CHAPTER IX.

MISCELLANEOUS TRICKS.

The “Magician’s Omelette.”

The magician has never proved himself an adept at the art of cooking, from an epicure’s standpoint; yet the ease with which he can bake cakes in borrowed hats and cook omelettes in empty pans has long been a source of wonder to the economical housewife, as well as to the professional cook.

To see the magician hold a small, shallow, empty pan over the blaze of a spirit lamp for a few moments, when an omelette, done to a turn, appears in the pan and is cut up and distributed to the audience, one is almost convinced that at least one person has solved that most perplexing of all problems--how to live without work.

But has he solved it? No! my friend, no more than you or I. He has merely deceived you; but most cleverly, you must admit.

The pan is without any preparation whatever; but as much cannot be said of the wand, which he is continually stirring around in the pan. This wand is hollow, with an opening at one end only; and in the wand, previous to the trick, of course, are placed the properly seasoned ingredients of an omelette, after which the end is closed with a metal plug that is turned and enameled to correspond with the opposite end of the wand.

When the pan is being examined the performer is holding the wand in his hand, and such an innocent-appearing black stick is never suspected of being in any way connected with the trick.

Just before holding the pan over the lamp the performer finds it a most easy matter to remove the plug from the end of the wand, when, by holding the wand by the closed end, he can empty the contents into the pan in the mere act of passing the open end of the wand around the inside of the pan. (Fig. 45.)

The metal of which the pan is made being thin, and there not being a great quantity of the omelette, assisted by a large flame from the lamp, it only requires a few moments to cook the omelette, when it is turned out on a plate and carried down to the audience.

It is hardly necessary to say that when the cooked omelette is carried down, the wand is left on the stand, which prevents any inquisitive person asking to see it.

Spinning and Balancing Tricks.

The spinning handkerchief is a great favorite with jugglers. A handkerchief is borrowed, thrown in the air and caught on the end of a whirling stick held by the juggler, when the handkerchief spreads out to its full size and commences to spin around rapidly. The secret is that in the end of the stick a needle is inserted about one-quarter of an inch, leaving the sharp end out. When the handkerchief is caught on the end of the whirling stick the needle point passes through it, thus preventing its falling off the stick, which is rapidly whirled around, and the handkerchief will spread out and spin about on the end of the stick.

Jugglers are very partial to tricks performed with eggs, and spinning an egg on its smaller end is a trick they are almost sure to perform. It is impossible to spin a raw egg; so our juggler uses a hard-boiled one, and spins it on its small end in a shallow japanned tray. If the tray is kept gently moving in a small circle in the opposite direction to that in which the egg is spinning, the latter will continue to spin as long as desired. (Fig. 47.)

The egg spinning trick is usually followed by a balancing trick in which a playing card is balanced upon a small wand, and an egg is then balanced on a corner of the card. This trick usually calls forth a great pretension of skill on the part of the performer, when, in reality, no skill whatever is required.

The wand is of ebony, or some dark wood, and about three inches from one end is a small hole. The egg is made of wood, painted white, and with a small hole in one end. The card is composed of two cards glued together, with a fine steel wire between them, running diagonally from corner to corner of the card, with the ends of the wire projecting about a quarter of an inch. The prepared egg is on a plate with several ordinary eggs, and the card is placed on a pack of common cards. The wand is held in one hand, the card taken in the other and apparently balanced on one corner on the wand; but in reality the wire point is placed in the hole in the wand. Now the assistant passes the prepared egg to the juggler, who carefully balances it upon the corner of the card; that is, slips the hole in the end of the egg over the wire point projecting from the card.

A fitting finale to such a juggling act is that in which a potato is placed on the hand of the assistant and cut in two with a sharp sword, without leaving any mark upon the skin. As a general thing, a second potato is then cut upon the throat of the assistant. This apparently marvelous mastery of the sword always brings forth great applause.

Among the several medium-sized sound potatoes on a tray are placed two potatoes prepared as follows: Insert a needle crosswise of the potato near the bottom. After showing the sword to be really sharp, by cutting paper and slicing one or two of the potatoes, the performer picks up one of the prepared potatoes and places it on the assistant’s hand; but apparently it does not lie to suit him, so he slices off one side of it, using care to cut away the side just under the needle and as close to it as possible, then places the potato once again on the assistant’s hand. After making a few flourishes with the sword, he cuts through the potato, dividing it in half. (Fig. 49.)

