Page:The New Yorker 0004, 1925-03-14.pdf/7

THE NEW YORKER

"Economy Is Idealism in Its Most Practical Form."

chatted pleasantly, while the Pullman conductor hunted for an empty compartment elsewhere. He found one in another car, and the couple upon whom Fame light shone less brilliantly than it did on Mr. and Mrs. Hughes insisted on moving, over the protests of the Secretary.

HE not least impressive feature of Harry Houdini's campaigns against the spirits is the perfect synchronization between his denunciations of Marjorie and his appearances as a vaudeville headliner. He doesn't announce such incidents as—well, he sold a story to a New York magazine the other day and received a check with what even he admitted was commendable promptness. Two days later the editor of the magazine received a telephone call from Houdini, asking that payment be stopped on the check. It seems that his pocket had been picked by someone unaware of his identity—or, perhaps, Marjorie has better controls than Mr. Houdini would admit.