THE FLOATING METAL DISC.--Here a metal disc about the size of a quarter is caused to sink or swim at command in water contained, for convenience, in a shallow gla.s.s tray.

The secret in this case depends upon duplicity; in reality there are two discs, the one an exact duplicate of the other in appearance, but considerably lighter in weight. Aluminium and zinc are alike in appearance and afford the necessary disparity in weight.

The zinc disc is given for examination, and a member of the audience is requested to float it on the water; he, of course, fails. On receiving back the zinc disc the performer "rings" it for that in aluminium and proceeds to surprise the company. I have arranged a special sleight of hand change for the trick as follows:--You carry a handkerchief in the left breast pocket and the aluminium disc palmed in the left hand. On receiving back the zinc disc in the right hand, you forthwith seem to place it in the left hand, really palming it and showing its prototype.

The right hand now takes the handkerchief from the pocket and proceeds to dry what seems to be the wet zinc disc. This latter action gives an excuse for the transfer of the disc from one hand to the other, while the handkerchief effectually conceals the "palm."

The disc is now floated. The handkerchief and the zinc disc are now transferred in a careless manner to the left hand, which forthwith returns the handkerchief (handkerchief only) to the pocket.

The performer is now in a position, at the conclusion of the floating, to repeat the exchange above, dry the disc, and once more hand it for examination.

It is not absolutely necessary to give the metal for examination a second time, in which case the duplicate may, after the first "change,"

be disposed of entirely under cover of returning the handkerchief to the pocket.

When apparently wiping the disc dry be careful that it is never once completely hidden from view, or an exchange may be suspected.

THE BALANCED COINS.--No particular dexterity is necessary to perform the trick I am about to describe, although considerable care must be exercised for its successful execution. The performer, having obtained the loan of three pennies, lays them in a row on the palm of the left hand, in which position they may be inspected by all present. He then, with the thumb and second finger of right hand, grasps the edges of the outermost coins and raises all into a perpendicular position.

The trick is performed with the actual borrowed coins; the secret depends upon the introduction of a little accessory in the shape of a thin strip of wood one-quarter of an inch wide, and in length about one-sixteenth of an inch longer than the combined diameter of the three coins. At the commencement this strip of wood is held concealed in the left hand, being held between the base of the thumb and the first joint of the middle finger. The performer receives the coins in the right hand, then transfers them to the left hand, secretly placing them in the required position: the coins effectually hide the strip of wood and all may be examined. Now by grasping the coins, together with the strip of wood, (as explained above) no difficulty will be found in securing the desired effect. In conclusion the coins are again laid carefully in the left hand, then tossed with apparent carelessness into the right hand and forthwith handed to the owner.

The strip of wood is of course "palmed" in the left hand (as described above) in the act of tossing the coins into the right hand.

MUTILATED CIGARETTE PAPER.--A pretty little trick of an impromptu nature, in which a cigarette paper having been torn into a number of pieces, the pieces being rolled up into a little ball, is afterwards found completely restored.

FIRST METHOD.--The performer is smoking a cigarette; this is an indispensable condition of the trick. By the side of the cigarette, on the right, concealed between the lips, is a little paper ball made from a duplicate whole paper. When presenting the trick, as when smoking in the ordinary way, the cigarette is occasionally taken between the forefinger and thumb of the right hand; experiment will also show that the little paper ball may be removed and replaced, quite secretly, by holding it between the finger and thumb of same hand. (See Fig. 31.)

Thus prepared, the performer hands packet of papers to a gentleman, with a request that he will take one, mutilate it, and roll up the fragments into the form of a little ball. While this is being done the performer casually shows both hands empty, occasionally removing the cigarette from his mouth, and finally securing duplicate ball. Now, under the pretense of showing the gentleman the proper way to roll the paper, he takes it between the finger and thumb of the left hand, and having rolled it about a little, pa.s.ses it over to right hand, where, under cover of the manipulations, it is pa.s.sed to the rear, the duplicate whole paper taking its place. (See Fig. 32.) The performer now returns the paper (the whole one) to the gentleman with the right hand, and forthwith, with the same hand, takes cigarette from mouth, thus concealing duplicate ball between fingers (see Fig. 31) without exciting suspicion. Finally the torn pieces are placed in the mouth when returning cigarette, and kept there until an opportunity arrives for removing them in secret.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 31.--Cigarette Trick]

SECOND METHOD.--This is no less interesting than the method described above. In this case the packet of cigarette papers is prepared beforehand by rolling up one into a little ball, and fixing it on the underside, near the edge at one end, of the second in order from the top.

