path,page,folder,text
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,111,,"""Now I am going to give these two chains an
opportunity to convert themselves into that lucky
number, by taking in this extra link, which as you
perceive is brass, an opposition metal. Observe,
I drop one of the chains into this glass. See that
I do SO fairly. Then I drop in the single link,
and lastly, the other piece of chain. And now, in
order to set up an electrical reaction, I add just a
few drops from this bottle of Eau de Cologne. As
a matter of fact, a little salt and water would have"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,9,,"-
:
No.8. THE MAGNET NAND
Price Twenty-five Cents.
SUTD
NEW-YORK:
HURST & CO., PUBLISHERS."
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,74,,"-
Christopher linchlul
A very rare mezzotint of Christopher Pinchbeck, Jr., combining the work
Cunningham, the greatest designer, and William Humphrey, the greatest
trait etcher of his day. From the Harry Houdini Collection.
[57]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,179,,"- -
eighths of an inch thick and covered as to its upper
side with fine black cloth. To the cloth-covered
side of this is attached, by means of a screw at
each corner, a parallelogram of brass or copper
wire enclosing a space two inches wide. The four
screws, which are likewise of brass, and which are
Fig. 35
of the round-headed kind, are within the parallelo-
gram and serve to keep the wire extended. Mid-
way at each end is another screw, driven in out-
side the wire, in such manner as to make all taut.
These last two screws, for a reason connected with
the working of the trick, stand up a shade higher
than the other four, but the difference is not great
enough to be noticeable. See Fig. 35."
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,115,,". 06
A
A
AAA"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,116,,020 237 539 A
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,10,,"1.665
Copyright, 1918
Bx SPON & CHAMBERLAIN
$ 180
CAMELOT PRESS, 226-228 WILLIAM ST., NEW YORK, U. S. A.
CIA506691"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,26,,"10
LATEST MAGIC
here is another inside it.'' (Produce second pot.)
""You wouldn't have thought it, would you ? In
fact, you would never have known, if I hadn't told
you.
""Of course I could keep on doing this all the
evening, but there wouldn't be much fun in it, and
no time would be left for anything else, SO I will
proceed at once to make use of the pots for a little
experiment with cards.""
(Proceed with any trick for which the card mat
may have been prepared.)
N. B. It will be taken for granted, in the
description of tricks dependent upon the use of the
flower-pots, that these have been already intro-
duced, after the above or some similar manner.
ADHESIVE CARDS AND TRICKS THEREWITH
I believe I may safely claim that the device I
am about to describe was, until I disclosed it some
months ago in the Magazine of Magic, an absolute
novelty. It consists in the preparation of one card
of a pack (or, better still, of a spare card, to be
substituted at need for its double), by rubbing one
or other of its surfaces, shortly before it is needed
for use, with diachylon, in the solid form.
We will suppose, in the first instance, that the
back of the card is so dealt with. The rubbing
does not alter its appearance, but gives it a thin
coating of adhesive matter, and if another card is"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,20,,"10
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
FIG. 1.
Ellie
First Position of Pass 1.
SECOND POSITION OF PASS 1.
The left hand must appear to close over the object that is
brought toward it, at the same instant that the right hand se-
cretes and withdraws that object.
The left hand that appeared to receive it must continue
closed. The right hand, though it actually retains the object,
must be allowed to hang loosely over it, so that it appears to
have nothing in it.
FIG. 2.
Second Position of Pass 1.
The performer then may blow upon the closed left hand, and
may say, ""Fly,"" or ""Begone,"" or any similar expression, and
then open his left hand, holding it forward. Of course there is
nothing in it, and the object seems to have flown from it, and
the spectators are much surprised.
SECOND PASS.-Method of apparently transferring
an object from the left hand to the right, while retaining
it in the left hand.
FIRST POSITION.
Let the left hand hold up the object in its open palm. The"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,116,,"100
LATEST MAGIC
doubt it would be very fine indeed. The worst of
it is that it would take a year or two to try them,
SO for the present I am obliged to leave things as
they are.
""You will observe that I have here three tubes""
(showing No. 1 and passing wand through it to
prove it is empty), ""quite ordinary tubes, with a
hole at each end, and nothing at all between. I
don't suppose you would notice anything to object
to about them, but some people are so very par-
ticular. A gentleman who said he had an artistic
eye (I don't know which eye it was) said to me,
'Look here, Professor, that trick of yours would be
ever SO much better if you had all those tubes the
same size. That lot looks as if you had picked
them up at a jumble sale.'¹ I explained to him,
kindly but firmly, that there was a special reason
for having the three tubes of different sizes;
namely, that by so doing it was made possible""
(suiting the action to the word) ""to pass this one
(No. 1) over this other (No. 2): ; and this again
over the smallest one, thereby saving much space
in packing. He said, ""Never mind, you take my
tip and make 'em all the same size.' I dare say
he was right, but I haven't had time to do it yet.""
During this little harangue, which appears to be
mere ""spoof,"" you have practically worked the
trick. Suiting the action to the word, you have
passed the largest tube No. 1 over No. 2 and lifted
1 Rummage,"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,118,,"102
LATEST MAGIC
try it myself, but it would be no good my trying
to grow vegetables. I shouldn't have room to
grow more than one radish, or one spring onion
at a time, which would hardly be worth while. I
finally decided to grow a few billiard balls, for use
in my entertainment, and I'll show you how it's
done.
""You must please imagine that these three tubes
are three hothouses on the new system."" (Picks
up and exhibits one of the little white balls.) ""Of
course everything has to be raised from seed in the
first instance, but it would take too long to show
you the whole process from the beginning, SO we
will start with this little ball, grown from seed last
night. In its present condition it is too small to
be of any use, but by means of my intensive cul-
ture we can soon make it grow larger. I will drop
it into No. 1 forcing house.""
Performer shows little ball in right hand and
makes believe to transfer it to the left, in reality
rolling it, as in the well-known ""Cups and Balls""
trick, between the roots of the second and third
fingers. The left hand, held above tube No. 1,
makes the movement of crumbling an imaginary
ball into it. ""Now we will plant another in the
same way.""
You pick up apparently another little white ball,
but in reality the same; which has remained in the
right hand. Now, however, it will be well to vary
the sleight used, so you show the ball between the"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,120,,"104
LATEST MAGIC
Even the warmth of the breath is generally enough
for these. Anyhow, we will try."" You breathe
into the tube, and lifting it show the ball, then
offering both tube and ball for inspection.
It will hardly be necessary to point out to the
acute reader that the alteration of procedure in
the case of the last tube is rendered necessary; first,
by the fact that the tube up to that point contains
no ball, and secondly in order to avoid the difficulty
of striking a match with the right hand only, the
left being otherwise occupied.
The trick may appropriately be followed by the
exhibition of a few of the usual ball sleights. If
it is worked on a ""black art"" table it may be
brought to an effective close by the ""dematerialisa-
tion,"" in succession, of the three balls.
THE BOUNDING BEANS
This is another application of the principle
introduced by Signor Molini and utilised in the
trick last described.
The requisites for the trick are as follows:
(1) Mirror glass; at the outset, empty.
(2) Two tubes of cardboard, sheet brass, or zinc,
as A and B in Fig. 17. The height and width of
A are about 31/2 and 21/2 inches respectively. B is
a little taller, but a trifle less in diameter.
(3) A third tube, C, with its lower edge turned
inward an eighth of an inch all around. This tube"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,122,,"106
LATEST MAGIC
The remainder are to be brought forward on some
sort of tray.¹
C loaded as last described, is to be placed
within B.
The trick may be introduced as follows:
""Most of you, I dare say, have seen the little
natural curiosity known as the Jumping Bean.
To all appearance these are just like other beans;
but if you spread a dozen or SO of them on the
table and watch them carefully, you presently see
one or more of them turn over, or even make a little
jump. A young and lively bean will sometimes
hop as far as half an inch.
""Scientific gentlemen tell us that their agility is
caused by a little insect inside the bean. When
he wags his tail, or scratches himself with his hind
leg, it causes the bean to turn over, or to make a
hop. That seems to me rather a lame explanation
because there is no hole in the bean that the insect
could possibly have got in at. I believe myself,
that they are in truth magic beans, and I have been
trying to train some beans of my own to do the
same thing on a larger scale, and in such a way
that you can all see them do it.
""Here are my beans."" (Show those on tray.)
""Examine them as much as you like. The more
you examine them, the more you won't find any-
1 The little dishes of paper pulp sold for pienic purposes will be found
to answer this and similar purposes excellently and have the further
advantage of being exceptionally portable."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,124,,"108
LATEST MAGIC
him. I never do with that sort of man. It is just
a question of the point of view. Anyhow, I had
the one made larger, or the other one smaller,
whichever way it is, SO that the one can go com-
fortably over the other, like this.""
first carelessly moved about so as to show
clearly that it is empty, is brought down over B
and lifted off again, carrying off within it C and
its load; after which B is in turn shown to be
empty.
""Now I am goong to order the beans to jump out
of the glass and into one or other of these empty
tubes, at your own choice. Right? or left?
Which shall it be?""
Performer asks the question standing behind his
table, and by means of the familiar equivoque
(""my"" or ""your"" left or right) interprets the
answer to mean A.
""And now I have only to pronounce the proper
magic spell. The trouble is to remember the right
one. They are rather confusing, and if you hap-
pen to pronounce the wrong one, or even pronounce
the right one the wrong way, the consequences may
be serious. But I think I know this one pretty
well. 'Peripatetico-paticocorum.' I fancy
I
have got it right. I don't know quite what it
means myself, and nobody seems to be able to tell
me. A Japanese gentleman told me he thought it
was Spanish, but a Spaniard said he felt sure it
was Welsh. Somebody else suggested that I"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,126,,"110
LATEST MAGIC
LOST AND FOUND
This trick may be worked either upon a black
art table or black art mat. We will assume that
the latter is used.
The requisites for this trick will in such case
be as follows:
1. The mat. This may be a small circular one,
a few inches in circumference without pocket.