In striking the potato with the sword he makes sure that the sword will come exactly crosswise on the needle; consequently, when the sword reaches the needle it can go no farther, and the brittle nature of the potato will cause it to fall apart, the very thin portion below the needle offering no resistance to the separation. The second potato is then cut in the same manner on the assistant’s neck. There are many other false juggling tricks, but the above will suffice to show that “there are tricks in all trades but yours.”

The Blindfolded Juggler.

While watching the clever manner in which a good juggler passes various articles from hand to hand, how many people ever give a thought to the many hours of practice devoted to even the simplest trick that he performs? To become even a passable juggler, many weary months of constant practice are necessary. There are tricks in all trades, and some of the most successful entertainers in this line can scarcely do a half dozen genuine feats of juggling, yet they are great favorites with the public. It has been truly said that “the tricks that require the most practice are the least appreciated by the average spectator.” It is our intention merely to show how a simple trick has won fame for several well-known jugglers.

This is the trick of juggling blindfolded. An assistant tightly binds a heavy handkerchief over the juggler’s eyes, and then, to make sure that he cannot see, there is placed over his head and shoulders a sort of bag, made of heavy goods, which should exclude all light, even if his eyes were not tightly bound with the handkerchief. Regardless of this, the juggler performs the usual passes with balls and knives. Yet, when the bag is removed, the bandage over his eyes is found undisturbed. (Fig. 50.)

The explanation is simple. The bag is made of the usual coarse bagging, and a few threads are pulled out of the part that will come in front of the juggler’s face when the bag is over his head, thus allowing him to see between the remaining threads as though looking through a coarse screen. (Fig. 51.)

When the bag is being placed over his head, and during the seeming effort of passing the arms through the armholes in the bag, the performer or assistant has no trouble in pushing the handkerchief up from the eyes to the forehead, thus allowing him to see through the open work of the bag. In removing the bag after the act, there is no trouble in pulling the handkerchief down over the eyes.

The Chinese Rods and Cords.

Nothing excites curiosity in the public mind more than a simple and clever puzzle, and the “Fifteen Puzzle” and “Pigs in Clover” have given enjoyment to hundreds of thousands. The Chinese rods and cords, which forms the subject of our engravings, is in the line of ingenious inventions, and is really more in the nature of a trick than a toy. (Fig. 52.)

It is of Chinese origin, and the example shown in our engraving was purchased in Chinatown, San Francisco, Cal. The puzzle consists of eight pieces of bamboo or hollow ivory tubes, each containing seven holes spaced equidistantly. Through these holes are seen to pass seven silken cords, each with a bead at the top and a tassel at the bottom. The toy is held by the loop at the top, which serves to hold the upper rod. When it is first picked up, its condition is shown in our first engraving at the left. There are seven of the rods at the top and one at the bottom. Now the lower bar of the upper set is moved down to the bar at the bottom; the two lower bars will appear to be supported by three cords at the center, as shown in our engraving, four of the cords having vanished. If the next bar is brought down, another change is observed, only the two outer cords being seen. This is shown to the right of our engraving. If the next bar is brought down, the end cords have approached the center, and five of the seven cords have vanished. The next rod brought down brings five cords into view, the two end ones and the center one being visible. When the next bar is pulled down, the center and the outer cords only remain; so that, if all the bars between the top and bottom bars are brought together, the seven cords appear to pass entirely through them. Fig. 53 gives a clew to the mystery. The rods are all hollow, and each contains seven holes; and our engraving shows the course of the silk cords. It will be noticed that where a number of cords pass through a single hole, the strand which is formed is much thicker than are the single cords; as they are of different colors, the effect is most pleasing. It will be observed that the strings go clear through the top bar; but in the next bar, although they enter the seven holes at the top, they emerge from three holes at the bottom, three of the strands going through the center hole and two through each of the end holes, and so on throughout the entire number of bars, the strings changing their course, as is clearly shown in our engraving, thus causing the increase and decrease in their number.

The “Surprise” Pen.

