HERMAN AND THE HUCKSTERS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3621, 19 February 1883, Page 4

HERMAN AND THE HUCKSTERS.

llonniiii looks a good deal like an idealized and humanized Satan. He i.s of the darkest dark brunette, ■with blazing black eyes and the blackest of black hair on his face and head. He dresses in black, the only white showing , in his costume being- his shirt collnr. At the market he was at once recognized by the gamins who came trooping - after him, ;uj.d when he stepped at ;i vegetable dealer's stall the crowd formed a ring - on the outside. "How do you sell the.se soup bunches r " said lie, picking , up a peck measure full of herbs. "Two cents apiece,"' replied the ample matron behind the layout. ' • That's cheap,'' said Herman, " very cheap," and then suddenly looking into the heart of one of the bunches he pulled out a plethoric wad of' '20 dol. bills. The woman made a grab for the money, but as suddenly as it appeared it vanished, and she looked from the bunch to the magician and from the magician to the bunch in a pulzkd way. "Go 'way with your foolishness,' , she said at last, and declined to be further interested. A couple of stalls below there was a great selection of eggs. These at ouco caught Hermann's eye. " Arc those fresh eggs ?'' he inquired of the damsel in charge. "Yes, sir." He picked up one and rattled it beside the "woman's ear. She started back at the peculiar metallic sound, -whereupon he smiled accusingly at her, broke the cg<x and took out two o dol. gold pieces laying in tho yolk. She stared, and he got 10 dols. more out of another egg. After collecting about thirty in this way she suddenly declined to have any more eggs broken. As she spoke a blue tongue of fianie sprung out of a score of eggs on Ihe tray, and the whole parly started back in affright. The ilamo died away and the woman turned on Hermann ■witlnilmofctticuree: "You are a sorcerer: " By this time a great throng of people had gathered around, aud each new feat of

the master was honored by a round of applause. A stall or two lower down Hermann picked up a cabbage and asked the man if it was not imprudent to leave his valuables exposed in that way. The man lowered at him, and said he was not there for joking - . "What will you take for the cabbage?" inquired the maestro, "Fire cents." The money was passed and the cabbage became the property of the magician. Taking a knife, he cut it open, and before the astonished gaze of the multitude there lay a perfect nest of treasures. Hermann deliberately began to fill his pockets, first with a wad of bills, a hundred-dollar one on the outside, then a gold watch and chain, next two or three diamond rings, and finally a heaping handful of 20 dols. gold piece?, and last of all a United States bond for 1,000 dols. Powers of description fail to paint the changes which passed over the huckster's face as this find was being appraised and pouched by the magician. Doubt, fear, avaiioe, and despair flitted one after another over his countenance. And at last, wheu the cabbage was evidently empty, he flung himself on the bench behind'the stall and refused to be comforted. "That's a pretty good trade," said Hermann, and the boys cheered him to the echo.

A few paces further on was ;i gamedealer's stand, and here the miracle of the day was performed. Picking up a rabbit that was laying without any head on the pavement, Hermann asked the man how long it had been dead. " Only a day or two." "Smell it," said Hermann. The reporter sniffed at it, and it certainly was gamy. "Don't you know how to freshen up animals ':' ' said Hermann to the man. And he took the rabbit, doubled it up and buck, and laid it down on the pavement with a head on it, and evidently alive. The dead rabbit at once leaped in among the boys, who chased it and finally brought it back, in sore need of the kindly magician's good offices again. Then lie took a dove from the cote over the stand, deliberately wrung its neck, pulled off its head and threw it to the owner, and before he had time to examine it, returned him his pig-eon none tbc worse- for wear. By this time the crowd was so large that locomotion was impossible, and Avith a quizzical glance at his admirers, Hermann hurriedly boarded a ear and disappeared towards the .south.—St. Louis Post-Dispatch.