2. A handkerchief, fourteen or fifteen inches
square, of some gaudy pattern, carefully folded
and placed in a square Japanese handkerchief box.¹
3. A circular velvet patch as described ante, in
the chapter dealing with novel applications of the
Black Art principle.
4. A half-crown placed in a pochette, or other-
wise so as to be readily get-at-able.
Presentation. Performer opens the box and
takes out the handkerchief, which he carefully
unfolds, handling it as if it were something of
extraordinary value.
""I have here, ladies, a curio of an exceptionally
curious kind. This is said to be the identical
handkerchief which Othello gave to Desdemona,
and which afterwards caused so much unpleasant-
ness. No doubt you all know your Shakespeare,
and will remember that Othello tells his wife,
""There's magic in the web of it.' And there is
1 The handkerchief should be readily recognizable as a cheap and
commonplace one."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,1,,"111
.
116"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,128,,"112
LATEST MAGIC
any credit for doing it. He says himself it was
just an accident, and might have happened to any-
body. But he never can get anyone to believe him,
and it has spoilt his character. He was naturally
a truthful man, but being always disbelieved has
made him reckless, and now, whenever he tells the
story he sticks another half-pound on to the sal-
mon. I believe it is a fifteen pounder now.¹
""With regard to the handkerchief, however, I
can easily prove to you that what I have stated is
correct. I can't prove it quite in the same way,
because even if any lady or gentleman present
had lost a dog, it would take the handkerchief a
day or two to find it, and you would get tired of
waiting. So I must show you the virtues of the
handkerchief in a simpler way.
""Will some gentleman oblige me with the loan
of a half-crown, marked SO that he can be sure of
knowing it again?
On receiving the coin the performer returns to
his table, holding it on high SO that it can be seen
that there is no substitution, and lays it on the
black art mat.
""Presently I propose to lose this coin, and get
1 This story, as also a few other ""yarns"" with which I have endeav-
oured to brighten my otherwise serious pages, may be suppressed if it
is thought desirable to shorten the patter. I ought perhaps to apologise
for introducing such irrelevant fiction, but I am encouraged in misdo-
ing by the example of the lamented Artemus Ward, who said that the
best things in his lecture were generally the things that had nothing
to do with it."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,130,,"114
LATEST MAGIC
think of it, it's of no consequence. The handker-
chief will find it wherever it is, even if it has to
follow it into somebody's pocket. By the way,
where is the handkerchief?"" He takes it from the
person with whom it was left, and holding it by
two of its corners, and showing both hands other-
wise empty, lowers it down carefully over the
black patch on table.
""And now to work the spell. 'Bismillah!
Bechesm! Salaam Aleikoum!' You must excuse
my speaking Arabic, but that is the only language
the handkerchief understands. I see that the gen-
tleman who lent me the half-crown is looking a
little bit anxious. Cheer up, Sir, the handkerchief
has never failed me yet. But we must give it time.
Say, half a minute."" (Looks at watch.) ""This
is curious. Half a minute gone. One minute,
and nothing has happened. The handkerchief has
made no move. Something must have gone wrong.
But stay If the handkerchief has not gone to the
coin, perhaps the coin has gone to the handker-
chief. Let us see!""
He lifts the handkerchief by the centre, picking
up the black patch with it, and thereby disclosing
the coin, which is handed back on the mat to the
owner. Then carefully folding up the handker-
chief, performer replaces it in its box, and in so
doing regains possession of the velvet patch, to be
got rid of at a convenient opportunity."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,132,,"116
LATEST MAGIC
with some neat device. Mr. Schooling declared
that the original idea was too good to be abandoned,
and offered to try his hand at bringing it to a suc-
cessful issue. I must frankly confess that I had
no great hope of his success; but Mr. Schooling is
a man of many talents. Apart from eminence in
his own profession (that of actuary and statis-
tician) he- is not only an expert amateur conjurer,
Fig. 18
but an exceptionally skilful mechanic, and he
possesses withal an unlimited capacity for taking
pains. He used these qualities to such good pur-
pose that I am enabled to include this striking
effect among the contents of the present volume.
The principal item of apparatus is naturally the
pyramid itself, which is of blackened wood as
illustrated in Fig. 18. For the sake of lightness it"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,134,,"118
LATEST MAGIC
proportion to its thickness much stronger than
ordinary silk thread, and, not being liable to
untwist, its surface remains permanently hard and
smooth, a great desideratum where it is important
to minimise friction. Further, it does not ""kink""
as a twisted thread is liable to do.
Two other items of apparatus are used, viz.:
(1) An electric torch in the shape of a wand, the
light appearing at the end.
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
(2) A little knife or cutter specially designed by
Mr. Schooling for use in this trick. This consists
of a half-inch length of a safety-razor blade, set
in a handle consisting of a piece of tin one inch
square, folded in half, and then bent back to a right
angle on each side, the blade projecting along the
line of juncture as shown in Fig. 19. In use the
cutter is held by what may be called its backbone
between the first joints of the first and second
fingers of the extended hand, as shown in Fig. 20.
This cutter must be placed ready to hand upon the"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,28,,"12
LATEST MAGIC
this point; but even a novice may very well carry
it a stage further. To do so, he will in the first
place replace the card in the box, in such a manner
that it can be again ""vanished."" In gathering
together the outspread cards, he takes care to place
the queen of clubs on top of the rest. As this,
however, is the double card, the actual top card is
of course the missing seven of diamonds. It is
an easy matter, in handling the cards, to detach
this from the queen of clubs, and, after a little
""talkee-talkee,"" show that it has left the box and
returned to the pack.
The above would, however, be much too crude
and elementary a proceeding to commend itself to
the expert. In the trick next to be described the
same expedient is employed after a more subtle
fashion.
THE MISSING CARD
The requirements for this trick consist of two
complete packs of cards and an extra card, which
we will suppose to be the knave of diamonds. One
of the two packs, which we will call A, has on top
a card made adhesive at the back as above
described, and its own knave of diamonds at the
bottom. The other pack, B, is wholly unprepared.
The first step is to offer pack B to be shuffled,
and when it is returned to palm on to it the spare
knave of diamonds, after which the pack is left"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,22,,"12
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
always remains in the hand where it was first visible to the spec-
tators. The BACK of that hand where the object is first displayed
must afterwards be kept well toward the spectators.
Observe, the eye of the performer must rest always on the
hand or object at which he desires the spectators to look, and
whatever he wishes them not to notice, he himself must refrain
from looking at.
If it is not required that the very object that has been held up
in these passes be seen again by the spectators, the performer
must quietly pocket it, or drop it on a handkerchief on his ta-
ble, or inside a hat, or otherwise get rid of it as soon as he con-
veniently can.
On the contrary, if that very object must be again produced
or transferred to a person standing at some little distance, this
must be effected by one of the following methods :
Either you must take care beforehand to place adroitly in that
person's cap or pocket a double or similar object.
OR, you must walk up to him, and putting your hand on his
hair, sleeve, or pocket, quickly place there the object you have
all
along retained, and which you must pretend by this ma-
noeuvre to find in his possession.
Or, lastly, you will see in the first trick subjoined, a method
of substituting one object for another.
FIRST TRICK.-To command a dime to pass into the
centre of a ball of Berlin wool, EO that it will not be dis-
covered till the ball is unwound to the very last of its
threads.
REQUISITE PREPARATIONS, TO DE MADE PRIVATELY.
You will require a glass bowl or quart basin, and you must
have a flattened tube of tin about four inches long. It must be
just large enough to let a dime slide easily through it by its own
weight. Round the end on this tubo wind a ball of Berlin wool
of bright color, covering about two inches of the tube, and pro-
jecting about an inch bevond the end of it. Place this ball with
the tube in it in your right-hand pocket of coat tail, (or in the
left breast-pocket, if that is largo enough to hold it completely
left hand.
covered.) Lastly, place a dime concealed in the palm of your
Commence the exhibition of the trick by requesting one of the
spectators to mark a dime (or cent) of his own, so that he will
be sure to know it again. Then ask him to lend you that coin."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,136,,"120
LATEST MAGIC
land, you will have some idea of the sort of job
the Egyptian builders had to tackle.¹ Anyhow,
the work was done, and as it is clear that it could
not have been done by any known mechanical
means, we are compelled to seek some other solu-
tion of the problem.
""I don't know whether any of you read novels.
If you do, you must often have noticed the curious
way in which fiction constantly anticipates fact.
The novelist describes some utterly impossible
thing, and a few years later some other fellow goes
and does it. Jules Verne described a voyage
under the sea long before the submarine was
invented, and Mr. Wells wrote The War in the
Air' while the aeroplane and the Zeppelin were
still in their infancy. But there is one conception
of the novelist which has not till now been made
an accomplished fact. That is the force called
'Vril,' described by Lord Lytton in his novel, ""The
Coming Race.' He describes Vril as a sort of
hyper-electricity capable in the hands of those who
know how to gather and use it, of producing all
sorts of wonders, even to removing mountains.
Imprisoned in a wand and directed by a strong
will, it will shrivel up an enemy or a wild beast as
by a flash of lighting.
""I have always had an idea that this must have
been the force used by the Egyptians to build the
1 Before an American audience the names of any two well-known
buildings in New York may be substituted."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,138,,"122
LATEST MAGIC
ing it along the thread, and ""bedding"" it between
the ""stops"" at the left hand bottom corner of the
board. He then slides the other portions, one by
one, along the thread in the same way, laying them
in a row diagonally across the board. This will
have taken up a considerable portion of the thread,
but there will still be a loop some inches in length
hanging down near the left hand corner of the
table.
""Now please watch carefully. This wand, you
will remember, has been carefully charged with
my limitation Vril.""
While speaking these last words the performer
gets one finger of his left hand within the loop.
He now turns on the light at the end of the wand,
and with it makes a quick sweep from right to left
over the severed parts of the pyramid, making at
the same time a half-turn away from the table, and
quickly drawing away the thread. If this is done
neatly the severed parts of the pyramid l'un
together one upon the other in a single instant.
