60 THE YOUNG 
have the advantage of the fish, being able 
to run away, whereas, the fish, enclosed 
in a small aquarium, must stay and take 
it as it comes. 
Now, Miss Nettie, I want you to make a 
study of your fish, and you will soon learn 
when anything ails them ; you will learn 
by their actions that something is wrong, 
and will know it as sure as you know 
Avhen your own head aches, and if you are 
as prompt to do something for your fish 
as you are to do something for your head, 
your fish will thrive much better. I have 
a daughter who keeps gold fish for years. 
Magic as an Aid in Civilization. 
PKOBABLY the only instance in mod- 
ern times in which a conjuror has 
been called upon to exercise his profes- 
sion in the employment of Government, 
was that of Kobert Houdin. He was sent 
to Algeria by the French Minister of 
Foreign Affairs to exercise the black art 
in that benighted country, hoping thus to 
destroy the influejice exercised among the 
Arabs by the Marabouts— an influence 
which was often mischievously applied. 
By a few cunning, yet clumsy tricks, these 
Marabouts passed themselves off as sor- 
cerers, and were held in fear and venera- 
tion by the ignorant tribes. The French 
Government desired to show the Arabs 
that these would-be leaders among them 
were mere impostors, and that their pre- 
tended supernatural powers were without 
the least foundation in truth. The best 
way to do this, it was thought, would be 
to send one among the'm who should 
eclipse their skill, and thus discredit their 
science and pretended powers. It was 
resolved to send Robert Houdin, and the 
wizard was ordered to appear at the Gov- 
ernment office in Paris forthwith. 
Houdin was a little puzzled to know 
what the minister could want with him. 
The plan and purpose of the government 
were made known to him, and he entered 
with spirit into the idea and its successful 
application. With every facility and all 
needed protection, Houdin sailed for Al- 
geria to astonish the natives. This he 
succeeded in doing by means of a few 
SCIENTIST. 
striking tricks, of which we shall give a 
full explanation in our next. 
Arriving under favorable auspices, he 
went at once to work upon the object of 
his mission, and gaping crowds followed 
him everywhere, thinking him inspired. 
He succeeded in showing the people that 
he could vanquish the famous prophets, 
who had obtained such control over the 
ignorant masses of the population, and 
thus threw them into such discredit that 
he succeeded in disarming them almost 
entirely of their influence. 
Still, there was one of the Marabouts, 
whom he had not yet met, and who scoffed 
at the reported powers of this French 
wizard. A day was therefore appointed 
when the two should appear before the 
people, and each give evidence of his own 
peculiar powers. 
One of the great pretensions of the Mar- 
about was to invulnerability. At the mo- 
ment that a loaded musket was pointed at 
him and the trigger pulled, he pronounced 
a few cabalistic words and the weapon 
would not go off. Houdin instantly de- 
tected the trick, and showed that the 
touch- hole of the musket was carefully 
plugged. This rendered the Arab con- 
juror furious, and he, of course, abused 
his French rival without mercy. Houdin 
was perfectly cool, and, turning to him,, 
said : " You are angry with me." 
" I am," said the Marabout. 
" And would be avenged ? " 
"Yes," he replied, regarding Houdin 
with eyes gleaming with ferocity. 
" It is very easy." 
" Show me the way." 
" I will show you," said Houdin, quietly,, 
while the Arab was all attention. 
" Take a pistol ; load it yourself. Here 
are bullets. Put one in the barrel. But 
stop—" 
" For what ? " said the Arab. 
"Mark the bullet with your knife, that 
you may know it." The Arab did as he 
was told. 
"You are quite certain now," said 
Houdin, ''that the pistol is properly 
loaded." 
"Yes." 
"Tell me, do you feel no remorse in 
killing me thus, even though I consent ? 
