threw his eyes over
the audience, his voice was stronger, and his face had lost all its
pallor. He was evidently warming up with his subject.

"I now take up this wand," he said, "which, while I hold it, gives me
power to produce the phenomena which you are about to behold. You may
not all believe that there is any magic whatever about this little
performance, and that it is all a bit of machinery; but whatever you
may think about it, you shall see what you shall see.

"Now with this wand I gently touch this egg which is lying on the
square of cloth. I do not believe you can see what has happened to
this egg, but I will tell you. There is a little line, like a hair,
entirely around it. Now that line has become a crack. Now you can see
it, I know. It grows wider and wider! Look! The shell of the egg is
separating in the middle. The whole egg slightly moves. Do you notice
that? Now you can see something yellow showing itself between the two
parts of the shell. See! It is moving a good deal, and the two halves
of the shell are separating more and more. And now out tumbles this
queer little object. Do you see what it is? It is a poor, weak,
little chick, not able to stand, but alive--alive! You can all
perceive that it is alive. Now you can see that it is standing on its
feet, feebly enough, but still standing.

"Behold, it takes a few steps! You cannot doubt that it is alive, and
came out of that egg. It is beginning to walk about over the cloth.
Do you notice that it is picking the embroidery? Now, little chick, I
will give you something to eat. This little red bag contains grain, a
magical grain, with which I shall feed the chicken. You must excuse my
awkwardness in opening the bag, as I still hold the wand; but this
little stick I must not drop. See, little chick, there are some
grains! They look like rice, but, in fact, I have no idea what they
are. But he knows, he knows! Look at him! See how he picks it up!
There! He has swallowed one, two, three. That will do, little chick,
for a first meal.

"The grain seems to have strengthened him already, for see how lively
he is, and how his yellow down stands out on him, so puffy and warm!
You are looking for some more grain, are you? Well, you cannot have it
just yet, and keep away from those pieces of eggshell, which, by the
way, I will put back into the box. Now, sir, try to avoid the edge of
the table, and, to quiet you, I will give yo