Thus prepared, the performer removes the packet from his pocket, and tearing off top paper, hands same to a gentleman with a request that he will tear it into small pieces. Says the performer, "I will take one and show you what I mean; tear it as I do." Saying this, he removes second paper, and with it the duplicate ball. While tearing the paper the little ball is kept concealed between the forefinger and thumb, by no means a difficult matter, and occasionally pa.s.sed from one hand to the other that the hands may be shown empty alternately. When the tearing is complete, the performer screws up paper with the remark, "Now roll the pieces into a little ball like this--thank you, that will do nicely." While giving these instructions he pa.s.ses his torn paper to the rear, where it is completely concealed by being pressed tightly between first joint of finger and thumb; the duplicate ball being presented at the extreme tips of same fingers. (See Fig. 32.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 32.--Cigarette Trick]

Continuing, the performer remarks, "Now please take this little ball and give me yours." This is done, care being taken not to expose secreted ball. Performer now accuses gentleman of retaining one of his pieces; this of course leads to an examination, whereupon the gentleman and all present are surprised to find the paper completely restored.

Finally the performer unfolds the pieces of gentleman's paper, with which he also mingles his own, with the remark, "You evidently don't quite understand the trick, sir."

TO READ THE WHOLE OF THE CARDS IN A PACK JUST SHUFFLED (NEW METHOD).--The performer gives pack of cards to be shuffled, and when returned places them behind his back and calls out the name of a card.

He brings the card forward and throws it on the table, and continues in this manner to name every card in the pack.

The secret is exceedingly simple. A second pack of cards, prearranged in a given order, is subst.i.tuted, as hereafter explained, for the pack shuffled by the audience. All the performer has to do then to make the trick a success is to acquire a thorough knowledge of the order of the cards in the prepared pack. The order of the fifty-two cards can be learned in five minutes by the aid of the following mnemonic:

_Five Kings wanted (one ten), six Knaves. For (four) twenty-three (two three) ladies (queen) or eighty-nine (eight nine) slaves (seven)._

The above gives the order of the values of the cards only; the suits must, of course, follow in regular sequence, say: Diamonds, clubs, hearts, spades. Example: On the table, face upward, place the five of diamonds, on this the king of clubs, on this the ace of hearts, on this the ten of spades, on this again the six of diamonds; and so on throughout the pack. Thus arranged, the pack may be cut to any extent without disturbing the order of the cards.

The exchange of packs is carried out under cover of a natural movement, as follows:--Performer receives the shuffled pack in the left hand and forthwith places it behind his back, resting the hand on the hip. The right hand is now placed to the rear, ostensibly for the sole purpose of removing the handkerchief from the left tail pocket, with which the performer is subsequently blindfolded; the right hand, however, first relieves the left hand of the shuffled pack and carefully lowers it into the pocket containing the handkerchief and prepared pack; these two latter are then removed together, the cards being placed in the left hand and the handkerchief brought to the front. Performer now requests some member of the audience to blindfold him in order to preclude the possibility of his obtaining a.s.sistance from mirrors or other reflecting surfaces. As he makes the request he turns round, thereby casually drawing attention to the cards still in the left hand, and which all present will readily believe to be those shuffled.

The solution will now be clear, but various little additions will, doubtless, suggest themselves in the working of the trick. For instance, the performer may undertake to pick out any card called for, which, with a little practice, will be seen to be easy of accomplishment. If the card asked for is out he will state the fact.

In making this reference I would state that the above doggerel rhyme has been arranged, quite recently, by myself. It will be seen that it gives a totally different order of the cards, a much-needed variation, from the now hackneyed rhyme which for ages has appeared in all works on card conjuring.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 33.--Balancing Knives]

BALANCING FEATS.--Take three dessert knives and arrange them in triangular fashion upon three tumblers. Upon the triangular s.p.a.ce formed by the intersection of the knife blades, deposit a water bottle, and upon the mouth of the bottle an apple, (Fig. 33). It seems quite an impossible feat, but it is readily accomplished.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 34.--Balancing Forks]

Another curious experiment in equilibrium is the following: Take a couple of forks and arrange them with their p.r.o.ngs one set over the other, and stick a silver dollar between the middle p.r.o.ngs, thus uniting the two forks. This accomplished, place the coin flat on the rim of a tumbler, pushing it outward until the two circ.u.mferences touch externally. The coin with appendent forks will remain balanced much to the surprise of the company, (Fig. 34). You may follow this up by pouring the water steadily from the gla.s.s into a second gla.s.s, without disturbing the money or the forks, which remain in equilibrio. The above clever feats may properly be performed at the dinner-table after dessert has been brought on.