Our engraving shows a very clever trick pen which would tend to create great surprise among the uninitiated. Let us suppose that a gentleman is seated at his desk and is busily writing when a neighbor comes in, and he jokingly challenges the latter to try and forge his signature. He hands the pen to his friend, who attempts to write. Immediately there is an explosion, and the paper receives a big ink blot. The writer is apt to be surprised by the report, which is like a pistol shot, and, if a timid person, is apt to be frightened. The noise comes from the pen itself, as it is so constructed that it can be loaded and shot off at will. The person in the secret can handle the pen with safety, but the poor unfortunate will experience a rather unexpected shock to his nerves when he attempts to write with it.

The upper part of the penholder, into which an ordinary writing pen is thrust, works on a pivot about half way down its length. This separate part is provided with only one-half a bottom, in order that it may engage the conical head of a piston rod, which ends in a plunger, which sets off the cap secured in the bottom of the penholder. The normal position of the plunger is against the cap of the holder; but it can be raised by means of a projecting pin riveted to the rod and passing through a slot cut in the side of the lower part of the holder. Now, the closed half of the bottom of the pivoted end enters a notch caused by the conical head of the plunger; and the plunger, with its spring, is cocked, as it were, by means of the projecting pin, and is held in place by the bottom of the pivoted section. When the pen is pressed to the paper the pivoted section swings on the pivot, releasing the plunger, which is forced down on the explosive cap by the spring.

The lower end of the penholder is threaded, so that it can secure the end cap firmly in place. The explosive cap is put in the end cap, and it is screwed on the bottom of the holder. Ordinary paper caps for children’s pistols are used. As long as the plunger simply rests on the cap there is no danger of an explosion; but, just before the joker wishes to give his friend a scare, he cocks it by pushing the plunger up with the pin, until the pivoted top engages it.

The “Miraculous Wineglasses.”

As a rule, magicians are very generous fellows, always ready to give their audiences something, such as coins and handkerchiefs, but, just when one thinks they have the gift safely in their grasp, it mysteriously vanishes. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule, one of whom is a very popular English performer.

This magician goes among the audience and borrows a gentleman’s handkerchief, and immediately produces from it a glass filled with sherry. This he offers to the ladies, then, shaking the handkerchief, he produces a second glass full of port for the gentlemen, next one of ginger beer for the younger members, and one of milk for the very young, but there being present one or two teetotalers, he next produces a glass of water, and lastly a glass of stout for himself. All of these are pronounced by the audience to be excellent.

The glasses are of the small stem wineglass pattern. On both sides of the magician’s coat, inside, of course, are large pockets, and in each pocket is placed in a prearranged form three of the glasses. To prevent a possible spilling of their contents (and, as each glass is filled to the brim, this would be very difficult), there is fastened over the mouth of each glass a thin soft rubber cap or cover, as shown in the small engraving.

To produce the glass, the performer spreads the borrowed handkerchief, which should be a large one, over his breast in such a manner that one hand is concealed under it; and with this hand he reaches in the pocket and brings forth the proper glass, removing the rubber cover and leaving it in the pocket. This move is repeated until all the glasses have been brought out. After producing three of the glasses with, say, the left hand, he must spread the handkerchief so as to cover the right hand, leaving the left one free to manipulate the handkerchief, as it would be most awkward to try and produce the glasses from both sides of the coat with the same hand.

This trick is a most effective one, as the spectators cannot understand how it would be possible for the performer to conceal a glass filled to the brim, as these are, about his person.

After distributing the glasses, and offering an apology for his inability to treat all present, he pretends to overhear a remark that his audience is not satisfied, and that many think they have been slighted. He states that he will endeavor to comply with the demands of his thirsty audience, and retires to fetch a bottle. Off the stage he removes his coat and places under his right arm a rubber bag filled with wine. To the bag is attached a rubber pipe with a small metal point, which pipe he holds next to his right arm and replaces his coat, leaving the metal end just within the cuff.

The bottle has a small hole in the side, near the bottom, of such a size as to fit the metal point on the rubber pipe. In rinsing the bottle the performer keeps one finger over the hole, thus preventing the audience discovering that the bottle differs from an ordinary one. In rinsing the bottle the outside has become wet, and in drying it with a cloth the performer places the metal point on the rubber pipe in the hole in the side of the bottle, thus making connections with the bag of wine. By holding the bottle well down toward the neck, and close to his wrist, he can venture among the audience without fear of detection.

