Another Way to tell what Card is noted.
When one has noted a card, take it and put it at the bottom of the pack; then shuffle the cards till it comes again to the bottom; then see what is the noted card, which you may do without being taken notice of; when you have thus shuffled the cards, turn them with their faces towards you, and knock their ends upon the table, as though you would knock them level; and, whilst you are so doing, take notice of the bottom card, which you may do without suspicion, especially having shuffled them before; then, when you know the card, shuffle them again, and give them to any of the company, and let them shuffle them, for you know the card already, and may easily find it at any time.
To make a Card jump out of an Egg.
To do this wonderful feat you must have two sticks, made both of one size, so that no person can know one from another; one of these sticks must be made so as to conceal a card in the middle, thus: you must have one of your sticks turned hollow quite through, and then an artificial spring to throw the card into the egg at pleasure. The operation is thus:—Take and peel any card in the pack, which you please, and roll it up. Now put it into the false stick, and there let it lie until you have occasion to make use of it. Now take a pack of cards, and let any body draw one; but be sure to let it be the same sort of card which you have in the hollow stick. The person who has chosen it is now to put it into the pack again, and, while you are shuffling them, let it fall into your lap. Then, calling for some eggs, desire the person who drew the card, or any other person in the company, to choose any one of the eggs. When they have done so, ask the person if there be any thing in it? He will answer that there is not. Now take the egg in your left hand, and the hollow stick in your right, and then break the egg with the stick.
Having let the spring go, the card will appear in the egg, to the great amazement of the beholders. Now be sure to conceal the hollow stick, and produce the solid one, which place upon the table for the examination of those who are curious.
The Little Sportsman.
This is a little pasteboard figure which holds a bow, with an arrow, which it shoots at the instant required, and hits a paper placed opposite, on the top of a pedestal:
This paper is divided into several squares, which are numbered, and the arrow flies and always hits the number chosen by one of the company. The action of the spring which impels it is restrained by a little pin, which the confederate lets go at pleasure, by moving the levers hid in the table; when you push this pin, the arrow flies with rapidity to the paper, like the operation of a lock of a musket, when you pull the trigger. In placing the automaton on the table, you may place it in such a manner that the arrow be directed towards one of the circles numbered on the paper. To cause that number to be chosen against which the arrow is pointed, you must present to the spectator cards numbered, and dexterously make him choose the number required, which depends on peculiar address, that is scarcely possible to be described by words; it may in general be said to come under the following heads:—First, to put at the bottom one of the cards to be chosen; secondly, to keep it always in the same place, although you mix, or pretend to mix, the cards; thirdly, to pass the card to the middle, when you present the pack; fourthly, to pass many cards before the hands of the spectator, to persuade him that he may choose indifferently; fifthly, to pass these same cards with such rapidity, that he cannot take any but the card intended; sixthly, to slip complaisantly into his hand the card you wish to be taken, at the very moment when, the better to deceive him, you beg of him graciously to take which card he chooses.