Part 7

Procure a small round box, about one inch deep, to which fit accurately a quarter or cent: line the box with any dark paper (crimson, for instance), and paste some of it on one side of the coin, so that when it lies in the lower part of the box it shall appear like the real box. This quarter or cent is concealed in the hand, and before performing the trick, it will heighten the effect if a number of single quarters or cents are hidden about the room, in places known to yourself. Having borrowed a coin, you dexterously place this on one side, and substitute the prepared one; and putting it gravely into the box, ask all to be sure they have seen it enter: when the lid is on, shake up and down--the noise betrays the metal; now command it to disappear, and shake laterally from side to side; as the quarter is made to fit accurately, no noise is apparent--the coin seems to be gone; in proof of which you open the box, and display the interior; the paper on the coin conceals it, whilst you direct the audience to look into a book, or a pair of slippers, for the missing quarter; the prepared coin can be slipped out, and the box handed round for examination, in which, of course, nothing will be found. This trick may be repeated two or three times with the greatest success, and is so simple that nobody guesses the manner of performance.

61. TO CHANGE A DIME TO A QUARTER.

This is quite a simple parlor trick, but when performed with dexterity is calculated to produce much astonishment at an evening party. In fact, it surprises on account of its very simplicity. Procure two pieces of marbled paper about seven inches square, and having put the marble backs of the paper together, cut them the shape of diagram Fig. 1. Be very careful to have them exactly the same size, as the success of the trick depends in a great measure upon the regularity of the paper. After cutting the paper in the manner described, place a dime in the center of one of the pieces at the place marked A, then fold it carefully over at the crease on the side marked B, and also again at the side marked C. When you have done this turn down the end marked D upon the center A, and again fold over on E. When this is accomplished, you will discover that you have formed a small parcel the same shape as Fig. 2, with a dime in the center. You must then place a quarter of a dollar in the center of the other piece of paper, and fold it up exactly the same size and shape as the first piece. When you have done this, gum the two parcels together at the back of the ends marked F, in Fig. 2, and the sides will be so even that both parcels will appear as one. You can then open the side of the paper containing the dime and show it to your audience, at the same time informing them that you are going to open a mint on a small plan, and coin a quarter from a dime. Having done this, mutter some cabalistic words and dexterously turn over the side containing the quarter, and upon opening the paper, to the astonishment of the company, instead of a dime they will behold a genuine quarter. I have seen much merriment created by this excellent feat.

62. DESCRIPTION OF THE MAGICIAN'S TABLE.

When a secret confederate is required, have a table four and a half feet long, two feet eight inches high, two feet nine inches wide, with a curtain round it, twenty-two inches deep. In the top of this table are several secret square holes, of different sizes, from three to five inches across; these having covers which exactly fit, and hung upon concealed hinges, so that they may be let down; but when lying flat, the top of the table appears to present a perfect surface. Under this surface are buttons, which prevent those lids from falling down when not made use of. Under the top of the table is fastened a box, or drawer, open at the top, and at the side which is farthest from the spectators. This box is about twenty inches deep, and concealed by the curtain; and in this box is placed the secret agent who assists the performer.

63. WYMAN'S GUN TRICK.

Having provided yourself with a fowling-piece, permit any person to load it, retaining for yourself the privilege of putting in the ball, to the evident satisfaction of the company, but instead of which you must provide yourself with an artificial one made of black lead, which may be easily concealed between your fingers, and retain the real ball in your possession, producing it after the gun has been discharged; and a mark having been previously put upon it, it will instantly be acknowledged. This trick is quite simple, as the artificial ball is easily reduced to a powder on the application of the ramrod; besides the smallness of the balls preclude all discovery of the deception.

64. THE HATCHED BIRD.

Separate an egg in the middle as nearly as possible, empty it, and then, with a fine piece of paper and a little glue, join the two halves together, having first put a live canary bird inside it, which will continue unhurt in it for some time, provided you make a small pinhole in the shell to supply the bird with air; have, also, a whole egg in readiness. Present the two eggs for one to be chosen; put the egg, which contains the bird, next to the person who is to choose, and for this purpose be sure to select a lady; she naturally chooses the nearest to her, because, having no idea of the trick to be performed, there, is no apparent reason to take the further one; at any rate, if the wrong one be taken, you do not fail in the trick, for you break the egg, and say, "You see that this egg is fair and fresh madam; so you would have found the other, if you had chosen it. Now, do you choose to find in it a mouse, or a canary bird?" She naturally declares for the bird; nevertheless, if she ask for the mouse, there are means to escape; you ask the same question of several ladies, and gather the majority of votes, which, in all probability, will be in favour of the bird which you then produce.

