AN ENTIRELY NEW CARD EFFECT.
A pack of cards having been shuffled, the performer deals about fifteen cards one by one face upwards upon the table, remarking, "You will observe that the cards are thoroughly mixed." During this action (which is the whole secret of this experiment) the performer secretly notes the fifth card from the top of the pack, and when gathering up the cards takes care that the noted card is left in its original position. He now makes four heaps of cards (faces down and about eight or ten cards in each heap), taking the cards from the bottom of the pack, and when this has been done the conjurer quickly deals from the top of the pack one card on to the top of each heap, immediately throwing the next card (i.e., the noted one) face downwards to one of the spectators, who is requested to remember the card (which has seemingly been thrown out at random), and while he is doing so the performer is busy dealing the remainder of the cards in his hands on to the top of the four heaps. The spectator is now requested to place his card in any heap he prefers, and put all the heaps together, and again thoroughly shuffle, during which time the performer turns his back so as not to see which heap the card is placed in. It is now an easy matter to tell the name of the card, which should be done with hesitation and plenty of dramatic gesture. Try this trick, and remember to work it at rather a high rate of speed, and watch the effect on your audience.
A SPECTACULAR HANDKERCHIEF COMBINATION.
Effect.—Three white handkerchiefs are borrowed, a coloured one being added to them (this being performer's own), and placed in a box; an umbrella is shown, replaced in its case, and a change is commanded to take place. The box is opened, and in place of the four handkerchiefs is the umbrella cover, and upon opening the umbrella case the umbrella is found minus the cover and the four handkerchiefs attached to its ribs. The handkerchiefs are removed and laid on a table, the umbrella being returned to the case, which is then placed aside.
One of the white handkerchiefs and a pair of sharp scissors are taken to a spectator who is asked to mark the same, which he does, the result being (to the consternation of the performer) a large piece cut out of the centre. The performer apologises for the accident, and mentions that by a similar misunderstanding one of his own handkerchiefs was similarly treated the previous evening, in proof of which he shows a coloured handkerchief with a piece cut out of the centre. He says he will endeavour to restore the white handkerchief, and at the same time he will restore the coloured one. He places the two handkerchiefs with their respective loose centres in another piece of apparatus, and upon removing them discovers to his horror that the white handkerchief has the coloured centre and vice versâ. He makes a frantic endeavour to unpick the stitches, finally giving it up in despair. Another piece of apparatus is now introduced into which he places the two handkerchiefs, and thinking that it would be more interesting if he used all the borrowed handkerchiefs, he picks up the remaining handkerchiefs from the table and places them along with the two unfortunates. The performer announces that he is about to cut them all up, but before commencing to do so bethinks himself of his own good handkerchief which he removes and places in his pocket. After some by-play the handkerchiefs are shown in dozens of strips, which are offered to the respective owners to sort out, but this not meeting with the approbation of the lenders, the performer introduces a dove-pan into which he places the torn strips, and whilst descanting upon his trials and troubles he holds a lighted candle near the dove-pan and the pieces of cambric catch light. In order to extinguish the fire the performer claps the lid on the pan, and on removing the cover, out fly two doves, and the conjurer immediately removes the three borrowed handkerchiefs and his own coloured one quite restored.
Modus Operandi.—This combination will enable magicians to bring into play some apparatus which they have probably put aside as obviously too mechanical. Properly presented, no better effect can be wished for.
I shall not take up space by describing in detail the various pieces of apparatus, the working, I take it, being well known to magicians of the present day.