It is probable that the parts may not sit exactly
one upon another. Whether this is SO or not, the
performer makes believe to notice that it is so, as
it gives him a needful opportunity. He remarks:
""The power was hardly strong enough, I see.
There is a block here that needs a little straighten-
ing up."" Having meanwhile picked up the little
cutter between the fingers he bends over the table
and squares up the pyramid as may (or may not)"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,140,,"124
LATEST MAGIC
diminish friction on a thread passing through it.
(3) An electric torch in the shape of a bottle;
the light showing itself at the mouth.
(4) A black dress-hook, sewn point upwards to
the lower edge of the performer's vest on the right
FIG. 21
or left side, as may best suit his own position in
working the trick, just where back and front meet.
It will be found on examination of the pagoda
that each of the parts of which it consists has a hole
bored vertically through its centre. The topmost
portion has in addition a pinhole passing horizon-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,142,,"126
LATEST MAGIC
zigzag fashion SO as prevent the possibility of
its fouling at a critical moment.
The introductory patter may l'un as follows:
""In the course of my travels in Central Africa--
you didn't know that I had been in Central Africa ?
Strange, how little the world knows of its greatest
men! But no matter! When I was in Africa I
chanced to come upon the place where the Golli-
woggs live.
""It's a nice place-for those who like that sort
of place, but most people would find it a little too
warm. It is so warm there that the hens lay their
eggs hard-boiled, and you dig up potatoes ready
baked. It is too warm for anything but simple
life,-the very simple life, particularly as regards
clothing. The ordinary walking dress for a gen-
tleman Golliwogg is a pair of braces. The king
wears two pairs; except on state occasions, when
he wears one of those short shirts instead. You
know the kind I mean-all front. I think they
call them 'dickeys.'
""The ladies are more dressy. They get the
fashions from back numbers of the Daily Mail;
kimonos and camisoles and corsets all in the latest
style. They are made with green paint and put
on with a shaving brush. There is only one thing
that bothers the court dressmakers. They can't
make a crinoline.""
[If desired to shorten the patter the fashion
details may be omitted.]"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,144,,"128
LATEST MAGIC
tists tell us that the sun throws out three sorts
of rays; light-rays, heat-rays, and force-rays.
The artful witch doctors have found out a way of
bottling off the force rays. They are mild at first,
but when they get old in the bottle, so to speak, they
become so strong that if you know how to do it you
can lift the heaviest weights with them.
""I managed to get hold of a small bottle of the
rays"" (show bottle) ""and I will show you, on a
very small scale, how the thing is done.
""First, we will take the pagoda to pieces.""
Standing behind the table, the performer moves
the pagoda to the corner of the tray nearest his
own left hand; SO as to leave space for the different
portions when separated. He then picks up all the
parts save the base, holding them carefully
together, and drawing away with them a length
of the thread about equal to the diagonal of the
tray. Passing the undermost section downwards
along the thread, he lays it down beside the base,
afterwards treating the other portions in the same
way, the several portions finally resting on the tray
somewhat as shown in Fig. 23.
If the length of the thread has been properly
gauged (this is a matter to be determined by
experiment beforehand), there should be some
twelve or fourteen inches of ""slack."" Slipping
the ring at the end over the little hook before
mentioned, the performer moves a little away
from the table, SO as to draw this portion"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,146,,"130
LATEST MAGIC
away the line, and detaching the ring from the
hook, lets it fall to the ground. This done, he
returns to the table, and shifting the restored
pagoda to the centre of the tray, brings all for-
ward, inviting anyone who cares to do so, to satisfy
himself that there has been ""no deception.""
THE STORY OF THE ALKAHEST
The requirements for this trick are as follows:
(1) Two wands, exactly alike in appearance.
One of them to be that just used in some previous
trick or tricks (which we will call No. 2), and the
other, prepared as to be presently explained, to
be secretly substituted for it immediately before
the presentation of the present trick. This can be
easily done by the aid of a couple of pairs of cup-
hooks fixed behind the table or a chair after the
manner described in ""Later Magic,"" p. 126; or
the wands may be exchanged during journey to
the table at an early stage of the trick; by means
of a pocket of suitable shape within the left breast
of the coat. This is a matter as to which the per-
former will please himself, but the exhibition in
the first instance of an obviously unprepared wand
is essential to the artistic finish of the trick.¹
1 I am indebted to a clever amateur, Mr. Gordon Powell, for the
knowledge of a very simple but effective method of ""changing"" a wand.
The prepared article lies just within the forward rim of an oblong
Japanese tray, and at a convenient moment the unprepared wand just
used is laid behind and parallel with it. A little later this is pro-"
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The trick may be introduced as follows:
""For the next surprise I have to show you we
are indebted to the ancient alchemists. People
regard them as back numbers nowadays, because
they didn't know anything about aeroplanes, or
appendicitis, or income tax and such-like up-to-
date luxuries; but they had a good many useful
little secrets of their own. One of them was the
recipe for what was called the Alkahest, a liquid
which immediately dissolved anything it touched;
from a gold watch to a set of fire-irons. The secret
of making it has long been lost, and all that still
exists of the liquid itself I have here in this
bottle.""
The bottle is here brought forward and offered
for inspection.
""Pretty colour, isn't it? And it has a very
delightful perfume."" (Takes out stopper.)
""You are welcome to smell it but I don't advise
you to taste it. If you did you would probably
never taste anything again. I want you to notice,
by the way, those two letters H R on the label.
There is a dead secret attached to those letters.
They mean something, of course; but nobody
knows what it is.""7
The bottle is replaced on the table.
""This bottle came into my hands by inheritance.
An ancestor of mine, in the reign of James the
First, was an alchemist in a small way. He is
reputed to have made a handsome income by sell-"
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getting a bit thin on the top, and it worried him.
One day, thinking over the mysterious letters, an
idea struck him. 'H R'! he explaimed, 'H R!
why ""Hair Restorer"" of course, not a doubt of it!
I'll try it this very night.' He did. He rubbed
it in, and went to sleep quite happy, but when he
tried to brush his hair in the morning there wasn't
any left to brush. The Alkahest had taken it all
off, and left him as bald as a baby.
""He went to bed again, and ordered a wig, but
before it could be sent home he caught such a
cold in his head that he died. Just-sneezed-him-
self-away.""
(The last words to be spoken slowly and sadly.)
""I notice that some of you ladies are weeping.
It is an affecting story, no doubt, and I used to
shed a tear over it myself. But after all, you
didn't know my Uncle James. Neither did I, for
the matter of that, and if we had known him we
might not have liked him. So we won't stop to
grieve about him.¹
""One of the most striking experiments with the
Alkahest is the dissolving of a paving stone, par-
ticularly if you lay a bunch of violets on it and
dissolve them both together, when you get a scut-
tleful of best Violet Powder. Unfortunately I
haven't a paving stone handy, and I don't suppose
any gentleman present is likely to have one about
1 If it is desired to shorten the patter the ""Uncle James"" episode
may be omitted without serious detriment to the trick."
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have been tied. The performer returns to the
table to fetch the bottle; and during the transit
passes the wand to the opposite hand, in SO doing
drawing off the knotted ribbon (to be dropped a
moment later into the profonde), and exposes the
opposite end. He removes stopper from bottle,
leaving it on the table.
""Now comes the most critical part of the opera-
tion. I am going by means of the Alkahest to
dissolve these knots. How many did we say there
were? Five ? Then I must use five drops and
no more. If I were to overdo it in the smallest
degree the consequences would be serious. I
should destroy the ribbon altogether, and in these
hard times ribbon is ribbon, even if it is only six-
three a yard.""
He brings forward the bottle, and with great
pretence of accuracy lets fall on the ribbon the
suggested number of drops. Then slipping off the
rubber ring he offers the end of the ribbon to some
member of the company to unwind, when the knots
are naturally found to have disappeared.
""The Alkahest retains its virtue, you see, even
after SO many years. Every knot is completely
dissolved. I will conclude by asking you an
impromptu riddle. Just one of those bright
thoughts that strike me sometimes when I least
expect it-
""When is a knot not a knot
""When it's not there."
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The general appearance of the apparatus, which
is eight inches high by seven in outside diameter,
is as depicted in Fig. 24. It consists of a circular
mahogany stand or base, resting on three small
feet, and surmounted by a glass dome b. This last
is in fact a bell-glass, as used by gardeners, and
has at top the usual knob, whereby to lift it. To
this is attached a short loop of narrow ribbon.
The glass dome does not rest directly on the stand,
its lower edge being encased in a mahogany mount.
From the centre of the stand rises a vertical pin,
a quarter of an inch in height, serving as pivot for
a metal pointer (Fig. 25), which, by means of a
little cup, or socket, at its centre, can be lifted on
and off, and revolves freely upon it, after the man-
ner of a compass. A further item of the appara-
tus is a reversible cardboard dial, whose two sides,
front and back, are depicted in Figs. 26 and 27. It
will be seen that the circumference of this dial is
divided on the one side (Fig. 26) into four equal
sections, each bearing a pip of one of the four suits.
The other side (Fig. 27) is divided into eight sec-
tions, marked with the numerals, from seven to ten
inclusive, and the letters A, K, Q, and J, answering
to Ace, King, Queen and Jack.
With the Oracle is used a set of eight questions,
and a piquet pack of cards, on the backs of which
are written or printed thirty-two answers appro-
priate to such questions, one of each suit to each
question. The person consulting the Oracle hav-"
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scarcely likely, that that card may have been
shuffled into the seventh place. We will see.""
He counts off cards from the top of the pack on
to the table, faces down, not exposing any card till
he comes to the seventh, which he holds up so that
all may see it. ""Now, Madam, is that your card?
I don't want to know the name of it yet. It is not
your card I did not suppose it was, for the
chances were over fifty to one against it, but you
never can tell!""
He gathers up the cards counted off, and without
disturbing their order, replaces them on the top
of the pack, thereby bringing the original top card
to the seventh place.
""Now please observe that I do not touch these
cards again till the miracle has actually happened.
