A plain country servant-girl in a white under-dress stands at her glass, and, having had her fortune told, is ardently wishing to be a fine lady. As she retires from the glass in her mistress’s room, she is all amazement to find herself suddenly transformed to a princess. She is attired in a splendid pink or other silk dress, and wears a turban with ostrich feathers; but before she can show herself off to her friends the whole proves a vision!
The arrangement is like the former, only requiring more care and management.
9.—A Hand seen Writing.
The spectre hand may actually write or gradually withdraw a slide over the letters. Either way is very surprising. The actor is behind a black curtain, his hand only seen by reflection. There are corresponding boards, that on the acting stage being black without any writing. If the board has a piece inserted in it like a valve, working on centres, the written words or name can thereby be turned out of sight with sufficient rapidity.
10.—The Otranto Picture, or Living Portrait.
A scene from the “Castle of Otranto” may be imitated, representing the full-length figure in a painting stepping from the canvas into the picture gallery.
The picture and frame are a phantasm; the figure being represented by a living actor, or vice versâ. He walks from the frame to the floor; and on returning reassumes the still attitude of painted portraiture.
11.—Wonderful Jugglers.
No end of scenes might be brought out under this title, by employing very little and exceedingly simple mechanical appliances; as,—Swallowing any length of rope, chain, or other material. To be effected by passing a long endless band of the same over pulleys on the real stage, so as to appear entering the mouth of a visionary actor, keeping his head fixed and mouth wide open at one fixed point.
Strong and weak bandboxes—on which an actor is seen standing, but which when another actor attempts he falls through, crushing the whole to the floor. The first actor was a mere spectre, standing on strong duplicate boxes, which being removed, the other actor has nothing but the actual weak bandboxes to sustain his weight, which he therefore crushes flat with the floor.