,' persisted Incredulous; 'but he doesn't sing. Pigs
don't sing.'

"'Very well, what is it, then?' asked one of the clerks,
triumphantly.

"'A tube and a hole in the floor, may be; it's well done,
though,' said the doubter.

"'Suppose you go and find the tube,' suggested the artist.

"He went and kicked around where he supposed it to be, tore up a
piece of the carpet and looked nonplussed.

"'Yonder's the pig over by the entrance, singing 'A Warrior
Bold,'' said the artist, amid laughter.

"The scoffer came back to his seat and said,

"'It's probably ventriloquism.'

"'Aw!' said the silversmith derisively, 'you can't throw the
voice any such distance nor make it sound clear and sweet like
that. I've made a study of ventriloquism.'

"'Well, I've made a study of pig,' said Incredulous obstinately.

"Then I changed the illusion by making the pig's ear grow out
three feet long, and then turning him into an elephant with one
leg and four tails.

"Sometimes I turn my class into infants and have them 'play
school,' with infinite fun; sometimes I transport them over the
seas to Africa or Japan on my enchanted carpet, where for a
brief space they enjoy all the delights of travel; sometimes we
participate in battles, sometimes visit famous picture
galleries, sometimes the artist enjoys a quiet talk with
Socrates, or Moses or Confucius, providing both questions and
answers in a curious dual action of the mind highly entertaining
to the audience.

"The other evening I transformed my artist into President
Cleveland. He assumed the character with quiet dignity, but said
he had had a hard day's work and was tired.

"'Queen Victoria will visit you this evening, you know,' I said.

"'No!' he exclaimed with surprise. 'I didn't know she was in
this country. When did she come?'

"'Yesterday, on the Aurania; here she comes, now.'

"He straightened up as I spoke and received her imaginary
Majesty with real dignity and tact. After bowing and shaking
hands he said:

"'I have heard with unfeigned pleasure of your Majesty's
approach to the capital of the republic, and it is my agreeable
privilege to extend to you the freedom of this city and country
in behalf of sixty millions of people. Dan, get the lady a
chair!'

"As she seemed to seat herself h