I will now ask you, madam, to be good enough to
name your card. The knave of diamonds, you
say ? That is all right. Had you taken the knave
of clubs, I should have feared for the success of
my experiment, for that knave always gives
trouble, if he can; but the knave of diamonds is a
very gentlemanly card, and I have no doubt that
he will readily oblige. Now, Percy (perhaps you
didn't know his name was Percy), I want you to
leave the pack you are in, and place yourself sev-
enth in the other pack. Go at once, like a good
boy. Start at the top, and go straight down.
One. two, three, four, five, six, seven!
""I should think he has arrived by this time."
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,24,,"14
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
Draw attention to how completely the coin is wrapped up till
you arrive at the very last circles, when it will drop into the
bowl.
Hand the dime to the owner who marked it, and let him de-
clare whether he recognizes it as the very one he lent you.
His affirmativo will surprise the spectators.
SECOND TRICK.-To change a bowl of ink into clear
water, with gold fish in it.
REQUISITE PREPARATION, TO BE MADE PRIVATELY BEFOREHAND.
The same glass bowl as in previous trick. If your bowl has
not a foot to it, it must be placed on something that will hold it
high above your table. Some small fish, a white plate or sau-
cer, a piece of black silk just fitting the inside of your bowl, a
spoon of peculiar construction, so that in a hollow handle it will
retain about a teaspoonful of ink, which will not run out as long
as a hole near the top of the handle is kept covered or stopped.
A large tumbler and two or three minnows will do for a simpler
exhibition, but will, of course, not be so pleasing to the eye.
Place the black silk so as to cover the part of the bowl that is
shaded; when damp it will adhere to the glass. Pour in clear
water to fill the space covered by the black silk, and placo the
fish in the water.
Fig. 5.
Commence the trick in public thus: Holding the spoon-han-
dle slanting up and uncovering the hole in the handle, the ink
which you have placed in the handle will run into the bowl of
the spoon, and the spoon being held carefully to the surface of
the water, concealing the black silk, will give the spectators the
impression that you fill the spoon from the glass bowl.
Pour the spoonful of ink on a white saucer, and show it round
to convince the spectators it is ink. They will see it is undeni-
ably ink, and they will conclude, if the spoon were properly"
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for in the pack, and is found to bear a more or less
appropriate answer to the question asked.
The movements of the pointer are governed by
the fact that, imbedded in the mahogany mount
surrounding the base of the bell glass, is a piece
of thick steel wire, strongly magnetised, and
extending half way round the circle. The pointer,
though SO coloured as to have the appearance of
brass, is in reality a magnetic steel needle, and
therefore when resting on the pivot and covered
by the glass, will automatically move round till
it comes to rest between the two magnetic poles
formed to the opposite ends of the hidden wire.
The operator can therefore, by placing the glass
cover accordingly, cause the indicator to stop at
any part of the dial that he pleases.
It remains to be explained what guides him in
the manipulation of the glass, SO as to cause the
needle to stop at the point he desires. It will be
remembered that, attached to the knob at the top
of the glass, is a loop of ribbon, serving to suspend
the glass in use from the forefinger, as shown in
Fig. 28. But the loop has in truth a much more
important function than this. Before the loop is
formed, the ribbon is tied tightly round the neck
of the knob, previously waxed to prevent its slip-
ping round, and the knot is SO placed that it shall
exactly correspond with that pole of the magnet
to which the point of the needle is intended to be
in use attracted. This done, a loop is formed with"
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please himself in this particular. The selection of
suitable questions and answers is however a some-
what delicate matter. The answers must on the
one hand be smart enough to afford amusement
to the company generally; and on the other hand
must not be so pungent as to be likely to cause
offence to a person putting the question.
The questions and answers I devised for my own
use ran somewhat as follows:
1. What does my husband (or wife, as the case may bé) most
think about ?
ANSWERS
Seven of Diamonds.
Yourself.
""
Hearts.
Money.
""
Spades.
Dinnertime.
""
Clubs.
Golf.
2. Shall I live to grow old?
Eight of Diamonds.
Yes, if you don't worry about it.
""
Hearts.
A well-spent youth will be fol-
lowed by a happy old age.
""
Spades.
As old as you care to be.
""
Clubs.
Yes, old, and fat.
3. What is my chief fault?
Nine of Diamonds.
You haven't any.
""
Hearts.
Excessive modesty.
""
Spades.
Flirting.
""
Clubs.
Swank.
4. Shall I have what I am wishing for ?
Ten of Diamonds. Y es, if you deserve it.
""
Hearts.
If you go the right way to get it."
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rather the reverse, and are intended to be used as
replies to gentlemen only. Bearing this arrange-
ment in mind, it is a comparatively easy matter to
suit the answer to the querist.
The questions must be memorised in proper
order, and it is desirable to do the same with the
answers also, though there should be no difficulty,
remembering the principle of arrangement, in giv-
ing a fairly appropriate answer, even though the
memory be for the moment at fault as to its exact
terms. To avoid the necessity of giving the same
answer more than once, it is well to make a rule
that the same question shall not be asked more than
three times.
The Oracle may be introduced as follows:
""Allow me to introduce to your notice a curio of
an exceptionally interesting kind. This elegant
little affair is said to have been the private Oracle
of Rameses the Second, a gentleman who flourished
in Egypt about four thousand years ago. I can't
be sure to a year or two, because it was before my
time, but I believe that is about right. People
sometimes express surprise that, being so ancient,
the Oracle should be in such good condition, but
that is accounted for by its having been preserved
in the same case as Rammy's mummy. I don't
mean his mamma, but the gentleman himself, in
the cold storage of the period. The story may or
may not be true. I can't take any responsibility
for it. Others declare that the Oracle was the fav-"
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ing over the question. Now it has come to rest,
and it says the answer will be found in the""
(name suit.) ""And now to find out which is the
right card of that suit. I take off the glass and
turn the dial over. Please concentrate your mind
on your question. I put the glass and the pointer
on again. Again the pointer thinks it over, and
finally decides as you see, for the (naming
number of card.) ""Now all we have to do is to
look out that card"" (does so) ""and here we have
the answer to your question.""
Before inviting a fresh querist to breathe into
the glass, it is well to wipe it out carefully with a
silk pocket handkerchief, professedly to dispel the
personal magnetism of the last enquirer, any
remains of which, left within the glass, might
imperil the correctness of the anticipated answer.
THE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET¹
The reader is probably familiar with the trick
known as ""The Silver Tube and Ball."" If not,
it may be stated that the ""tube"" is of metal, nick-
elled, and about eight inches long by one and a
half in diameter. With it is used an ebony ball,
which is made to pass into and out of the tube in a
very surprising way.
The secret lies partly in the fact that half way
1
A description of this trick will be found in The Magician for March,
1914."
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improvement, and after some cogitation I suc-
ceeded in producing a new trick on somewhat sim-
ilar lines; but free from the defect mentioned above
and capable withal of producing a far wider variety
of effects.
I use two tubes of stiff cardboard, each about
four inches long by one and a half in diameter.
One of these is just a plain tube with no speciality
SECTION
FIG. 29
about it. The other has a piece of fine wire cross-
ing it midway from side to side, and taking the
form of a halfhoop, as shown in Fig. 29, the ends
serving as pivots on which it moves freely. On the
outside, one of its ends is turned down vertically,
forming a tiny switch or handle. The normal
tendency of the halfhoop is to hang downward
across the tube (thereby closing it to the passage of
a ball) but a touch of the finger, moving the little"
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""change"" the tubes neatly during the transit, he
may suppress the plain tube altogether and com-
mence at once with the exhibition of the faked tube
from the platform, but the omission makes the
trick less convincing.
We will suppose that the performer goes for
the maximum effect and advances offering the
dummy tube for inspection. The patter I suggest
for the trick in this form runs as follows:
""I- have here, ladies and gentlemen, a hollow tube.
It is not uncommon for tubes to be hollow, but this
one is, if anything, even hollower than usual. I
should like some lady or gentleman to examine it
carefully and testify that it is just a plain ordinary
tube with absolutely no deception of any sort about
it. If it was not so, you may be sure I should
hardly venture to let you examine it. You can see
through it, hear through it, or blow through it.
You are satisfied? Then 1 will show you a curious
little experiment with it.""
During the return to the table the dummy is
exchanged for the trick tube.
""I call the experiment I am about to show you
""The Mystery of Mahomet. I gave it that name
because it was Mahomet who suggested the idea to
me. I don't mean personally. I didn't know
him. In point of fact he did not give me the idea
till after he had been dead for some years. This
sounds peculiar, but I will explain.
""When Mahomet died he wasn't buried like"
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""As some of you have not had the opportunity
of personally examining the tube I should like to
prove to you in the first place that it is really what
it appears to be, a simple cardboard cylinder, open
from end to end, and as free from deception as I
am myself.
""Proof 1."" (Wand dropped through tube on
to table.)
""Proof 2."" (Tube held in front of candle show-
ing flame through it.""7)
""Proof 3."" (Tube dropped over candle as in
Fig. 30, or spun on wand, held horizontally as in
Fig. 31
Fig. 31; the halfhoop in each case being made to
lie against the side of the tube.)
""I have here a little ball, of such a size that it
passes easily through the tube.""1 The ball is
allowed to fall through, from the one hand to the
other.
Now I will place the tube upright on the
1 If preferred the ball instead of being taken openly from the table,
may be produced from the wand after the fashion familiar in the Cup
and Ball trick, but on the whole I think this is best omitted."
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tube.) ""I drop the ball in again, and this time it
will remain suspended till I permit the compressed
air to escape."" (Pick up tube, holding it vertically
a few inches above the table.) ""Say when you
would like the ball to fall. Now? Good ! I with-
draw my strong won't and the ball falls at once.""
(Switch loop, allowing it to do so, then pass tube,
closing it, to opposite hand and load into it dupli-
cate ball at top; then replacing tube on table.)
""Now, by way of variety, we will try compress-
ing the ball instead of the air."" (Pick up ball left
on table and make believe to transfer it to the oppos-
ite hand. Then, with the left hand empty, make
pretence of crushing it into the hand.) ""The ball
is now resolved into its component atoms. You
didn't see them go? No, of course you didn't.