65. THE APPLE AND ORANGE TRICK.

Have a box made with a drawer fitted to it as in the figure No. 2, marked A. The back part of the drawer B, which slides into the box A, has no end piece; then have another drawer made, marked C, open at the top, that will fit the drawer B rather easy, when put into it the sides and ends of the drawer C, made of rather thin wood, with their end and sides sloping towards the sides of the drawer B, so that when it is in the drawer B, it cannot be discovered without minute examination; then push them both into the box A, and have a small hole bored through the top of the box A, in which you put a small pin with a flat top, as marked D in the plate; this pin is so long that it will just catch drawer C, inside of the box A, to prevent it from coming out with the drawer B, when not necessary to be exposed. It is now ready to perform experiments with. You are aware, as has already been described, that the drawer B is open at the inner end, consequently, when that with the loose drawer C is pushed into the box A, and you put the pin D in its place, the drawer B may be pulled out, or pushed back, without interruption; but if you remove the pin out of the box, C will come out inside of the drawer B without the trick being discovered; it being understood that the false drawer C is invariably concealed from the spectator. When the drawer C is in the box A, and the drawer B has been drawn out, the end of the drawer C will then appear as if it was the end of the drawer B as represented in the plate. You can then show it to the company, and you may also measure the inside of the drawer B, and the outside of the box A, and convince them that, apparently, nothing is concealed. Care must be taken in pulling the drawer C out alone, that the drawer C will not slip from the bottom of the drawer B, which otherwise would prevent it from being pushed back. A little catch may be affixed in the bottom of the drawer C, so as to prevent the same from slipping out of its place.

_To Perform the Experiment._--Fill, privately, the drawer C with fruit, close the drawer B, and exhibit it; then pull the drawer B out, alone, as represented in the plate, figure 2, which will convince the spectators that it is empty. When you have satisfied them on that point, slide back the drawer B, then place the left hand on the secret pin D, and take it out; then with the right hand pull out the drawer B, with the secret drawer C, which is full of fruit, to the great astonishment of the company; take the fruit out and present it to the spectators. This concludes the performance.

66. ENCHANTED COIN, AS PERFORMED BY PROFESSOR WYMAN.

Put fifteen pieces of money into a hat, take out five and mysteriously pass them back into the hat and it covered. To do this trick you must have in your left hand a plate, and under the plate and in your left hand have previously placed five pieces of coin such as you will have placed in the hat; after you have counted the fifteen pieces into the hat, you then ask the person whom you have selected from the audience to assist you in performing the tricks, to count the money out of the hat into the plate, to see that there is no mistake, after which you turn the money out of the plate into the hat, and at the same time let fall the five pieces you have secreted in your hand under the plate; you then ask him to draw out five pieces, which will still leave fifteen, you take the five that is drawn out and place them in a drawer (see the orange and apple trick), then you go through the magic words, _Presto_, _Pacillo_, _Pass_; you then open the drawer, (after placing your finger on the spring to hold the inside drawer in which the five pieces were placed,) and show the audience that the five pieces are gone; you then tell him to get the hat and see how many pieces are in it; he gets the hat, and to the surprise of all, he counts the original number, fifteen.

67. MYSTERIOUS COIN, OR HOW TO MAKE DOLLARS PASS THROUGH A WINE GLASS, A CHINA PLATE, A TABLE, AND FALL INTO THE HAND.

After performing trick 40, (p. 27,) you may address the company again, and say: "I will show you the nature of this trick, if you will only look sharp enough to see how it is done. Therefore, watch closely, and if you have _very_ penetrating eyes, you may see the money go through this glass and fall upon the plate, and from that through the table into my hand. I will do it deliberately, so that you may have every opportunity of detecting the deception, which will make you as wise as myself."

Now you take a plate and place it on the table, place upon that a wine glass upside down, and take the empty leathern case and hold it before the audience, to convince them that nothing is inside. Place it, in a careless manner, over the riveted money, which you had before put a little aside from the view of the spectators. Place a small ball on the bottom of the glass, then take the case with the concealed coins therein, and place them over the ball, which will be secreted therein. Now tell the company to keep a sharp look out, and they may discover the whole process. Take the loose coins and throw them on the table; bring them again under the table, and exchange them for a ball previously deposited on the shelf, and lay the same upon the table. Remove the case alone, which, of course, will leave the money exposed on the top of the glass. "Now," says the performer, "I presume that you have discovered the whole mystery; but if not, I will give you another opportunity, and will return the money whence it came." Cover the money with the case, and bring the ball which you previously exposed to the spectator under the table, and exchange it for the money on the shelf, which you again toss upon the table. Remove the case with the coins concealed therein, and the ball will appear on the top of the glass, as at first. Our performer makes the following concluding speech: "Now, as you have, I suppose, discovered the whole mystery, I hope, ladies, that _you_ will not set up an opposition line against me; since, if you do, you will very seriously injure my pockets, and, of course, _attract_ all the company, and leave me in an empty house with empty pockets."

