Have packages of various candies, wrapped up in bags of the thinnest tissue paper, and place them on your table rather sheltered from observation. Have also a plate or two on your table.
MEMORANDUM.
It will be always desirable to have the table removed two or three yards at least from the spectators, and of a height that they cannot see the surface of it while sitting down in front of it.
Commence the trick by borrowing a silk handkerchief, or any large handkerchief. After turning it about, throw it out on the table, so as to fall over one of these packages.
Having carefully observed where the bag lies, place your left hand so as to take up the bag while catching hold of the middle of the handkerchief.
Taking the handkerchief up by nearly the centre, the edges of it will fall around and conceal the bag; make some pretended wavings of your wand or right hand over the handkerchief, and say, “Now, handkerchief, you must supply my friends with some bon-bons.” Squeeze with your right hand the lower part of the bag which is under the handkerchief; the bag will burst, and you can shake out into a plate its contents.
Asking some one to distribute them among your young friends, you can throw the handkerchief (as it were carelessly) over another bag, from which you can in the same way produce a liberal supply of some other sweetmeats, or macaroon biscuits, etc., etc., all of which will be duly appreciated by the juveniles, and they will applaud as long as you choose to continue this SWEET trick.
[CHAPTER IV.]
PRACTICE.
In conjuring, as in all other arts and sciences, perseverance is requisite in order to become expert and successful. There is no royal road, or possibility of acquiring the end, without exercising the means to that end. Let my young friends, then, carefully practise over and over again the passes and the tricks which I have already explained to them. It is the only way to attain dexterity and confidence, without which they will never be able to make any creditable exhibition of the art of conjuring. After they have attained considerable skill and sleight-of-hand in displaying a few tricks, they will easily extend the range of their performances, and gradually rise to greater ability. I may, therefore, parody an old injunction for obtaining success, and say: There are three rules for its attainment: The first is “Practice.” The second is “Practice.” The third is “Practice.” In a word, constant and careful practice is requisite, if any wish to be successful as amateur conjurors. They should never attempt to exhibit before their friends any tricks that they have not so frequently practised that no bungling or hitch is likely to occur in their performance of it.