For the time being they are dematerialised: but the
compressed air in the tube will soon solidify them
again."" (Lift tube, keeping ball suspended.)
""It has not got solid yet, but we shall not have long
to wait."" (After a few moments again lift tube,
opening it and allowing ball to pass through.)
""Here is the ball, now as solid as before.""
Transfer tube closed to opposite hand and in SO
doing load in red ball at top. In replacing tube
on table open and close it again, so that the ball
shall fall, but shall rest within the tube on the
table.
""Now I will show you another curious effect.
A
ball which has been dematerialised in that way"
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know just where it is when I want it. It saves a
lot of trouble.""
THE BEWILDERING BLOCKS
The blocks which give its title to this trick are
inch-square wooden cubes, three in number, as
illustrated in Fig. 32. Each is coloured black on
two of its opposite sides; these in use being made
top and bottom. The four remaining sides are in
the case of one block red, of another white, and of
a third blue. The only other item of apparatus
known to the spectators is a square cardboard tube,
as depicted in Fig. 33. This is about five inches
long, and of such dimensions laterally as to let
either block slide by its own weight easily through
it, but no more. All four items may be freely sub-
mitted to inspection, for in this case appearances
are not deceitful. Both the blocks and the tube are
no more and no less than they seem to be.
In exhibiting the trick, the tube is placed upright
on the table, and the three blocks are dropped into
it one after another, the company being requested
to note particularly the order in which they are
inserted, which we will suppose to be in the first
instance blue, then white, and lastly red, as shown
without the tube in Fig. 32. It is clear that, once
inserted, they cannot by any natural means alter
their relative positions, but, strange to say, when
they are again uncovered, the red block just"
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after inspection, before placing it on the table he
secretly introduces the trick block into its lower
end, privately noting against which sides of the
tube the two red faces will lie, and taking care in
placing the tube upon the table that the angle
formed by these two sides shall be to the front.
The other three blocks are then, in accordance with
the patter, dropped in from above, in the order
shown in Fig. 32, resting, unknown to the specta-
tors, on top of the trick block. When the performer
lifts off the tube, which he does grasping it diagon-
ally between thumb and finger at about an inch
from the top, he does so with gentle pressure,
thereby holding back the uppermost block within
the tube, and exposing the two others with the trick
block at the bottom, as indicated by Fig. 34.
I gave a description of this trick in the Magician
of February, 1914. The patter for its exhibition
was based on a popular nursery legend, and as this
mode of presentation won general approval from
the juveniles I cannot do better than repeat it prac-
tically as there given. The needful working
instructions will be found interspersed with the
patter.
""What I am goong to show you now is not a trick,
or, if you can call it a trick, it is one that works
itself, for you will see for yourselves that I have
really nothing to do with it. It is just an illustra-
tion of the force of bad example.
""No doubt you have all heard of a young gentle-"
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LATEST MAGIC
these may safely be left to the ingenuity of the
reader. If the face, instead of the back, of a given
card be treated with the adhesive, that card will
itself disappear from the pack. By due adjust-
ment two adhering cards may (the one slightly
overlapping the other) be made to form a tem-
porary long or wide card."
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,26,,"16
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
You must not allow people to handle the egg on the thread af-
terwards, for when they see the simplicity of the process they
will undervalue the trick, whereas it appears marvellous as long
as they do not understand how the extraordinary movements
are produced. And in these illusions, as Hudibras expresses it,
Doubtless, the pleasure is as great
In being cheated as to cheat.
-
FOURTH TRICK-The Walking Cent.
PRELIMINARY PREPARATION IN PRIVATE.
Ask for a long dark hair from some lady's tresses. Have a
pin in shape of a hook, or a small loop affixed to the end of this
hair, and fasten a little piece of beeswax (less than a pea) at the
other end of the hair. Fasten the hair by the loop to a button
on your vest, taking care to wear a dark-colored vest. The
hair may be allowed to hang from your vest, with the bees-
wax visible. Have a glass of water or cup on the table.
Commence the exhibition of the trick by borrowing a cent.
While pretending to examine the cent to see if it is a good one,
press the waxed end of the hair firmly to the under side cf tho
cent, and place it about a foot from the edge of n table. Then
bid the cent to move toward you, to the right or to the left, and
by gently moving your body in whatever direction you name,
the hair will draw the cent in the same direction. You may
say, while your left hand is near the table, ""Now, cent, movo
up my arm. Advancing your a.m gently, the cent will appear
to move up to your elbow. It is your arm that moves, but it
will appear to the spectators as if the cent moved or you may
help it up the outside of the sleeve by interposing your right
hand under the hair, so as to draw up the cent, while appearing
to beckon it.
""Now, cent, as you have performed so well, you shall have a
bath."" Placing the tumbler near the edge of the table, draw
the cent into it. After exhibiting it in the water, say, "": Oh,
cent, you must not stay so long in the water."" Then jerk it out
upon the table. Detach the waxed end of the hair by your
nail, after which return the cent to the person who loaned it
to you.
When performing this trick, in order to keep the spectators at
a little distance, you must inform them that the cent is very
susceptible to magnetic influences, and request ladies not to ap-
proach too near it, as the loadstones of their eyes are the causo
of the magnetic attraction."""
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in the chimney. They go in quite easily; but when
they are once inside they can't turn round, or turn
over, or change places. But the curious thing is
that though they can't they do, as you will see
presently.
""I place the chimney-pot here on the table,
where you can see all round it, and I drop the
three bricks into it one by one. Notice particu-
larly the order in which I put them in. First, the
blue. You heard it go down. Next, the white,
and now, the red. Don't forget. Blue at the bot-
tom, white in the middle, and red at the top.
""Now, without my saying or doing anything,
they will at once begin to shift about. They can't
keep still for more than a few seconds. When I
lift off the chimney pot, you will find that they have
changed places."" (It is lifted accordingly, per-
former holding back the uppermost block within it
by gentle pressure on opposite angles of the tube,
and exhibiting only the three lower blocks now as
in Fig. 34.)
""There, as I told you, like Fidgety Phil, they
couldn't keep still. The white brick has climbed
to the top, the red one has gone down to the bot-
tom, and the blue one is now in the middle.
""We will try again. I will put the bricks in in
just the same order, to make it easier for you to
remember them.""
Performer has meanwhile allowed the red block,
left in the upper part of the tube, to sink to the"
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this for the trick block, which is now at the bottom
of the tube.
""Once more, ladies and gentlemen, here is the
chimney pot, and here are the three bricks, for
inspection by any one who cares to look at them.
Perhaps some of you may be able to account for
their remarkable behaviour. It's a puzzle to me;
but I never was good at guessing. My own idea is
that they are haunted by the ghost of Fidgety
Phil. If not, I give it up.""
AN ""OD"" FORCE
To avoid misconception, it may be well to state
at once that the peculiar spelling of the word ""od""
in the above title is not a printer's error. The
explanation will be found in the patter, which is
founded on a discovery claimed to have been made
by a scientist at one time of world-wide renown,
and the responsibility for so spelling the word rests
with him. For programme purposes the reader
is at liberty to re-name the trick according to his
own fancy. ""Mysterious Motion,"" or ""Moved by
Magic"" would fairly represent the effect produced,
which consists in causing a borrowed coin to move
automatically at the will of the operator, in various
directions.
The requirements for the trick are as follows:
(1) The ""tramway"" whereon the coin is to be
made to travel. This consists of a' slab of wood"
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*LATEST MAGIC
(2) A special ""pull"" carried on the person of
the performer. This consists of a fine black
thread, to one end of which is attached a weight
travelling up and down the trouser leg, after the
manner described (in connection with a self-sus-
pending wand) at page 111 of ""Later Magic."" In
the present case, however, the weight is much
smaller, being in fact just large enough to rather
more than counterbalance the coin used in the
trick, plus the friction to be overcome by the thread
in the working of the trick. The degree of such
friction is an uncertain quantity, as it will largely
depend on the nature of the operator's underwear
and its closeness to his own body. The precise
weight most effective must be ascertained by pre-
vious experiment, and regulated accordingly.
It will be found convenient to use by way of
weight a glass tube, closed at the bottom like a
test-tube and loaded with buckshot, more or less
in quantity according to the weight required.
The mouth of the tube is closed by a cork, through
which one end of the thread is passed, and secured
on the under side by a knot and a spot of gum.
When the minimum weight that will effectually
serve the desired purpose has been ascertained, any
vacant space above the leaden pellets should be
filled with cotton wool (to prevent rattling) and the
cork should then be cemented into the tube. If
preferred, the wool may be interspersed among the
buckshot."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,182,,"166
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in the choice of their parents. He invented a lot of
useful things, among them creosote and paraffin.
Neither of them smells very nice, but they don't
trouble about that in Germany.
""Besides being a great chemist, Von Thingany
dabbled in what are called the occult sciences, and
he claimed to have discovered a new force (a sort
of magnetism, only different) and which, he
declared, pervaded every thing in nature, espe-
cially crystal. Directed by a strong will, like his
own, or mine, it would do all sorts of wonderful
things. It seemed to me that such a force would
come in very handy for magical purposes, and I
set to work to invent it over again, and I have at
any rate produced something very like it. The
Baron called his force 'odd,' but he spelt it 'od,'
which is odd too. You must judge for yourselves
whether my force is the same as his, and you can
spell it which way you like.
""I have only been able so far to work up a very
small amount of the force, say about six-mouse-
power, SO it won't turn tables, or lift pianos. I can
only get it, SO far, to move a small weight like a
florin or a half-dollar, and that only for a very short
distance. For greater conveniences I have made
this little tramway for the coin to perform upon.
These wires which you see are not for it to travel
on, but merely to get more equal distribution of
the force. There is nothing out of the way about"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,184,,"168
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""I shall now, by means of the 'od' force, compel
the coin to move towards This he does
accordingly, by relaxing the pressure of the thumb
upon the thread and merely bringing the pull of
the weight into operation. When the coin has all
but reached the nearer end of the tramway, he says,
""We will now see if we can make it travel a little
longer distance."" So saying he draws the thread
out again and lays the coin on the farther end of
the tram, and again makes it travel slowly back.
