lose no more time. There was something about which I wanted to tell you.
But a few evenings ago I attended a gathering where I saw some very
singular things. A gentleman in the party was tied with a strong rope,
hands and feet, as firmly as two men could tie him,--people who knew how
to tie knots, and they did their best; yet while we stood looking at him
he shook his hand free and held it out to them. How do you think it was
done?"

"Sham knots!" said one.

"No, for my husband was one of the gentlemen who tied him, and he
assured me that he tied the rope as firmly as he could. Besides, more
wonderful things than that were done. I tied my own handkerchief into at
least a dozen very hard knots, and gave it to him, and I saw him put it
in a glass of water, then seize it and shake it out, and the knots were
gone. I saw him take two clean glasses, and pour water from a pitcher
into one, and it seemed to turn instantly to wine; then he poured that
glass of wine into the other empty glass, and immediately it turned back
to water, or seemed to. Dozens of other strange things he did. I should
really like to tell you about them all. I will, at some other time; but
just now I think you would like to know _how_ he did them."

"_How_ he did them!" "As if you could tell!" "_Can_ you tell?" "Pitch in,
mum; I'd like to hear that part myself!" These were some of the eager
answers.

Had the little teacher, under the embarrassments of the occasion, taken
leave of her senses? Actually she was bending forward, opened Bible
turned face downward on her knee, engaged in describing in somewhat
minute detail the explanations of certain slight-of-hand performances