WALNUT Sh.e.l.lS AND PEA.--This is an excellent table trick, and can be performed at close quarters without much fear of detection. The only articles required for the execution of the trick are three half walnut sh.e.l.ls and a pea. The three sh.e.l.ls are laid in a row on the table, the pea being placed under the centre one, from which position it disappears and is ultimately found under either of the end ones at the will of the performer. The table used must be covered with a cloth of some kind.

The secret lies in the pea, which is fashioned from a piece of india-rubber, but unless closely inspected cannot be distinguished from the ordinary everyday article. When presenting the trick the pea is actually placed under the middle sh.e.l.l. The sh.e.l.ls are then, each in turn, commencing from the one on the left, pushed up the table about three inches. When moving the middle one the pea, owing to its nature and the concavity of the sh.e.l.l, will be found to work its way out, when it is instantly seized with the thumb and middle finger. This, however, cannot be suspected, as the hand retains a perfectly natural position.

The third sh.e.l.l is then moved into a line with the other two.

The pea can now be caused to appear under either of the sh.e.l.ls at pleasure, all that is necessary being to leave it on the table immediately behind the sh.e.l.l in the act of raising the same.

In effect this trick is identical with that known as "Thimble Rigging,"

which it is therefore needless to describe, but the secret is much prettier and calculated to deceive more thoroughly.

THE RESTORED CUT.--This is a very interesting little trick, and is especially suitable for an after-dinner surprise. The performer takes a needle containing about a yard of thread, and pa.s.ses it through an apple. The cord is then pulled backward and forward, after which the apple is cut in half with a table knife; both portions are shown, the cord having to all intents and purposes been severed. The two portions are then united and the cord is pulled backward and forward as before.

The performer prepares for the trick by pa.s.sing the needle in at the side of the apple and bringing it out at the end opposite the stalk, in which condition it is laid on the table.

When about to present the trick the performer takes up both articles, which if held properly will appear to be separate, and announces that he is about to pa.s.s the thread through the apple. He apparently does so, but really inserts the needle at the point where it came out, pa.s.sing it to the opposite side. The thread is now pulled backward and forward, when it will appear to actually traverse the centre of the fruit.

The apple is then cut in half, at right angles to the cord, which under the circ.u.mstances will remain uninjured. The parts are now handed round for inspection, care being taken to keep them together at the bottom, after which they are replaced and the cord shown to be intact. At the conclusion of the trick the thread should be withdrawn from the fruit and given for examination; this also prevents the discovery of the secret by any inquisitive spectator.

THE GARTER TRICK.--This is a very old trick, and from its t.i.tle will be recognized at once as common to the sharps who frequent race-courses.

It is not, however, generally known, and as it forms a good table trick a description of it may not be out of place. It is usually performed with a piece of stiff half-inch tape; an ordinary inch tape measure will answer the purpose admirably. The tape is folded in half and coiled round and round on the table until it is almost impossible to tell for certain which is the loop proper, _i.e._, the point at which the tape was doubled. (See Fig. 35.) The bystander is then requested to place the point of his penknife in the loop, but however careful he may be in his selection he will fail, as the performer is able to pull the tape clear of the knife in all cases. The secret lies in the fact that the tape is not folded exactly in half, one end being left shorter than the other by about three inches. When uncoiling the tape, if the knife be actually placed in the loop, and both ends are pulled from the point A, it will not come away; but if the short end be pa.s.sed round to the left and both ends pulled from the point B, it will be found to come clear of the knife. All the performer has to do, therefore, is to watch and see if the knife is really placed in the loop or otherwise, and to act accordingly. The short end is carried round under cover of the fingers while twisting the tape.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 35.--Garter Trick]

Fig. 35 is arranged for clearness, but in actual practice the tape would receive many more twists, which would also be of a more intricate nature.