By pressing the right arm against his side the bag is compressed, forcing the wine through the pipe into the bottle.

The glasses are of special make and of very thick glass, making quite a bulky appearance, but of very limited capacity. An assistant carries a tray containing one hundred of the glasses.

The “Mysterious Vase.”

Tricks performed with ink and water have always been favorites with magicians, and they have devised means of keeping this trick fully abreast of the times, thus retaining its popularity. The manner of performing the latest ink trick involves such novel principles as to puzzle even those who are well posted on modern magic. The “Mysterious Vase” has been presented by but few prestidigitateurs, and the secret so well guarded that comparatively few people know how it is done. (Fig. 59.)

The attention of the audience is called to a glass vase that is filled with water which is resting on a light stand. This vase resembles a large octagon celery glass. In the vase there are a few cut flowers, which the performer removes as he calls attention to the vase and the clear water it contains. The flowers are given to the ladies in the audience, as they have no further connection with the trick.

A lady’s handkerchief is borrowed and the vase covered with it for a moment. On removing the handkerchief, the water that was seen in the vase appears to have changed to ink. While this rapid transformation is very startling, yet the most marvelous part of the trick is to come. The magician bares his forearm, that the audience may see that his sleeves have no connection with the trick, and then proceeds to remove from the ink in the vase six silk handkerchiefs and two lighted candles, each article being perfectly dry.

The means by which this seeming impossibility is performed are as simple as the trick is mysterious, as the following will show. In the center of the vase, reaching from side to side and from the bottom to within a half inch of the top, is a piece of polished mirror. The side edges of the mirror rest in the angles of the vase, and as the vase is only seen from the front, the edges are not seen. The front half of the vase being reflected in the mirror leaves the impression that one is looking directly through the vase, when in reality you only see one-half of the inside. (Fig. 60.)

To the back of this mirror is attached a watertight tin box, in which are placed six small silk handkerchiefs and two candles. The exterior of the box and back of the mirror are painted a dead black color. Enough water is poured into the vase to reach the top edge of the mirror. In the water is dissolved a small portion of iron protosulphate. A few cut flowers are placed in the vase, which is then placed on the stand with the mirror side to the audience, and the candles lighted.

After the flowers are removed and a handkerchief borrowed, the magician secures possession of and palms between his fingers a small lozenge made of pyrogallic acid, which he drops in the water in front of the mirror in the act of covering the vase with the handkerchief. In a very few moments the lozenge dissolves, and the pyrogallic acid of which it is composed causes the water, which holds in solution the iron protosulphate, to change to a good black ink.

On removing the handkerchief with which the vase was covered, ink is seen to have taken the place of the water, and from the center of the vase the performer removes the silk handkerchiefs and candles.

Our first engraving shows the vase of water on the stand; the second shows the vase after the water has changed to ink, with the magician removing one of the silk handkerchiefs. The third illustration represents the vase with one side broken away, showing attached to the back of the mirror the tin receptacle that contains the handkerchiefs and candles.

The “Mermaid’s Head.”

M. Alber, the prestidigitateur, describes in _La Nature_ a variant of a trick which, although old in principle, has recently been brought out in a new and attractive form.

Upon a light tripod placed in an alcove or recess hung with some sort of a red fabric, such as cotton velvet, stands an aquarium in which gold fish are observed swimming about, and in the center of which is seen a living female head that moves, smiles, and seems to be absolutely at its ease, although deprived of a body and immersed in water. A reference to the figure will show how the apparatus is arranged.

The tripod consists of three gilded copper rods fixed at the bottom to a triangular platform and supporting at the top another platform of nickel-plated metal. At their point of union the three rods, which are firmly brazed to each other, seem to be united by a simple ribbon tied with a bow knot.

From the base to the ribbon there is an empty space, but above the latter there are fixed between the rods three triangular glass mirrors backed with thin and resistant steel plate. The nickel-plated top is movable. Previous to the entrance of the spectators, the woman whose head is to appear, places herself between the mirrors, crosses her legs and rests upon her heels. It is impossible for the apparatus to topple over, since it is firmly screwed to the floor. The nickel-plated top, which is in two pieces, embraces the neck so closely, when put in place, that the joint can scarcely be seen at a short distance. Since the mirrors reflect the floor, which is covered like the walls, it seems as if it were the back of the alcove that is visible between the rods at the upper part; and the entire apparatus appears to be absolutely open.

