Part 28 (1/2)
The famed Oriental turned about toward a table, and the laughing broke out afresh. In the center of his back was a large cat's-head, with wonderfully squinting eyes. When the cat slowly closed one distorted optic in a wink, then smiled, there was an unrestrained shout of merriment, and those who were not excitedly inquiring of one another the ident.i.ty of the ”seer,” settled back in their seats expectantly.
Placing the table at the front of the platform, the professor again faced the audience, and with dignified air, and deep, tragic voice, addressed them.
”Ladees and gentlemans. Ze chairman have spoke. I am Mahmoud Click, ze great seer, ze great mind-read, ze great b.u.mp-read, ze great profess.
(Laughter.) I am ze seventeen son, of ze seventeen son, of ze seventeen son.
”An' also have I bring for do ze magic pa.s.s,” thrusting a hand within his robe, ”Tom ze Terrible, ze son of Tom, ze son of Tom.”
The hand reappeared, and placed on the table a tiny black kitten.
The burst of laughter which greeted this was renewed when the tiny animal began making playful pa.s.ses at a spool on a string which the dignified professor held before it, remarking, ”See? Ze magic pa.s.s.
”Now Tom ze Terrible will answer ze question, and show he onderstan' ze Ingleesh,” the magician announced, at the same time swinging the spool out of the kitten's sight.
”Tom, how old you are?”
The spool was swung back, the kitten began again hitting at it, solemnly the professor counted to twenty, and whisked the spool away. ”Twenty year. Correc'.
”You see, ladees and gentlemans, ze venerable cat he cannot make mistake,” he observed amid laughing applause.
”Now Tom, tell some odder ting. How old is ze chairman?” indicating the dignified elderly man at the farther end of the platform. ”Five? Correc'.
”You see, he always is right, yes.
”Now, Tom, how old is ze Rev. Mr. Borden?... Seven? Correc' again.”
When the laughter which followed this ”demonstration” had subsided the professor took up a new line. Earlier in the evening a certain John Peters, one of the town's foppish young gallants, and who now occupied a prominent front seat, had widely announced the fact that he was present for the express purpose of ”showing the mind-reader up.” At him accordingly the first quip was directed.
”Now Tom, tell ze audience, how many girl have Mr. John Wilberforce Peters?” was asked. ”What? None?” For, the spool being held out of sight, the kitten gazed before it stolidly, without raising a foot. ”Well, how many does he think he have?”
The spool being returned, the kitten tapped it ten times, paused, and struck it eight more, while the resulting wave of amus.e.m.e.nt grew, and the over-dressed object glowered threateningly at the figure on the platform.
”And how many will he marry?... What? Not one? Well, well,” commented the seer, to further hearty laughter.
”Now tell us about some of ze young ladies,” the professor went on. ”How many beaux has Miss K. O.?” While Kate Orr bridled indignantly the spool was lowered, and the kitten tapped several times on one side, several times on the other, then, to an outburst of laughing and clapping, sat up and began hitting it rapidly with both paws.
”I was unable to keep ze count,” announced the seer, ”but apparently about ze seventy-five. Miss O. she is popular wiz ze young men, yes.
”And now, Tom,” continued the magician, ”how many special lady friend have Mr. k.u.mming (an extremely bashful member of the choir)?...
Twenty-two! And how many young lady are in ze choir? Twenty-two!
”Ah! A strange coincidence,” observed the learned professor amid much merriment.
With similar quips and jokes the mind-reader continued, then giving the kitten into the charge of a little girl in a front seat, announced:
”Now will I read ze head. Will some small boys please come up and bring their heads and b.u.mps?”
Coaxing finally brought a half-dozen grinning youngsters of eight or ten to the platform. From the pocket of the last to respond protruded the unmistakable cover of a dime-novel. Him the professor seized first, and having gravely examined his head, announced, ”Ladees and gentlemans, for this boy I predict a great future. Never have I seen such sign of literary taste. Yes, he will be great--unless he go west to kill ze Indian, and ze Indian see him first.”
On turning to the head of the second boy, the phrenologist started, looked more sharply, and slowly straightening up, announced, ”Ladees and gentlemans, I have made ze great discovery. This boy some days you will be proud to know. Never have I seen such a lovely b.u.mp--for eat ze pie!
And any kind of pie you will name. He don't care. He will eat it.”