Bundle of Firewood.—Immediately after the taking out of a dozen or two of balls or tin cups, the performer may, if his previous arrangements tend thereto, proceed to extract from the hat a common bundle of firewood, which, the company may see, entirely fills the interior of the hat by itself. As, subsequent to the extraction of the balls, the performer has not even retreated to the stage, the company cannot but be at an utter loss to account for the presence of so ponderous a body. The bundle of wood is, however, far from being what it seems. That portion of it, the exterior, which is visible to the company, is genuine enough, being firewood, but this is only an outer layer glued upon a cylindrical shape of thick pasteboard, bound round, so as to look real, with a piece of string taken from a genuine bundle of wood. The bundle has only one end, made, of course, of pasteboard also, and covered with half-inch lengths of wood, which will present a perfectly real appearance. Into the open end are crammed the cups, balls, or other articles, which, being produced, enable the performer to subsequently extract the supposed bundle of wood without having refilled the hat. Some bundles are made with both ends covered, one end having a trap opening in it. This is to prevent the possibility of the unreal nature of the article becoming known; but I really do not see why both ends should ever be exposed; and, with the end perfectly open, the extraction of articles is very much facilitated. The bundle must, of course, be introduced into the hat from the shelf, it being too decidedly bulky to carry about the person.
Reticules.—A quantity of these articles are sometimes produced from a hat. They are, as may be imagined, far from being the substantial objects they represent. The ends fall inwards and lie flat on the bottom, to which they are hinged by means of calico, and the tops, sides, and bottom are hinged together also by means of calico, and so double up. A piece of cord, tape, or thin leather strap runs through two holes, about an inch apart, in the top, the ends being affixed to the ends of the reticule, inside. A pull at the centre of this cord, &c., raises the ends, which force the other portions into position. The outside is covered with cloth, and otherwise decorated to represent a small reticule. I have seen them made of playing cards without any outer covering whatever. The result was, that the audience saw through the whole thing at once, as was but natural. A dozen or more of these reticules can be introduced at once, and they make a good show. They can be easily made from playing cards, and afterwards covered.
Dolls.—Calico dolls, with spiral springs inside, can also be effectively employed. A tolerably large one, introduced into the cannon ball with the baby's clothes, is effective when produced last of all. In any case they should not be less than 6in. in height. The face and greater portion of the dress must be painted on, a few little bows, artfully disposed, serving to make the doll look as substantial as possible.
Bird-cages.—This is a trick which ranks almost as high in public estimation—the only gauge, by-the-bye, by which conjuring tricks can be measured—as the gold-fish trick. The same principal feature—the production of a substantial article, containing living things, from such unsuspected regions as the interior of a hat, or the folds of a handkerchief—is in both, and the audience is, in each instance, in the same dilemma in endeavouring to explain where the article comes from, and how the living creatures get into it. It may sound like exaggeration to assert that two substantial cages, 6in. high, each containing two live canaries or other birds, can be produced from a hat from one "load," but such can be done, nevertheless. The cages are of wire at the top and on the sides, the bottom being solid and heavy. The sides are hinged to the top, under which they fold, when the bottom, which slides up and down the sides, is pushed up. The top being domed, the birds are safe therein, not as comfortable, perhaps, as they might be, but still unhurt. The bottom pushed up and the sides doubled under, the whole is scarcely 2in. in depth; and two cages, placed bottom to bottom, and kept together by means of an elastic band or by a thread, can be got into the hat from the coat breast-pocket in the prescribed manner. To produce them, it is only necessary to raise the upper portion, by means of the ring there affixed, and the bottom will run down into its place, causing the sides to go into their positions. These cages are also produced from handkerchiefs, in which case it is usual to have them of very large dimensions. Herrmann produced one at times which had to be concealed up his back, so large was it. This was produced, without detection, in the very centre of the audience.
Fig. 54.
Fig. 55.