As for the aquarium trick, that is simple. The aquarium is an adaptation of one that has long been found in the market, and in which are perceived birds that seem to be flying about in the water amid fishes.

The crystal glass aquarium, which is manufactured especially for the purpose, consists of two receptacles. The central one of these is open at the bottom to receive the head, while the outer one is open at the top and contains the water and fishes. As the glass is exceedingly transparent, it is almost impossible to detect the empty space in the center.

The aquarium is placed upon four small nickel-plated supports that permit of the introduction of air into the internal receptacle. The position of the decapitated woman is an exceedingly cramped one, and it is therefore necessary for her to make her exit from the tripod between each exhibition in order to take a well-earned rest.

“Card Cricket.”

One of the most effective and pretty tricks performed by the celebrated English magician Mr. Devant is known as “Card Cricket.” In this trick the performer shows his hands empty, and takes a pack of cards and requests three ladies to take one card each, and to remember what the cards are. The cards are then replaced in the pack, which is well shuffled and cut by one of the audience. The performer then passes for inspection an ordinary cricket bat, which, on its return, he places on a table in full sight of all. He then asks if any one in the audience can bowl, and requests the gentleman who can, to come and have a game of cricket.

The performer now asks the gentleman to take the pack of cards and bowl at him, and he will be the player or one at the wicket. The performer picks up the bat and says “Play.” The cards are bowled at him, and he hits the pack with the bat as the cards are in the air, and, to the astonishment of the audience, the chosen cards are seen sticking to the bat. This very pretty card trick is quite simple to work.

In selecting the cards the ladies were under the impression that they exercised their own free will, but such was not the case. The pack of cards was what is known to magicians as a forcing pack, that is, consisting of only three cards, which, for convenience sake, we will say are the ace of clubs, five of hearts, and nine of spades, one-third of the pack being composed of only one of these cards. The pack being thus made up, it is very easy for a skillful performer to present to the first lady the portion of the pack containing only ace of clubs, to the second lady the part consisting solely of five of hearts, and to the third lady the part that contains only nine of spades. By using such a forcing pack the performer is sure to have the proper cards selected. While the ladies are examining their cards the performer steps to his table on some pretense and slyly changes the forcing pack for an ordinary one consisting of the usual cards, with the exception of the five of hearts, ace of clubs, and nine of spades. This pack he hands to some member of the audience and requests them to have replaced the selected cards and shuffled.

The cricket bat is an ordinary one, which, after being examined by the audience, is laid on a table until the performer finds a gentleman who will bowl the pack at him.

In this simple act of laying the bat on the table we find the principal secret of the trick.

Previous to beginning the performance the magician has placed face down on the table, in a line with each other, an ace of clubs, five of hearts, and nine of spades. The back of each of these cards is lined with cloth similar to the covering of the table, thus preventing any one noticing the cards when placed face down on the table. On the cloth covering of each of the cards is smeared a dab of soft adhesive wax. In placing the bat on the table, care is taken to lay it directly over the three cards, the wax on the backs adhering tightly to the bat.

After the gentleman who has consented to bowl the pack of cards at the performer is in place, the performer picks up the bat, steps back a few feet, and says “Play.” The instant the flying cards touch the bat the performer turns it over, bringing into view the side of the bat to which the three cards are sticking, which appear to have been caught on the bat from the flying cards.

Until the pack of cards are thrown against the bat, the magician exercises the greatest care not to turn the side of the bat to which the cards are sticking toward the spectators. Properly presented, this trick has proved most illusive.

“Cupid Lighter than a Butterfly.”

The pleasing trick which forms the subject of our engravings owes its success to the ingenious application of mechanical principles. The magician presents for inspection to the audience a large pair of balance scales. The audience is allowed to examine the various parts of the balance before it is erected on the stage. It consists of a central column and a beam resting on a knife-edge, and two pans suspended by cords or chains. After the column has been put in position, the beam is put on and a pin inserted, thus making a center for the beam to work on. A gentleman is asked to stand in one of the scale pans, and then weights are gradually placed in the other pan until his exact weight is ascertained. The weights are removed, and the gentleman steps down off the stage. The audience is now convinced that the scale is to all intents and purposes like the ordinary balance which is so much used in groceries for weighing tea, coffee, etc., although, of course, in the present instance, it is built on a mammoth scale.

