Signor Blitz

The death of Signor Blitz, the faruous prestidigitator, whieh occnrred a week or two ago at his home in Philadelphia, i has led a wxitez in the New York World to revive soinc incidente of his merry life. Meeting Paganini, tlie violiuist, duriug a visit to Glasgow, au infant's cry caine irom within the great Italian's Kddle. "My God," said Paganini, " what is that? " " You know wliose child it is," said n félpale Voleé from a neighVoring closet. Tlie excited niusieian nished to the closet, thenee baok to his Violin, and Hten tnrned round to see Signor Blitz laughing, and to receive his explanation. Au Egyptian muminy was presented by the American Consul at Cairo to a Philadelphia museum. A crowd was one dny about the case, and was starÜed by a vóice from amid the multitudinous linen folds. " Open the Ixjx ! open the box ! " said the voice. "Wlioare you?" asked one visitor, more veuturesome thau tlie rest. " I'm a descendant of tlie Pharaohs," answered the voice. " What do you want ? " ' ' Ask yourself . Your eonfounded Yankee cuxiosity has waked me up from the sleep of ages. Open the box ! " " What' s your name ? " " Signor BHtz," answered the voiee, and the great ventriloquist made himself known. The Signor, wliilo in Nova Seotia, was appronched by au old orange woman with a basket of delicious fruit. He bought au orange for a sixpence, and cutting it in half drew from the center a golden sovereign. Th is performance was repeated witli another orauge, the old woman looking on with amazement. I He was about to take a third from her j basket, when she snntohed it away, and vowel that he should have no more sovereigns for a fdxpenoe. Introdueed to a very solemn clei-gyman in Hiirtford, Ct., that gentleman abruptly denounced the Signor lor performances whioh were "daugerous to the welfare of mankind," and niuchmore of the same sort. Interrupting him the Signor plueked a pack of playing-cards from the pocket of his ministerial coat and withdrew a diee-box and dice from I his clerical lint. Signor Blitz was troubled with no more orthodox objections from that gentleman. In tlie Sixth Street Market, Philadelphia, he bought a dozen eggs for 2i ! cents from a stolid Dutchman. " Clear ' as wasser mit a well-bucket, eh ?" re■ marked the vender, as he hamled them ; over. Tlie Signor broke one, and there came ' peeping through the apperture first a feathered head and then a whole canai-j' bird, which sang sweetly to the man of ! essThe Signor's fun-maldng propensity i seems to have been irresistible, and j found expression in all manuer of startj ling ways and places. He made a negro cry out 'from within his trunk on one occasion, and cnme near being arrested as an abolitionist. He made his horse talk, and the frightened hostler conld not be induced to re-enter Üie stable. So the i Signor was himself compelled to groom ! the animal. His favoiïte resort seems to have baan in the market-places, where he gave voice to chickens and pigs and fish and even oysters, to tlie great confusión of the market-people. But when he had his laugh the kind-hearted Professor nover failed to make good any j loss, direct or indirect, that his victiins : might have suiïered. His bonevolenco was comprehensive, and it is snid of liiin that lie gave away half of what he made in charity. In the island of St. John, i however, an offer to give the poor the ■ proceeds of one of the entertainments was refused by the village pastor. ' 'Wliat!" said the shepherd, ' ' receive alms for the poor from a wizard - a bewitched hand ? Oh, no ! What spiritual grace would flow upon the objects in distress ?" During tha war he gave 13Ü f ree entertainments before 63,000 soldiers, who had I congregated in the various hospitals in Philadelphia, besides contributing considerable sums of money in aid of the sick and wounded. He enjoyed friendly relations with niany distinguished men. Calliug upon Daniel Webster at the stiitesman'a rooms in Washington, Signor Blitz asked liis imHuence to procure for him a Government appointment. " Wliat oflice do you wisli ;" asked Mr. Webster, somewliat astonished. " To count the treasury notes," said the Signor. " You might give me 100,000 dollar bilis to eount and wateh me closely, and you would ftnd only 75,000 when Í returned them." "Signor," exclaimed Mr. Webster, with lively aniination, " there are better magicians here than you, for there would not be $50,000 left when they had flnished counting." Once, certainly, the fiimous magician was nonplussed. A bright boy of 10 years was assisting him in his performance, when the Professor proposed to pass every piece of silver into his pockits. The boy shook his hcad, declaring that the " Signor conld not do that." " Wliy not ?" asked Signor Blitz. " Because I've only one ppcïét," chirruped the child, ' ' and that's got a big hole in it." A large-hearted, genial, Christian gentleman was Signor Blitz, aud his death will be sadly regretted by thousands of warm admirers in every part of the Union.