Every Boy's Book: A Complete Encyclopædia of Sports and Amusements

by Unknown

This is a variation of the preceding. Take twenty-four cards, and lay them in four heaps. Act as in [No. 18], putting the heap in which is the chosen card second. The tenth card will be the one thought of.

TRICKS WITH CARDS, THAT REQUIRE APPARATUS.

One or two of these tricks must suffice, because, in general, the apparatus required for cards is exceedingly expensive. Those that are here given require but little apparatus, and any boy with the use of his hands can make it.

20. THE CARDS IN THE VASE.

Make a vase with five divisions, two of which hold an entire pack of cards, and the remaining three are only large enough just to admit one card each, as in the [figure]. A strong silk thread is fastened at A, passes over the three little compartments, through the bottom of the vase, and running over two pulleys, terminates in the weight at B.

Take three cards, say the ace of spades, the ten of diamonds, and the king of hearts, out of a pack of cards, and put one into each of the little divisions, pressing the thread down into the bottom of each division. If the cards are left, the weight will descend, and the string being tightened, will push the cards upwards. So a kind of trigger shelf is made, on which the weight rests. The remainder of the pack you put into division 2.

When you show the trick, you take another pack of cards exactly like that which is already in the vase, and handing it to three persons successively, compel them to choose the ace of spades, the ten of diamonds, and the king of hearts.[15] Let some one shuffle the cards, and when this is done, put the pack into division 1. Tell the spectators that when you have struck three times on the table, the cards will come out of the vase. At the third stroke, loosen the catch on which the weight stands, by means of a string that communicates with your table, and the three cards will rise slowly up. In order to show that the cards have really vanished from the pack, take the pack out of division 2 and let any one examine it.

[15] This may be done by making the pass.