The magician now goes on to say that he will prove the old assertion that “love is lighter than a butterfly” to be absolutely true. He introduces a little boy dressed as Cupid, with wings and a bow and a quiver of arrows. When the child steps on the scale pan, it immediately sinks to the floor by his weight. The conjurer now takes a butterfly, and, asking all to direct their attention to the scale, drops it on the opposite pan, which immediately descends to the floor, at the same time raising the pan with the Cupid high in the air. If he takes the butterfly off, the Cupid descends, and every time the prestidigitateur replaces the butterfly, Cupid is raised off the floor.

The trick depends for success upon a carefully devised and concealed mechanism. The balance beam is devoid of any preparation, but the mechanism is cleverly concealed in the column, and motion is imparted to the beam by means of a shaft and bevel gears. The hole in the beam is not perfectly round; it is slightly oval, but not enough so to be easily seen by a casual glance. The pin is also oval, instead of round, and it is made to fit tightly. It will be seen that, when this pin is rocked or tilted, the beam is moved, carrying one scale pan up and the other down. The top of the column is of considerable size, and one side of it is cut away to admit of a bevel gear, which also has an oval hole the same as the beam. When the balance is put together and the beam is placed in position, the oval pin passes through the bevel gear and the beam, forming a horizontal shaft. This vertical wheel meshes with a horizontal gear wheel, which is also secured in the head of the pedestal. A shaft runs through it to the space below the floor, where it terminates in a lever secured at right angles. The magician’s assistant, under the stage, grasps the lever, and, pulling it back and forth, transmits a seesaw motion to the beam through the medium of the shaft, the two bevel gears, and the oval pin.

The trick depends very largely for success upon the apparent willingness of the prestidigitateur to allow all parts of the apparatus to be examined, and, as the gear wheels are very cleverly concealed, there is almost no chance of the trick being discovered.

INDEX.