68. PROFESSOR WYMAN'S GREAT TRICK OF THE EGYPTIAN FLUIDS, OR IMPOSSIBILITIES ACCOMPLISHED.

Mix wine and water together, then separate them by means of a red and white tape. To perform this trick you must have three covers (tin) made, of an obeliatic form, terminating at about one inch and a half on top, upon the top of two of these covers is soldered a piece of thick brass, copper, or lead, say about a quarter of an inch in thickness, in the center make a hole about the same in diameter, about two inches from the top, and on the inside will be a partition or floor, through the center of which make a small a hole, (this partition must be water tight.) Previous to performing the trick fill the two covers (the tops of them) one with water, the other with wine, then cork them well which excludes the air, consequently keeps the liquid from coming out at the small hole made in the center of the partition, then take two sound tumblers and put about as much water in one as there is water in one of the covers, place the cover over that, the tumbler that has the water, then put about the same quantity of wine in the other tumbler, as there is in the other cover, and place that cover over it; now have a tumbler with a hole through the center of the bottom (made with a drill), have this hole closed with a long peg from the under side, then through your trick table have a small auger hole made to admit the peg, this tumbler must also be covered with a similar cover in external appearance; you then take the covers off the tumblers containing water and wine, and in presence of the audience mix the two liquids, then pour both into the tumbler that has the hole through the bottom, place the tumblers back and cover them over, now lift the tumbler up containing the mixture that the audience may see it, (keeping your hand in front of the peg,) place it back with peg through the hole, cover it over, then take a red and white tape string that has previously been fastened to a small stick, and place it in the top of the cover that is over the false tumbler, then take the end of the red tape, which has a small wire to it, and after removing the cork from the cover over the wine, drop the end of the wire into the whole; the air is then let into the wine, which lets it run down into the tumblers underneath, do likewise with the white tape, then reach your hand under the table and draw the peg out of the tumbler and let the mixture run down into a tumbler or cup secreted there for that purpose; now remove the covers and show the audience that the tumbler you poured the mixture into is empty, and the one you poured it out of contains it again, which will greatly astonish them. That accomplished magician, Professor Wyman, has astonished applauding and delighted thousands in every city in the United States and Canada, by the performance of this wonderful experiment.

69. THE MAGICIAN'S SNOW BALL. ONE OF THE FAKER OF AVA'S FEATS.

Take a cup and fill it with rice, then change it into a handkerchief. To do this trick you have two cups (tin) made to fit one within the other, but let the outside cup be about two inches deeper than the inside one, let the rims be turned square down all round, but let that of the inside cup be a trifle larger than the outside one, so that when the tin cover (which you must also have) is put over them it will fit sufficiently tight to lift out the inside cup when it is taken off. Previous to performing this trick you must place in the bottom of the deep cup a white pocket handkerchief, then place the other cup in it, after which bring it out in presence of the audience, then fill the inside cup (which to the audience appears to be the only cup) with rice, place the cover over it, after which repeat the mystic words _Presto_, _Pacillo_, _Pass_, then remove the cover and the inside cup will have stuck to it and be concealed from view, now take out the handkerchief, and it will greatly astonish those who see it.

70. THE MAGNETIZED CANE.

Is a very surprising little fancy, and is calculated to create much astonishment in the parlor or drawing room. To perform this trick, take a piece of black silk thread or horse hair, about two feet long, and fasten to each end of the same bent hooks of a similar color. When unobserved, fasten the hooks in the back part of your pantaloon-legs, about two inches below the bend of the knees. Then place the cane (it should be a dark one and not too heavy), within the inner part of the thread, as represented in the engraving, and by a simple movement of the legs, you can make the cane dance about, and perform a great variety of fantastic movements. At night your audience cannot perceive the thread, and apparently the cane will have no support whatever. The performer should inform the company before commencing this trick, that he intends to magnetize the cane, and by moving his hands as professors of magnetism do, the motion of the legs will not be noticed.

