TO PREVENT ANY ONE DRAWING A CARD WHICH YOU HOLD UP PLAINLY BEFORE HIM.
Place the four kings face up upon the top of the pack, their feet towards the company. As you place the topmost king upon the pack, you bend it secretly in the middle, folding the lower part back upon the upper half of the card, the head of which is now only visible, the feet of the king below seeming to belong to it. You conceal the deception by placing your two thumbs across the middle of the pack.
In this manner you can let three persons draw, and neither will draw the king that is on the top of the pack.
THE RECOVERABLE CARD.
Procure fifty-three cards exactly the same. Let a person draw from them, as from a regular pack, one card which he may burn or otherwise destroy.
Nevertheless, on his or another’s picking a second card at will out of the pack, it will appear to be the same as that destroyed.
It will possibly be observed: “You had two similar cards!” and a wiseacre will defy you to let the cards be counted, since he will suppose you were not prepared for this objection.
You can count them out, face down, and prove there are, indeed, fifty-two.
If other remarks are made substitute a regular pack of the same appearance.