A ROYAL TUG OF WAR
Preparation. Card mat to be loaded with king of hearts and king of diamonds, not taken from the pack in use. Flower-pots on table.
Performer advances with ordinary pack, delivering patter to something like the following effect. “It is not generally known, ladies and gentlemen, what a lot of human nature there is about a pack of cards. They have their likes and dislikes, and their little tempers, just as we have. Some of them are bosom friends; others again hate each other like rival suitors to the same best girl. The four kings are generally pretty friendly, but there is a good deal of emulation between them, particularly between the two red kings on the one hand, and the two black ones on the other. Each pair claims to be the stronger, and they are always pleased to have a chance of putting the matter to the test.
“I will give you an illustration of this, by allowing them to hold a little tug of war. They have already had six trials, and each side has won three of them. This evening we will let them play a final game, which is to settle the matter. Will you, sir, kindly pick out the four kings for me, and lay them on this little tray. Thank you!” (This done, performer lays mat with cards on table.)
“I will drop the two red kings into this flower-pot.” He takes them from the mat and after showing them drops them into the flower-pot (in reality into the pocket), “and the black ones into this other.” (The black kings are allowed to slide directly off the mat, into the flower-pot, the concealed pair going with them.) “Are your Majesties ready? Silence gives consent! Then Go!”
He waits a moment or two, and then looks over into the flower-pot with the pocket. “Nothing has happened yet. Yes, there goes the king of diamonds, pulled over to the other side. There’s not much chance now for the poor king of hearts, left single-handed. He won’t hold out long. Yes! Now he is gone too.”
Performer lifts flower-pot, with fingers inside pressing against pocket, and shows it apparently empty. “And here, in the other flower-pot” (lifts it and shows the four cards lying together on table) “are all four Kings. One more score to black. You didn’t see the cards go? Of course you didn’t; because they fly horizontally, like the aeroplanes, and they go so fast that they get there almost before they have started.”