THE MELTING EGG AND THE BEWITCHED HANDKERCHIEF.
A glass is shown, and can be examined by the company. Into it is put an egg, and the whole is covered with a handkerchief. To prove that the egg is really within the vessel, it may be heard striking its sides.
Mr. Hanky Panky stands at a distance and rubs a small coloured handkerchief up into a ball in his hands, when it is suddenly seen to become an egg.
Returning to the holder of the glass vase, the handkerchief is taken away, and, instead of the egg, a coloured handkerchief shown. The handkerchief can be examined.
Explanation.—Run a fine black thread through a perforated egg, and fasten the other end of the thread to the middle of an ordinary handkerchief. (If you are skilful of hand, you can have a bent pin at the end of the thread and perform with a borrowed white handkerchief.)
You only pretend to put the egg within the glass vessel, and really place a small coloured handkerchief therein, while the egg remains attached to the large handkerchief.
You have an egg made of enamelled tin in your hand, which you conceal with a duplicate coloured handkerchief, as you state your intention of executing the double change of egg into handkerchief, and vice versâ.
As you speak, you dexterously stuff the little handkerchief into the egg, and in holding up the latter hide the aperture with your thumb. When you quickly lift the white handkerchief you carry away the egg, and discover the coloured one.
With practice, this is a most effective hanky-pankian feat.