A good effect may be here produced by making it
stop half-way, and (after remarking in a casual
way that the power is hardly strong enough) pick-
ing up the ball, again rubbing it upon the sleeve
and moving it, a few inches distance, in the direc-
tion in which the coin is to travel, when it resumes
its journey accordingly.
Once more picking up the coin, he replaces it at
the farther end of the tramway, but in so doing
passes the thread outside and around the screw at
that end. He then remarks, as if bethinking him-
self : ""By the way, a lady suggested the other
night that the coin was attracted towards me by
my personal magnetism. I know I am an attrac-
tive man : I have been told so frequently but that
is not the explanation in this case, as I will prove
to you by making the coin travel away from me.""
So saying, he draws the coin towards him, easing
off the pressure on the thread to enable him to do
so, and leaves it at the inner end. The ball is"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,186,,"170
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THE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS
This is a trick involving some little trouble in
the way of preparation, and perhaps a little more
than average address on the part of the performer,
but on the other hand it costs little; for all the
needful appliances may be homemade, and in the
hands of an expert the trick will amply repay the
time and trouble expended upon it. Baldly stated,
its effect consists in the magical introduction of a
marked coin into the innermost of a nest of three
envelopes, each securely sealed.
The requirements for the trick are as under:
1. Two nests of envelopes. The innermost of
each is one of the little square kind used in shops
to contain copper ""change,"" or to hold the weekly
wage of an employee. It should be of cartridge or
stout manila paper, and about two inches square.
The next larger is of the ordinary square or so-
called square-note size, and the third a little larger
still. Envelopes of the two last mentioned sizes
are not always to be obtained made of cartridge
or manila, but this condition is not in their case
absolutely essential. The flap of each envelope
must be stuck down and sealed with red wax.¹
2. A special envelope, which we will call the
1 If the performer does not object to the slight additional trouble,
he will find an easy method of obtaining envelopes exactly square and
of any desired description of paper, indicated in the chapter entitled
""A Few Wrinkles,"" post."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,188,,"172
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as yet lacks the connecting medium for actually
securing it.
3. The ""coin mat"" (page 4) freshly treated
with the usual adhesive. The side so treated is to
be turned downwards on the table with a shilling
pressed against the adhesive portion.
4. A penknife, to be used as envelope opener.
As shortly as possible before the presentation of
the trick, the trick envelope must be further pre-
pared by spreading a thin layer of seccotine on that
portion of the underside of the flap immediately
under the seal.
N. B. This must not be done too long before-
hand, as it is essential to the success of the trick
that the envelope be used while the seccotine is still
in a ""tacky"" condition.
The envelope prepared as above, to be laid on the
table, behind some small object, or preferably just
inside the foremost rim of a Japanese tray; at one
corner, mouth uppermost, and flap to the rear.
Under these conditions, the butting of the opposite
edge of the envelope against the forward wall of
the tray will be found greatly to facilitate the sub-
sequent introduction of the borrowed coin. Before
so placing the envelope, its edges on each side
should be pressed slightly inwards, SO as to make
it expand a little at the opening.
These arrangements duly made, the performer
may introduce the trick as follows:
""I don't know whether anybody here remembers"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,190,,"174
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out how it was done, or die. They haven't come
again: SO I suppose they died.¹
""As you are prepared to run the risk I will ask
some gentleman to oblige me with the loan of a
shilling, marked in some unmistakable way.
Thank you, Sir. You have marked the coin?
Then please place it here, on this little tray. I
won't touch it myself at present. All please keep
one eye upon it, the other eye you had better keep
on me.""
Receive the coin on the mat, held in right hand.
After showing the left hand empty, transfer the
mat to that hand and show the right empty.
Return the mat to right hand, but before doing SO
turn that hand over SO as to receive the mat with
thumb undermost. Just as you reach the table
to place the mat upon it bring the second and third
fingers over the borrowed coin, and under cover
of your own body turn the mat over. In putting it
down on the table draw away the borrowed coin
into the hand and palm it. To the eye of the spec-
tator the state of things will be unaltered, your
own coin, now uppermost on the mat, being taken
for the borrowed one.
You continue, standing behind your table, and
resting the right hand, with the palmed coin, close
to the trick envelope, and holding up the two nests
1 This rigmarole may equally well be used by way of introduction to
any other trick of sufficient importance. King George's puzzlement
about the dumplings is said to be a matter of history, but, I do not
guarantee it as a fact."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,192,,"176
LATEST MAGIC
duce anything into the innermost of those three
envelopes without breaking all three seals. When
I say impossible, of course I mean impossible to a
mere man. To a magician there is no such word as
impossible, except in the dictionary. In fact, the
more impossible a thing is, the more any respect-
able magician makes up his mind to do it. Watch
me carefully, please. I want you to be quite sure
all through that there is no deception.
""Now then, to pass the coin into this other envel-
ope."" As you say this, you pick up the coin mat,
depress it enough for all present to see the coin
upon it, and make the motion of sliding it off into
the left hand. This should be done while standing
a little in front of your table. In turning to
replace the mat, reverse it and lay it with the side
to which the coin adheres downwards. If deftly
executed, this reversal of the mat will be imper-
ceptible, as it is covered by the turn to the table.
Even if it were noticed it would have practically no
significance for the spectators, who naturally take
it for granted that the coin has passed from the
mat into your hand. The moment you have laid
down the mat, the now disengaged hand picks up
the nest of envelopes, and you make believe to rub
the coin (supposedly in left hand) into it. This
done, you hold the envelope aloft in each hand
alternately, allowing it to be seen that the hands
are otherwise empty.
""So far, SO good! The coin has passed from my"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,194,,"178
LATEST MAGIC
picious feature about the envelope. Even in the
unlikely case of his tearing open the envelope,
instead of cutting it, it is doubtful whether he
would detect the use of the seccotine, which should
by this time be practically dry; and by the rest of
the spectators it would still be taken for granted
that this envelope, like the rest, was sealed in the
ordinary way.
It will be obvious to the expert reader that the
central idea, viz., the transformation by the use
of seccotine of an open envelope into one appar-
ently sealed in the regular way, is one that admits
of a wide variety of detail as to the mode of pres-
entation. For instance: The procedure sug-
gested for getting rid of the duplicate coin, and
apparently rubbing it into the envelope, is but one
of many alternatives. The coin might be
""passed"" by the agency of fire, i.e., wrapped in a
piece of flash paper with open fold at bottom and
flared off at the psychological moment over a candle
flame), or it might be got rid of by vanishing it into
the pocket of a black art mat, or by the use of a
black art patch, as described at page 20.
The critical part of the trick is the ""switching""
of the two envelopes at the final stage, but in view
of their small size this is a matter of very little
difficulty. The expert will probably do this after
some fashion of his own. The less instructed
reader may use the following plan, which he will"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,34,,"18
LATEST MAGIC
deal short of those of the actual table, will answer
many of its purposes, apart from special merits of
its own, and which has the further recommenda-
tion of exceptional portability. It may be appro-
priately entitled the Black Art Mat. It consists
of a piece of Bristol board of size and shape suit-
able to the purpose for which it is to be used, COV-
ered on both sides with black velvet and edged with
narrow ornamental braid or binding. The one
FIG. 8
side has no speciality, but the other has a flat
pocket across one or more of its corners; as indi-
cated in Fig. 8. In the case of a mat of small size
the pocket may extend diagonally from corner to
corner as in Fig. 9. The edge of the pocket may be
braided if preferred (the rest of the surface being
ornamented to correspond) but if the mat be well
made this is not necessary. The mouth of each
pocket is made slightly ""full,"" and is held open"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,28,,"18
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
The gentleman declined for a considerable time ; but at
length, being overcome by the importunity, in order to get rid
of the matter, assented. The time of the departure of the train
had arrived and passed by, and the aspirant offered two guineas
to learn the trick. The gentleman acceded to bis request on
condition that he should faithfully promise not to reveal it to
others, or to make public the mystery. ""Agreed,"" says tho
'traveler. The mail train was gone-the money paid-tho trick
exhibited and explained to him. ""Oh!"" cried the traveler,
"" how easy and plain it is. What a simpleton I have been to
lose my journey and spend my money only to learn how you-.""
""
Stop!"" cried the gentleman, ""remember you have promised
not to divulge the secret."" "" Yes, but how foolish to care for
an experiment which only depends on-. Stop, sir, stop.
Are you going to tell all the room ?"" and thus a good half-hour's
amusement was caused by the traveler fretting over his simpli-
city, and having relinquished an important journey for that
which, though marvellous while a secret, became so simple and
uninteresting to him after an explanation."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,196,,"180
LATEST MAGIC
THE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK
This is an extremely small volume, consisting
in fact of six pages only, and no letterpress, the
instructions for its use being embodied in a sepa-
rate leaflet. On each of its pages are miniature
reproductions of thirty-six playing cards, six in a
row; every card of the pack being represented once
at least among the whole number. The object of
the book is to enable the owner to discover the
name of a card drawn (or merely thought of) by
some member of the company. The chooser is
only asked to look at the book, and state on which
one or more of its pages the card in question
appears, when the performer, without seeing or
handling the book himself, can instantly name the
card. The six pages of the book are reproduced
in the diagrams which follow. Figs 37-42.
To be in a position to work the trick, it is neces-
sary in the first place to memorise each of the fifty-
two cards of the pack in connection with a particu-
lar number. This may at first sight appear a for-
midable undertaking, but it is not SO in reality.
All that really needs to be memorised is the order
of the suits; which is as under:
1. Clubs.
2. Hearts.
3. Spades.
4. Diamonds.
This order may be instantly recalled by using as"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,198,,"182
LATEST MAGIC
8
8
of
Fig. 39
8
a
Fig. 40"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,200,,"184
LATEST MAGIC
a memory-peg the word CHaSeD, which contains
the initials of the four suits in the proper order, or
the reader may if he prefers it recall them by
reflecting that
Cool Heads Soon Decide.