PAGE

Bags, trick, 98

Balance illusion, 143

Balancing tricks, 117

Bandage test, 86

Blindfolded juggler, 121

Blotter trick, 17

Bottle, miraculous, 130

Cabinet test, 108

Cabinet, the trick, 109

Card balancing, 119

Carpet, slitted, 29

Chair and net test, 108

Chalk, writing on, 60

Chalks, writing with colored, 36

Confederates, 107

Cricket, card, 139

Cuff, leather, 73

Cupid lighter than a butterfly, 143

Davenport tie, 88

Double slate, 32-41

Eddy Brothers, séances, 101

Egg glass, use of, 55

Eggs, spinning, 118

Fay’s séances, 103

Finger, prepared, 19

Flap, false, 21-38

Flap, interrupted, 48

Fly, educated, 62

Folding slate, 33

Hands, holding, 28

Handcuff test, 96

Head, mermaid’s, 136

Hinges, false, 39

Hook for table raising, 74

Inks, sympathetic, 11-17

Interrupted flap, 48

Juggler, blindfolded, 121

Light séances, 101

Loop, double, 92

Magician’s omelette, 115

Magnetic writing, 34

Mind reading and kindred phenomena, 51-71

Mirrors, reading writing by, 47

Miscellaneous slate tests, 41-51

Miscellaneous tricks, 115-146

Omelette, magician’s, 115

Pad, transferring to, 20

Pen, surprise, 125

Pencil carrier, thumb, 52

Pencil, silver nitrate, 44

Pencil thimble, 18

Photography, spirit, 113

Pistol loaded with chalk, 41

Post tests, etc, 93-100

Post test, mechanical, 94

Post test, ordinary, 93

Potato cutting, 120

Raps, spirit, 81

Ring test, 96

Rods and cords, Chinese, 123

Rope test, 82

Séance, spiritualistic, 76

Séances, 101-114

Silica slate, 6

Silk flap, 5

Silver nitrate pencil, 44

Single slate, 3-32

Slade, Dr., 105

Slate, double, 32-41

Slates exchanged, 30

Slate, folding, 33

Slate writing on china, 8

Slates, locked, 36

Slate tests, multiple, 38

Slates, padlocked, 32

Slates, pivot, 26

Slates, riveted, 24

Slates, screwed, 24

Slates, scaled, 34

Slates, sliding, 33

Slates, tied, 22

Slates, transferring, 37

Slates, wedging, 24

Slates with false hinges, 39

Sliding slates, 33

Spinning tricks, 117

Spirit collar, 97

Stencil, wood, 42

Sucker for table lifting, 72

Sympathetic ink writing, 9

Table, false, 10

Table lifting and spirit rapping, 71-82

Table, traps in, 25, 26

Table trick, 47

Telegraph, 77

Telegraph, foot, 66

Telegraph head, 68

Thimble key, 36

Thimble pencil, 18

Thumb pencil carrier, 52

Tie, Davenport, 88

Ties, rope, 85

Ties, spiritualistic, 82-92

Toes, writing with the, 45

Traps, 106

Tube, speaking, 67

Vase, miraculous, 132

Wine glass, miraculous, 128

Wire cage test, 110

Wire, cloth, 61

Writing, reading concealed, 51-58

* * * * *

MAGIC

Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions, Including Trick Photography.

BY A. A. HOPKINS.

With an Introduction by H. R. EVANS.

568 pages. 420 illustrations. Price, $2.50 postpaid.

This work appeals to old and young alike, and it is one of the most attractive holiday books of the year. The illusions are illustrated by the highest class of engravings, and the exposés of the tricks and spiritualistic phenomena are, in many cases, furnished by the prestidigitateurs themselves. Conjuring, large stage illusions, fire-eating, sword-swallowing, ventriloquism, mental magic, ancient magic, automata, curious toys, stage effects, photographic tricks, and the projection of moving photographs are all well described and illustrated, making a handsome volume. It is tastefully printed and bound.

Acknowledged by the profession to be the

Standard Work on Magic

==> Circular of Contents and sample illustrations with testimonials from W. E. Robinson, M. Trewey, W. B. Caulk, Harry Rouclere, Jewett, Clivette, etc., free upon request.

MUNN & CO., Publishers,

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN OFFICE

361 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY.

The Scientific American

This unrivaled publication is now in its fifty-fourth year, and is acknowledged to be the foremost and most popular scientific journal published. The excellence and variety of the reading matter render it one of the most interesting and widely read journals in the world. Each issue is fully illustrated and no topic of popular interest germane to science or industry is neglected. The latest tricks of the greatest modern conjurers are published from time to time. Those who are not familiar with the

Scientific American

may send for a free sample copy. Subscription price, $3.00 per annum.

MUNN & CO., Publishers,

Scientific American Office,

361 Broadway, New York City.

MUNN & CO., Publishers,

361 BROADWAY, NEW YORK.

1898 EDITION

--OF--

Experimental Science

BY GEO. M. HOPKINS.

20th Edition Revised and Enlarged.

914 Pages, 820 Illustrations.

Price $4.00 in cloth; $5.00 in half morocco, postpaid

THE MOST POPULAR SCIENTIFIC BOOK OF THE DAY

This is a book full of interest and value for Teachers, Students, and others who desire to impart or obtain a practical knowledge of Physics. This splendid work gives young and old something worthy of thought. It has influenced thousands of men in the choice of a career. It will give anyone, young or old, information that will enable him to comprehend the great improvements of the day. It furnishes suggestions for hours of instructive recreation. This new edition is now ready. It contains a large amount of new matter, bringing it up to date. Such subjects as the X-rays and liquefied air being fully treated.

Send for large Illustrated Circular and complete Table of Contents.

MUNN & CO., Publishers,

OFFICE OF THE

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN,

361 BROADWAY, NEW YORK.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation of external sources.

Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained.

Pg 61: ‘are nable to see’ replaced by ‘are unable to see’. Pg 82: ‘great standbies’ replaced by ‘great standbys’. Pg 129: ‘handerchief, and’ replaced by ‘handkerchief, and’. Pg 147; Index entry ‘Post tests’: ‘93-1 0’ replaced by ‘93-100’. Pg 147; Index entry ‘Slates, padlocked’: ‘3’ replaced by ‘32’.