Select the ace and five of hearts and two other cards of the same suit and conceal the five behind one of the latter so as to make it appear you have only three cards. Hold the two cards (with the concealed five) faces down, a little distance apart and showing the ace place it deliberately 19 behind them so that the pip shows between ([Fig. 2]) when the cards are held up. Having shown the cards in the latter position to the company, lower them again and defy any one to lift up the ace. A member of the company does so and naturally looks at the card, when you say, “But you must not look at it. Take the card off and place it face down on the table, and I will then tell you whether your attempt has been successful. We will try again?” Re-arranging the cards, substitute the five for the ace and place it so that the centre pip alone is visible between the two cards. Repeat your challenge and request your friend to remove the ace, place it on the table, and cover it with his hand. When this is done ask him if he still has the ace, and he will naturally say “Yes.” Tell him to raise his hand, and to his astonishment he will find the five.
Fig. 2.
TO MAKE A PERSON NAME A CARD WHICH YOU HAVE YOURSELF SELECTED
Take any card from two to ten, say the five of hearts, and lay it face down on the table without permitting any one 20 to see its face. Then announce your intention of examining a number of the company as to their knowledge about cards. Ask for a volunteer, and on one consenting to act tell him to answer your questions rapidly and to make his replies short. Then put the following questions: “How many cards are there in a full pack?” Answer, “Fifty-two.” “How many suits?” “Four.” “What are their colours?” “Red and Black.” “Now name one of those colours.” “Red.” If he should say “black,” you must say, “You select black so I take red. How many suits are there in red?” “Two.” “What are they?” “Hearts and Diamonds.” “Name one of those suits quickly.” “Hearts.” If he should name diamonds say, “Then I take hearts.” “How many cards in the suit?” “Thirteen.” “How many between the ace and knave?” “Nine.” “How many below six and how many above six?” “Four below and four above.” “Name either below or above?” “Below.” If he says “above,” say, “That gives me those below six. What are the numbers below six?” “Two, three, four, and five.” “Name two of those numbers.” “Four and five.” If he should say “two and three,” or “three and four” you remark, “That leaves me four and five. Name one of those numbers.” If he says “four,” you say, “Which leaves five.” The suit you selected was hearts, and now we have come down to five. So you have actually selected the five of hearts; and I am sure you will admit I have not influenced your choice in any way. Please turn over the card on the table.” He does so and, of course, finds it is the five of hearts.
THE CLOCK
Select twelve cards of any suit, ace to ten and king and queen; arrange them in a circle to represent the figures on the face of a clock, the king as twelve and the queen as eleven ([Fig. 3]), and request a member of the company to think of one of the numbers. You then explain you will tap the cards with a pencil and he is to mentally add your first tap to the number he thought of and count your succeeding taps until twenty is reached, when he is to call “Stop,” and your pencil will then rest upon his number. For instance, we will suppose he thinks of twelve; he must count your first tap as thirteen and continue counting mentally until twenty is reached.
Fig. 3.
Explanation.—Touch the cards at random during the first seven taps and allow your pencil, on its eighth tap, to rest on the king (twelve). Eight and twelve being twenty he will of course say “Stop.” Supposing he thought of a lower figure—seven, for instance. Tap at random as before until your eighth tap, which must always be on twelve; then touch the cards in rotation, making the queen your ninth tap, the ten your tenth tap, nine your eleventh, and so on until you reach seven, which will be your thirteenth tap, which number added to seven, the number thought of, will make twenty, and your friend will say “Stop.”