The arrangement of each suit follows the natural
order, the ace of clubs being No. 1; the deuce 2;
and the trey 3; knave 11; queen 12 and king 13.
The card next following, viz., the ace of hearts, will
be 14; the deuce of hearts 15, and so on, the com-
plete arrangement being as shown below:
1. Ace of clubs.
22. Nine of hearts.
2. Deuce of clubs.
23. Ten of hearts.
3. Trey of clubs.
24. Knave of hearts.
4. Four of clubs.
25. Queen of hearts.
5. Five of clubs.
26. King of hearts.
6. Six of clubs.
27. Ace of spades.
7. Seven of clubs.
28. Deuce of spades.
8. Eight of clubs.
29. Trey of spades.
9. Nine of clubs.
30. Four of spades.
10. Ten of clubs.
31. Five of spades.
11. Knave of clubs.
32. Six of spades.
12. Queen of clubs.
33. Seven of spades.
13. King of clubs.
34. Eight of spades.
14. Ace of hearts.
35. Nine of spades.
15. Deuce of hearts.
36. Ten of spades.
16. Trey of hearts.
37. Knave of spades.
17. Four of hearts.
38. Queen of spades.
18. Five of hearts.
39. King of spades.
19. Six of hearts.
40. Ace of diamonds.
20. Seven of hearts.
41. Deuce of diamonds.
21. Eight of hearts.
42. Trey of diamonds."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,202,,"186
LATEST MAGIC
of the pocket-book is associated a special number,
known as its ""key"" number. These are as under:
Page 1
Key Number 1
""
2
""
""
2
""
3
""
""
4
""
4
""
""
8
""
5
""
""
16
""
6
""
""
32
The memorising of these is also a very simple
matter, for it will be noted that the key numbers
are the first six factors of the familiar geometrical
progression, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. Printed as below:
1, 2. 3, 4, 5, 6
1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32
the upper figures, in ordinary type, expressing the
numbers of the pages, and the lower, in black type,
the corresponding key numbers, a very small
amount of study will associate them so closely in
the mind as to fix them firmly in the memory.
Having mastered these two simple lessons, the
learner is in a position to use the pocket-book. To
ascertain the card chosen, he has only to add
together the key numbers of the pages in which
he is told that such card appears. The total will
be the number at which that card stands in the list
given on page 185, and, this being known, it be-
comes an easy matter to name, the card itself.
We will suppose, for instance, that performer"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,204,,"188
LATEST MAGIC
8 + 2 = 10
8+2+1=11
8+4=12
8+4+1==
and SO on throughout up to 52, which being the
limit of the pack, is the highest number with which
we need concern ourselves.
In making up the pages of the pocket-book,
advantage has been taken of this principle. A
given card is inserted on that page or pages (and
those only) whose key numbers, alone or added
together, correspond with the position which the
card holds in the list. Thus the ace of clubs
will appear on the first page (not because it is the
first card, but because the key number of that page
is 1) and on no other. The deuce of clubs, in like
manner, on page 2, the key number of that card
being two. The next card, the three of clubs, must
appear on page 1 and page 2, their key numbers
together amounting to 3. The process as to cards
standing at higher numbers is the same. Thus, the
ace of spades, being the twenty-seventh card, and
twenty-seven being the aggregate of 16, 8, 2 and 1,
will appear on the first, second, fourth and fifth
pages. Conversely, if the performer is told that
the card appears on the four pages last named, he
knows that it is the twenty-seventh card, i.e., the
ace of spades. Any spaces remaining vacant on
the page after the whole pack has been dealt with,
are filled up by duplicates of cards already figur-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,206,,"190
LATEST MAGIC
please remember I have not touched since you
shuffled it yourself, into six portions, one for each
page of the book."" This is done, the six packets
being turned face down on the table.
We will suppose that the chosen card is not found
on the first page. ""Then,"" says the performer,
""this first packet will tell me nothing, and may be
disregarded. Now, for the second page, is your
card upon that ? It is ? Then I draw two cards
from the second heap, and turn up one of them.
And now for the third page. Do you find your
card there? You do ? Then I take up three cards
from the third packet, and again turn up the last
one.""
We will suppose that the chosen card is not found
in either the fourth or the fifth page, but re-appears
on the sixth, whereupon six cards are counted off
from the corresponding packet, and the last of
them turned up. The performer has by this time
mentally added up the key numbers of the second,
third and sixth pages: viz., 2, 4 and 32, together
making 38, and knows therefrom that the card is
the thirty-eighth in the list, viz., the queen of
spades. He does not however at once display his
knowledge, but pretends to make a mental calcula-
tion from the cards exposed upon the table, giving,
if he so pleases, and the cards lend themselves to
it, some fanciful explanation of his method. It
seems to me, however, that this last is a needless
elaboration. Personally, I should prefer merely"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,210,,"194
LATEST MAGIC
a ""giant's robe upon a dwarfish thief,"" or the
reverse, cannot be expected to be a becoming gar-
ment. Every man has, or should have, a style of
his own, and it is rarely good policy to imitate that
of somebody else. If a low comedy man were to
essay to play Hamlet, or a tragedian, however
eminent, were to try to give an limitation of Harry
Lauder, the result would be likely to be disappoint-
ing.
The reader, undertaking to write his own patter,
and desirous of making it just what patter should
be, will find counsels of perfection in ""Our Magic,""
and the more nearly he can approach them the
better. As, however, all have not the good fortune
to possess that admirable work, I venture to indi-
cate what to my own mind seem to be the chief
points to be aimed at.
It is almost a commonplace to say that the main
object of patter is misdirection. As the term is
more usually applied, this means something said or
done midway in the course of a trick to draw away
the attention of the audience at some critical
moment, and to create what the French conjurers
call a ""temps,"" i.e., an ""opportunity"" for doing,
unnoticed, some necessary act. But misdirection
may very well start at an earlier stage than this:
in fact, well in advance of the actual execution of
the trick. Each trick should have some sort of
introduction, and the patter serving this purpose
should be such as to lead the mind of the hearer"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,212,,"196
LATEST MAGIC
by the introduction, among the ""properties"" used,
of some object professedly essential to the trick,
but as a matter of fact having no real concern with
the effect produced. The audience take for
granted that it must have something to do with the
effect, or it would not be used, and are thereby led
away the more effectually from the actual explana-
tion. Numerous illustrations of the use of this
device will be found in the foregoing pages.
If, in the case of a given trick, the performer
is absolutely at a loss to produce a satisfactory
fable to introduce it, he may evade the difficulty
by stating that he is about to produce an effect for
which he cannot himself account, and inviting the
assistance of his audience in doing SO.
The second function of patter is the calling of
the attention of the audience to matters which you
desire them to take note of, and to give oppor-
tunity to do SO. There is small credit to be gained
by changing the ace of clubs into the ace of hearts,
or making a given article pass invisibly from one
spot to another, unless the spectators have been
first made to realise the original state of things, and
they must be allowed sufficient time to do SO. I
have more than once seen an otherwise brilliant
show spoilt by being rushed through at railroad
speed. The mind of the spectator had not been
allowed time to receive clear impressions. The
company in such a case disperses with a conscious-
ness of having had a rapid succession of surprises,"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,214,,"198
LATEST MAGIC
to change the mode of presentation altogether, and
to make the illusion no longer objective, but subjec-
tive. He announced that by means of his magic
power he could take away the strength of the
strongest man, and render him weak as a little
child. The ""chest"" was in this case merely
brought forward in a casual way, as a convenient
object wherewith the assertion of the magician
could be tested. The strongest man in the com-
pany was invited to come forward, and try whether
he could lift that little box. Of course he could,
and did; a child could have done the same. ""You
lifted it because I permitted you to do.so,"" said the
magician. ""But I take away your strength. Try
to lift it now!'
Again the athlete tries his strength, but now he
fails. With teeth set, and every muscle tense, he
strains, and strains, but in vain, and he has to con-
fess that the infidel wonder-worker has, for the
time, taken away all his strength. Here was a
wizard indeed!
In arranging your patter, be humorous if you
can, but if, like the gentleman we have all heard
of, you ""joke with difficulty,"" don't force yourself
to be funny. That it is possible for a man lacking
humour still to be a great conjurer is proved by
the case of Hartz, who was notably deficient in this
particular, but by his excellence in other directions
won a place in the very first rank of his profession.
But if you cannot be humorous, at any rate be"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,18,,"2
LATEST MAGIC
border as depicted in Fig. 1, and about seven inches
in diameter. In the centre of each is an embossed
shield, ostensibly a mere ornament, but in reality
serving, as will presently be seen, an important
practical purpose.
Fig. 1
To the casual observer the two mats look pre-
cisely alike, but there are in reality important
practical differences between them. The ""coin""
mat is covered with leather on both sides, and each
has the embossed shield, so that, whichever side is
uppermost, no difference is perceptible to the eye.
In the case of the ""card"" mat the upper surface
only is of leather, the under side being covered with
baize. The object of this difference is that the
exposure (accidental or otherwise) of the baize-
covered side of the card mat may induce in the
mind of the spectator the assumption that the
under side of the coin mat is covered in the same
way, such assumption naturally precluding the
idea that it is reversible."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,36,,"20
LATEST MAGIC
The utility of the black art mat, however, does
not depend upon the pocket only. Its unbroken or
""plain"" side, or indeed a mat wholly without
pockets may also be very effectively used for van-
ishing purposes. In this case a little auxiliary
appliance comes into play. This is a small velvet
patch, serving as an ""overlay."" It may be round
or square, according to the purpose for which it is
intended to be used. For coin-vanishing purposes
it is best circular, and about two inches (or less,
as the case may be) in diameter. The foundation
is in this case a disc of thin card covered on both
sides with velvet, in colour and texture exactly cor-
responding with that of the mat, under which con-
ditions the patch, when laid on the mat, will be
invisible. The exact similarity of the two surfaces
is a point of the highest importance for black art
effects, and the velvet used, if not actually silk vel-
vet, should at least be of the silk-faced kind. Vel-
vet which is all cotton will never give satisfactory
results.