71. PROFESSOR WYMAN'S MODE OF PERFORMING THE EGG BAG TRICK.

Take a bag and exhibit it to the audience, turn the bag inside out, then back again, after which take several eggs out of it. To perform this trick, have you a bag about a half yard wide, and about five eighths deep, made of black cambric, then take strips of the same cloth about three inches wide and sew them on each side of the strip lengthwise of the bag, these are called cells, it is in these that the eggs are placed; let the end of the cells be closed at the mouth of the large bag, so that the mouth of the cells will be the reverse of that of the large bag, these are filled with eggs made of wood, with the exception of one or two natural eggs, which you take out first, and break, to convince the audience that they are genuine. When you turn the bag you keep these cells next to you, and as the large bag is turned upside down, the eggs are in the bottom of the cells at the mouth of the large bag. The performer will then catch the bag just above the eggs, and give it a few wraps across the other hand, to convince the audience that there is nothing in it, after which he turns the bag again and takes out several eggs, which to the audience is a great mystery.

* * * * *

In this account of conjuring, I have purposely avoided such tricks as require expensive apparatus. Such apparatus is either entirely beyond a boy's reach, or at all events he ought not to be encouraged in the notion of spending much money on objects of no real use. A boy of any ingenuity will make the greater part of the apparatus himself, or at least he can do the painting and polishing of his machinery. I have mentioned no machinery that need cost more than a dollar at the outside, and not that, if a boy is acquainted with the use of tools. It has also been my especial care to introduce only such experiments as are adapted for performance at the parlor or drawing-room table or fireside, and by imparting interesting facts, to stimulate the young experimentalist to inquire into the laws that regulate them; by aiding him to acquire dexterity of practice, to smoothe the road to the development of principles; and, above all, to enable him to escape an imputation which every boy of spirit would consider the depth of disgrace--that of being

"No Conjuror!"

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: That is, make two bags and sew the edges together, so that actually there will be a third bag between the two.]

TRICKS WITH CARDS.

Although proficiency in games with cards, is, in our opinion, a most pernicious accomplishment for youth, and one which cannot be too severely reprobated, we do not consider SLEIGHT-OF-HAND TRICKS with a pack of cards, at all objectionable, but rather a source of much harmless amusement; and, under this impression, we do not hesitate to insert the following series of excellent deceptions and sleight-of-hand tricks.

Playing cards are believed to have been invented in Spain as early as the fourteenth century; for, in 1378, John the First, king of Castile, forbade card-playing in his dominions, in an edict which is anterior to any similar legislative measure in other parts of Europe. The figures upon the cards themselves, add to the strength of the supposition; for the suits answering to those of spades and clubs have not the same inverted heart and trefoil shape which ours of the present day display, but _espadas_, or swords, and _bastos_, or cudgels, or clubs; so that in fact we retain their names, though we have altered the figures. At the present time, too, cards are a favorite diversion of the Spaniards, and the monopoly of selling them is vested in the hands of the sovereign.

In the reign of Henry the Seventh, card-playing was a very fashionable court amusement in England. The cards then used, differed materially in their figures from those now in vogue, as instead of clubs, spades, diamonds, and hearts, they had rabbits, pinks, roses, and the flowers called columbines, upon them; as also bells, hearts, leaves, acorns, deer, &c. Let us now turn to the tricks that can be played with cards.

In accordance with my rule, I shall lay the principal stress on card tricks that require no apparatus, and may be performed with ordinary cards.

1. TO MAKE THE PASS.

This is a necessary beginning for card tricks. "Making the pass," is the technical term for shifting either the top or the bottom card to any place in the pack that you like. It is almost impossible to describe it, and I can only say that it will be learned better in five minutes from a friend, than in as many hours from a book. As, however, a friend is not always to be found who can perform the pass, I will endeavor to describe it.

The cards are held in both hands, right hand underneath and left above, as in the engraving, where, as the _bottom_ card is to be raised to the top, the little finger is seen between that card and those above it. By a quick movement of the right hand, the bottom card is slipped away towards the left, and is placed upon the top card, under shadow of the left hand, which is raised for the moment to allow of its passage.

This movement must be assiduously practiced before it is exhibited in public, as nothing looks more awkward than to see it clumsily performed, in which case two or three cards generally tumble on the floor.

2. TO TELL A CARD BY ITS BACK.

While shuffling the pack, cast a glance at the bottom card, make the pass, and bring it to the top. Continue to shuffle, and lay upon it by degrees as many cards as you like, say six. Then lay the pack on the table, face downwards, and divide it into seven heaps, beginning at the bottom, and leave the seventh heap larger than any of the others.

When you have done this, take one card from the top of the seventh heap, appear to calculate, and lay it, face upwards, on one of the other heaps. Do so with five more cards, thus leaving your slipped card at the top of the seventh heap. You then announce that by the aid of the six cards you will name the seventh. You name it accordingly, after carefully studying the other cards, and on asking a spectator to take it up, it will be seen that you are right.

If you place five cards above the slipped card, you will lay out six heaps, and if eight cards, there will of course be nine heaps.

3. THE CARD NAMED WITHOUT BEING SEEN.