The Blind Brothers
All who are unfamiliar with this mysterious game are banished from the room and brought in separately.
The master of ceremonies blandly invites each to be seated on one of two chairs placed back to back and touching each other; the other chair is occupied by one of the initiated in the performance. A sheet is thrown over the couple, and round them circle those of the guests who are aware of what is to happen.
One of the two blind men, the confederate, is secretly armed with a light roll of paper.
To the strains of the pianoforte, the other players march round. Suddenly the individual who has been brought in feels a light tap on his head; he should at once cry out to his companion—
“Brother, I’m balked.”
The confederate immediately replies, “Who balked you?”
The other tries vainly to guess.
Presently his companion bangs his own head, and wails in distress—
“Brother, I’m balked,” and the other replies—
“Who balked you?”
It is long before the guileless brother guesses that the assault comes from the arm of his relative lifted out of the sheet.
Should he fail to do so in a given time, another victim is called in to take his place; he joins the circle moving round the chairs, and sees for himself the manner in which the poor unsuspecting “brother” is deceived.