Joe Strong the Boy Fire-Eater / Or, The Most Dangerous Performance on Record

t only mystify you but, at the same time, interest you. You have witnessed the death-defying dives of the Demon Discobolus; you have laughed with the comical clowns; you have thrilled with the h

ith a wave of his hand indicated a youth attired in a spotless, tight-fitting suit of white silk. The youth, who stood i

oubt not, witnessed some of them producing live rabbits from silk hats. But Professor Joe Strong, who will shortly have the plea

y, and he will defy any of you to tell how it is done. Now, Professor, if you are ready-" and with a nod and a wave of his hand toward the youth in the white silk tights, J

ht?" asked a pretty girl, attired in a dress of black silk, whic

ian," as he had been termed by the ringmaster. "Do just

should go wrong?" she

ks do, sometimes, go wrong, but I'm used to that. I'll cover it up, somehow. However, I do

nce waiting. Joe Strong, while he was reassuring Helen Morton, his partner in the trick and also t

perfectly frank with you, is a trick. I lay no claim to supernatural powers. But if I can do a trick and you can't tell how it is done, then you must admit that, for the

ken veil. This, if I were a real necromancer, I should say was to prevent your seeing her dissolve into a spirit as she disappears. But

-natured laugh a

will have disappeared before your very eyes. What's that? Through a hole in th

am going to put a newspaper over that part of the stage where the chair is placed. I will show you the paper before and after the trick. And if there is not a hole or a tear in the paper, either before or after the lady has

e to the girl, and an attendant brought forwa

as very frankly nervous. She had not done the trick for some time, and Joe had introduced into it some

in a low voice. "Just act as though y

e and handing Joe the newspaper, the attend

re is no hole in it. I'll now spread it down on the stage. If the lady disappears

per and motioned to Helen. Her plain black dress, of sof

rtonti I am going to mesmerize her. She will then be unconscious. I do this for two reasons. In totally disappearing there is so

or when she disappears. Thus she will not be able to se

so enabled Joe to do certain things without attracting too much attention to them. As a matter of fact he did not mesmerize Hel

wayed slightly in her chair. Then her eyes closed a

eg of you not to make any sudden or unnecessary noise. You might sudden

Even though many knew it was only a trick, they could not help being impressed by the solemn note

ke, and as Joe stood between her and the circus crowd she slowly opened one eye an

f black silk gauze. He tossed this over Helen and the chair, completely covering both fr

will now make the few remaining mesmeric passes,"

eye was on the black figure in the center of the raised stage in the middle of the big circus tent. All

he touched, here and there, the drapery over Helen. He seemed very solicitous that it should hang perfectly rig

nly stopped at a wave of Joe's hand. He stood f

" he said in a low voice, which, neverth

e outlined head of the figure in the chair. Quickly the young magicia

dience

was empty! The girl had disappeared-vanished! Joe stooped and raised

ised wings of the circus stage. She smiled and bowed. The act had been a great success. Now

as he held her hand and they both bo

is trick regularly now. It takes even better than

so

came the unmistakable roar of a wild beast from the direction of the anima

One of the tigers i