Fig. 16.—Foot-bath.
Fig. 17.—Fatigue cap.
Granny’s Cap ([Fig. 20]). Open out the pleats, and place the paper upon the head, pulling the sides down over the ears, to the chin.
After a little practice, all that it is necessary to do in order to give a successful entertainment is to learn the correct order in which the transformations take place.
For the first two or three performances it is a good plan to write out a list of the various “folds” upon a small slip of paper, which should be placed in such a position that a hasty glance can be thrown at it in case of the memory failing.
As will doubtless have been noticed, the different folds have been so arranged in the article that each transformation leads up to the next. It is therefore of great importance that the performer should remember their correct order. Otherwise he may suddenly find himself attempting to make a fold with only one pleat opened, when really three are required.
It is at such moments as these that the young entertainer wishes the ground would open beneath him, that a cyclone would whisk him away, or that any other phenomenon might occur which would carry him beyond the gaze of his inquisitive audience.
When making a fresh transformation, the performer should move his arms gently from side to side, and sway slightly from the hips—very much as though he were holding a concertina. This will lead the audience into the belief that he is engaged upon some extremely difficult fold, and will completely hide the simple movement he is really making.