I have first to speak of Palmistry, not in the sense that the fortune-teller uses the word, but as expressing the art of the conjuror in secreting articles in the PALM of one hand while he appears to transfer those articles to his other hand. It is absolutely necessary that the young amateur should acquire the habit of doing this so adroitly as to escape the observation of others while doing it openly before their eyes.
The two principal passes are the following:
FIRST PASS; or, method of apparently carrying an object from the right hand to the left, while actually retaining it in the right hand.
The reader will please to observe that the illustrative sketches depict the hands of the performer as seen by himself.
FIRST POSITION OF PASS 1.
The right hand, having the knuckles and back of the fingers turned toward the spectators, and holding openly a cent, or some similar object, between the thumb and forefinger, must be moved toward the left hand.
The left hand must be held out, with the back of the hand toward the ground, as exhibited in the illustration. (Fig. 1.)
Fig. 1.
First Position of Pass 1.
SECOND POSITION OF PASS 1.