further away than a few feet Irom the Kiny. even whim tryiny to puzzle the rot al eye. and mysl jfy I he reyal mind. with his most novel j t ricks. That he succeeded so well is I a yreat tribute to his inyeuuitv and I skill. M hen the Kiny entered the room Mr Malini taking this as a signal to beyin Ids performance. opened lire, when II is Majesty interrupted him by sa.viny : Mr Malini. the (Jueeti is not here I vet." The entertainment, therefore, did not commence till (lueen Alexandra entered the room. Her Majesty gave Malini a smile of recognition, for he had entertained her before at ;i parly at l.ady lie (.’ray's house. The conjurer. after a few simpler tricks, which. nevertheless, puzzled everyone, cut a button from the Puke of Portland's coal, and niyslerionly replaced it with no siyu of its hav- l iny been removed, lie made coins appear in t Im most unexpected places ! and took liberties with the royal yar- i meats by hav iny Kitty Kdward dis- ! cover a pack of cards in his waistrotit pocket, where no one had seen 1

them pliiced. Kven Ihe Queen's hiiiidkeichiei was brought into (he I ricks, mill \\ ns 11 ,iin,| lii'si in Ihe Ouke of I'oi'i hind's hat . and next in Ih" Kind's glove, which he heln in his clinched hnml all the while. l-'or 1 hi-,■(■ -quarters of an hour Ihe King und Hi" others watched t lie conjurer's performance with unbounded interest . His Majesty making I lie same exclamation. "Wonderful !" iil Ihe complet ion of each new feat . Hill ii was w hen the famous blindfold 1 rick. invented and used exclusively by Malini. was done, I hat his enthusiasm und mystification rose lot heir ".rentes! . This 1 rick consists in handing a pack of cards to Ihe audience, and having several of them select a card. These cards are not removed, and each person simph makes a mental record 01 the card he has chosen. The cards are 1 lien shnfllcd and placed fare downwards on the table. .Malini. blindfolded, then, wilh the ■ point of it lit tie dagger, picks from Hi" deck Ihe cards thai were chosen , b,\ his audience. The King wiis com- | pletelx staggered by the l rick. This , is not surprising, however, for even 1 I'residciii Itooscvfdt, for whom Mai- j iui gave .in exhibition at the White House, ii short time ago, acknowledg- ,

Ed himself liiiilli'd by it. "I w isli in i hank ,\ on personally for (lie great pleasure you have given mo," siiiil King I'.dward to Mnlirii at Ihe close of 11n- performance. "I Hi-ver pi'rfortnod before a inure appivcial ivr or completely interested man l ban the King of ICllgland." sn.vs .Malini. in speaking i f (he event "llf was as pleased as a cliild with '•arh (rick. I have saved the park of cards I used in iny (ricks for him. and shall have ii framed in gold ami preserved. 1 would not sell a single card of th" lifty-two for £100." Malini. in spile of his Italian name is a t Iceman !>\ biri hj. but came wilh lii 1 -' parents Ui litis country when a small hoy. In New York he began I" study and practise sleight - of-hatid and soon became an expert, lie has appealed before the most select audiences here and in Kurope, and makes a specialty more of private entertainments than of public exhibit ions, (hough he has done both Malini prefers a small audience With whom he ran get ill close touch a ■ i i is more ' ■ inn," In use Ins own words, ii "fool ,\our audience when I hey think I.hey have every advantage