Fig. 6.—Quarter found inside the orange.
A dish containing a number of oranges is standing upon the table. The conjurer picks up a knife and plunges it into one. Passing it to a member of the audience, he requests him to cut it open. Upon this being done the quarter is discovered embedded in the center of the fruit ([Fig. 6]).
Apparatus required.—(1) A glass of water. (2) A silver quarter. (3) A watch-glass the size of a quarter. One can be purchased for five cents from any watch repairer’s. (4) A dish of oranges. A small cut must be made in one of them, and the quarter forced into the incision. The prepared orange should then be replaced upon the dish, care being taken that its position is remembered.
Patter.—“It is always a conjurer’s duty, during some part of his entertainment, to borrow. The time is now ripe for me to perform that pleasant duty. Will some one kindly supply me with a quarter and a handkerchief?”
As the performer walks amongst the audience to obtain the handkerchief, he secretly takes the watch-glass from his waistcoat pocket—where it has been placed in readiness. As he returns to his table with the handkerchief and the coin, and whilst his back is to the audience, he must again resort to sleight-of-hand and substitute his watch-glass for the coin, which can either be slipped into his waistcoat pocket, or dropped surreptitiously on to the servante. The performer then faces the audience, holding up the watch-glass instead of the coin in the center of the handkerchief.
“I have placed the quarter in the handkerchief, and should now like the assistance of a young gentleman.
“Thank you, sir. Would you mind holding this coin over the glass and let it fall into the water when I count three? Thank you! One—two—three! You’re sure you dropped it? Well, will you please remove the handkerchief, thus taking the quarter from the water.” (The watch-glass, being transparent, will be invisible at the bottom of the glass, and the assistant will immediately declare that the coin has vanished.)
“It’s gone, you say? That’s rather awkward for the gentleman from whom I borrowed it. But perhaps you’d like to pay him back yourself? You strongly object? Well, I must see what I can do!”
The conjurer walks over to the dish of oranges.