Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1891 — One of Herrmann’s Great Tricks. [ARTICLE]

One of Herrmann’s Great Tricks.

Chevalier Herrmann, in F. American Review. People have repeatedly asked me which of my tricks have pleased mo the most, and which I take the most delight in performing. Naturally, the effort that brings the greatest success is regarded by a man as his best. I consider the trick of restoring the shattered mirror as my most famous one. This I had the honor o t performing before the Czar of Russia, upon an invitation to give an exhibition at his court. It was dono unexpectedly to the spectators, and was not down on the regular bill. While playing billiards with tho attaches of the court, after the performance, the Czar being present in the room, I shot a bail, with all my strength, against a plate-glass mirror, extending from floor to ceiling. It was shivered into fifty pieces. Consternation was depicted on every face; on none more plainly than my own. "While the Czar courteously waived my apology, considering the destruction of the mirror as trifling, and ordered the game to proceed, I could easily see that my supposed awkwardness made a disagreeable impression. With the Czar's permission I examined the mirror to estimate the damage done and the possibility of repairing it. While so engaged one of the suite playfully challenged me to exercise iny art and make the mirror whole again, never dreaming that his challenge was the very cue I wanted, arid not considering the successful acceptance of it as possible. I hesitated an instant, and then ordered the mirror to be covered with a cloth entirely concealing it from view. On the removal of the cloth, after ten minutes, the mirror was found without a flaw, and as perfect as before the damage. I will leave it to my reader’s imagination to decide how this trick v/as clone.