THE FAKIR OF OOLU.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7012, 26 June 1894, Page 3

THE FAKIR OF OOLU.

Last evening there was a good attendance ' at the Academy of Music, when Professor Silvester gave an interesting exhibition of legerdemain. Many examples were submitted, and were most neatly executed— in nearly every case evoking loud and continuous applause from the spectators. The Professor is decidedly clever, and many feats of sleight of hand had the merit of being novel as well as entertaining* la the course , of the evening he explained the manner m which some apparently wonderful trickt were performed, and caused considerable merriment by his humorous remarks. The resources of several members of the audience were drawn upon foi articles of clothing necessary to the proper performance of the various acts of mystery, and the look of amazement upon the faces of several Native ladies, who were m the audience, when they - supposed that silk handkerchiefs had been v . really reduced to shreds of rag, was most amusing. The second portion of the enter- >■■■. -■ tainment was devoted to the exhibition of ' thought reading — m which Marie do la Rocho was eminently successful m mention- .- . ing the names of poets, actors, and eminent . men, which had been written on small slips of paper, at the request of Professor Silvester. Perhaps the most striking / illustration pi the lady's power was her reading of a sentencp written^ on a- .piece of paper and enclosed within a securely-sealed envelope. Of course the hypothesis of thpnght reading while m a state of trance is only raised with ■ a view of offering a remarkable explanation ',*>"' of the manner m which the lady achieves i.her results. But the examples given last evening were certainly clever. The Professor then astounded" the audience by showing Marie de la Roche Bugpended m mid-air, being only held m position by one support, which was fixed under her right elbow. By an appropriate alteration m the pose, and disposition of the limbs, many characters were admirably presented, and at the conclusion of the performance Marie was greeted with loud applause. Another performance will take place this evening, when manj .novelties will be introduced.