The Gold-Fish Trick.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume I, Issue 21, 13 November 1879, Page 3

The Gold-Fish Trick.

(Max Adbler). Several of the magicians who perform in public do what they call “ the gold-fish trick.” The juggler stands upon the stage, throws a handkerchief over his extended arm, and produces in succession three or four shallow glass dishes filled to the brim with water, in which live goldfish are swimming. Of course the dishes are concealed on the person of the performer. Peter Lamb had discovered how the trick was done, and he resolved to do it now. So the folk all gathered in one end of the parlour, and in a few moments Lamb entered the door at the other end. He said, “Ladies and gentlemen, yru will perceive that I have nothing about me except my ordinary clothing, and yet I shall produce presently two dishes filled with water and living fish. Please watch me narrowly.” Then Pater flung the handkerchief over his hand and arm, and then we could see that he was working away vigorously at something beneath it. He continued for some moments, and still the gold-fish did not appear. Then he began to grow very red in the face, and we saw that something was the matter. Then the perspiration began to stand on Peter’s forehead, and Mrs Brown asked .him if anything serious was the matter.' Then the company smiled, and the'magician grew redder; but he kept on fumbling beneath the handkerchief, and apparently trying to reach around his coat-tails. Then we heard something snap, and the next moment a quart of water ran down the wizard’s left leg and spread out over th 6 carpet. By this time he looked as if joy had forsaken him for ever. But still ho continued to feel around under the handkerchief. At last another snap was heard, and another quart of water plunged down his right log, and formed a pool about his shoe. Then the necromancer hurriedly said that the experiment had failed somehow, and he darted into the dining-room. Wo followed him and found him sitting on the sofa trying to remove his pantaloons. “Oh, gracious! Come here quick and pull these off. They’re soaking wet, and I’ve got fifteen live goldfish inside my trousers flipping around, and rasping the skin with their fins enough to set a man crazy. Ouch ! Hurry that shoe off, and catch that fish there at my left knee, or I’ll have to howl right out.” Then we undressed him and picked the fishes out of his clothes, and we discovered that he had two dishes full of water and covered indiaruhber tops strapped inside bis trousers behind. ’ln his struggle to get at them lie had torn the covers to rags. We fixed him up in a pair of Dr. Brown’s trousers, which were 6in too short for him, and then he climbed over the back fence and weqt home.