If a coin be laid on any part of the mat the
performer has only (in the supposed act of picking
it up) to lay the velvet patch over it to render it
invisible. If it is desired to reproduce the coin, a
handkerchief shown to be empty, may be laid over
the patch, and a moment or two later picked up
again, bringing away the overlay within it, and
again revealing the coin in statu quo. A practical
example of the use of this device will be found in"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,30,,"20
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
cally into the possession of its owner. The ring was borrowed,
and some mysterious gesticulations practised; but instead of the
contemplated result being produced, the false confederate pro-
claimed aloud that he had lent a very valuable jewelled ring, and
had only received back a common copper ring. The audience
was of course disappointed at such words so derogatory to the
conjuror This unpleasant feeling was deepened by the malic-
ious meddling of another false confederate. Torrini had to
present some cards to the King of Naples, who was honoring the
assembly by witnessing the exhibition, and a card was selected
by his Majesty. Instead, however, of being pleased with what
he saw on the card, the king manifested intense disapprobation.
The confederate had written on the card words of disrespect and
insult, and Torrini had to retire amid the loud censures of the
enraged spectators. There may. be no danger of so disastrous
results to a young amateur; but dissatisfaction of a milder kind
will probably ensue whenever it is discovered that any trick has
depended upon the secret co-operation of an assistant among
the spectators.
The SECOND topic which I propose at present to discuss is the
employment of mechanism-such mechanical constructions as
boxes with false sides, cabinets with secret drawers, or double
compartments, etc.
It makes a great difference whether such arrangements are
used as subordinate aids, or as constituting the essence and sub-
stance of the illusion. In the former respect it is quite legiti-
mate to take advantage of any well-arranged mechanical aid su-
bordinately. In fact, nearly all tricks must be performed with
some modified aid of artistic contrivance, or with mechanical
implements adroitly used. The conjuror, thereforc, unavoid-
ably requires, and may advantageously employ, mechanical ar-
rangements to give greater effect to his illusions. I only wish
to dissuade the learner from relying solely upon mere mechani-
cal puzzles, or artistic contrivances, for furnishing an interesting
exhibition of the conjuror's art.
The fewer the contrivances which he employs of this sort, and
the more entirely the performance rests upon sleight-of-hand
the more lively will be the surprise of the spectators."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,216,,"200
LATEST MAGIC
ited in the right hand, he has only to say, ""Now I
want you particularly to keep an eye on this""
whatever the article in the right hand may happen
to
be. All eyes are for the moment, instinctively
drawn to the object in question, and in that moment
the deed is done. The artifice is ridiculously sim-
ple, but it is effective, and it is on being fully pre-
pared with the right thing to say and do at the crit-
ical moment that the success of a magical enter-
tainment largely depends. Careful rehearsal, pre-
ferably before an expert friend, will furnish the
best hints as to the danger-spots in the working
of a trick, and how best to devise patter to meet
them.
A final word of advice-advice that has been often
given, but cannot be too often repeated if you
really aim to carry your audience with you. Never
lose sight of the fact that you are, in the words of
Robert-Houdin, ""an actor playing the part of a
magician,"" and take your office seriously. In par-
ticular, never before an audience use the word
""trick,"" which at once gives away all your preten-
sion to magical power. An actor never tells his
audience that he is an actor or that he is playing a
part. He does not call their attention to his
make-up, however excellent, or tell them that his
wig comes from Clarkson. On the contrary, he
does his best to make his audience for the time for-
get that he is Hubert de Barnstormer, or whatever
his stage name may be, and to keep up the illusion"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,218,,"202
LATEST MAGIC
be left to take care of itself. It should auto-
matically improve with each of its earlier repeti-
tions as good wine improves in bottle. Faults will
correct themselves, and being made perfect by
practice, the performer will thenceforth be able to
""speak his piece"" without effort, and devote his
whole energies to the actual working of the trick.
To the amateur, only performing on special occa-
sions, with perhaps considerable intervals between
them, I commend a plan from which I myself
derived great benefit, viz.: Write out from
memory the patter for each trick on the pro-
gramme a day or two before a coming performance.
After you have given your show, go through your
manuscript again carefully, noting and correcting
it in any point in which the patter failed to be ex-
actly right. The interpolation of a single sen-
tence, the transposition in point of sequence of two
movements, or the alteration of some trifling detail,
such as standing at a different angle to your table
at a given moment, may make all the difference be-
tween partial failure and complete success."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,220,,"204
LATEST MAGIC
the first difficulties of the novice, as he comes for-
ward to introduce himself to his audience, is to
know what to do with his hands. He can hardly
advance with hand on heart, within his vest, à la
Pecksniff. Held open, with arms hanging down
by the sides, the hands look too stiff, and to advance
with them in his pockets would hardly be good
form. By coming forward wand in hand, he
avoids these difficulties. The hand holding it auto-
matically assumes an easy and natural position,
and he ceases to think about the other. With the
wand held in the right hand across the body, its
free end resting on the palm of the opposite hand,
he is in an ideal attitude for delivering his intro-
ductory patter. Later on, by holding the wand in
the hand, he effectually disguises the fact that he
has some object, a card, a coin, or a watch con-
cealed therein. If he has occasion to call atten-
tion directly to any object, the wand forms the most
natural pointer. If he finds it necessary, for some
reason connected with the trick in hand, to make
a turn or half-turn away from the spectators, the
fact that he has left his wand upon the table affords
him the needful opportunity.
Lastly, if the wand is habitually used as the pro-
fessed instrument of a desired transposition or
transformation, a certain portion of an average
audience gradually becomes impressed with the
idea that there really must be some occult connec-
tion between the touch of the wand and the effect"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,222,,"206
LATEST MAGIC
cards, or to effect some other substitution neces-
sary for the purpose of his next item.
Verbum sap, by all means cultivate the use of the
wand, and for the sake of effect, let it be of an ele-
gant and distinctive character. An office-ruler or
a piece of cane would serve many of its mechanical
purposes, but would lack the prestige attached to
what is, professedly, the genuine article.
One of the most striking proofs of the extensive
use and appreciation of the wand by modern
magicians is furnished by the remarkable collec-
tion of such implements got together by Dr. Saram
R. Ellison, of New York.
Dr. Ellison¹ is an eminent and popular phy-
sician, whose ruling passion is wanting to know
things, particularly things that other people don't
know. Such being his temperament, it goes almost
without saying that at an early period of his
career he became a Freemason. Having been duly
initiated into the mysteries of the ordinary lodge,
and learnt all it had to teach him, he still yearned
for ""more light,"" and accordingly worked his way
up step by step through intervening degrees in
masonry till he reached what is known as the
thirty-third degree, an order even more exclusive
than that of the Garter, and claiming to possess
secrets as to which the ordinary ""blue"" mason,
1 Since this was written Dr. Ellison has passed into the mysterious
beyond."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,224,,"208
LATEST MAGIC
famous magicians, past and present, especially in
the shape of wands, as being the most characteristic
possession of the wizard. Accordingly, some
years ago, he began to collect wands, and he now
possesses more than eighty such, each a wand which
has been habitually yielded by some more or less
famous magician. By the courtesy of Dr. Ellison
I am enabled to furnish particulars of some of
them; as given in a very interesting pamphlet by
Epes W. Sargent, a well-known American writer.
The catalogue commences with a wand formerly
belonging to Professor Anderson, the once famous
""Wizard of the North."" Here are found also the
wands used by the two Herrmanns (Carl and
Alexander), Buatier de Kolta, Lafayette, Martin
Chapender, Carl Willmann and others who tread
the stage no more. As regards the living, there is
here a memento of nearly every English-speaking
conjurer of note: besides many others of cosmopol-
itan celebrity.
The wand here exhibited is not always the con-
ventional ebony and ivory affair, some of the speci-
mens being indeed of a highly original character.
For instance, the wand contributed by a Hindu
magician consists of the leg bone of a sacred mon-
key from the temple of Hanuman, the monkey
god, at Benares. The wands of Madame Adelaide
Herrmann and Chung Ling Soo take the shape of
fans. Horace Goldin's is a cut-down whip-handle,
and those of Clement de Lion and Imro Fox are"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,226,,"210
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sies are chary of speaking Rommany except
among their own people, and the inquisitive strang-
ers were frequently told that there was no such
language; whereupon, one of them would turn to
the other, and in purest Rommany quietly express
an opinion that their temporary hosts were not
thorough-bred gipsies, but of some inferior stock.
This produced Rommany in plenty, and the visi-
tors were energetically taken to task for that,
being themselves gipsies, they should ape the dress
and manners of the Gorgio. A friendly explana-
tion made all end happily.
Palmer made his first start in life as a clerk in
the City of London, where in his spare time he
made himself master of French and Italian. A
little later he took up the study of Persian, Arabic
and Hindustani, and speedily conquered them:
In 1867, after taking his degree at the University
of Cambridge, he was elected a Fellow by his Col-
lege, an honour conferred on him in recognition of
his mastery of the Oriental languages. During
the years 1868-1870 he was employed on behalf of
the Palestine Exploration Fund, to make a survey
of Mount Sinai, in the course of which he became
upon friendly and indeed almost brotherly terms
with many of the wild Arab tribes, among whom
he was known as the Sheikh Abdullah. As in Eng-
land he had been made free of the gipsy tent, so in
Palestine he could drop in upon many a Bedouin
encampment, and be sure of a hearty welcome."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,228,,"212
LATEST MAGIC
having been executed as a special favour to Pal-
mer, by Hassoun, an eminent professional
""scribe.""
I am reluctantly bound to admit that the Pal-
mer wand, in my hands, did not exhibit any special
magical virtues, and when I ceased myself to use
it, it seemed to me that it could not find a worthier
home than in Dr. Ellison's fine collection.
Reverting for a moment to the subject of patter,
I will conclude by quoting, for the amusement
rather than the instruction of the reader, an ora-
tion which (with variations) now and then formed
my introductory boniment, and might on occasion
still serve, in default of better.
""Ladies and Gentlemen, and members of the
Royal Family, if any happen to be present, I am
about to exhibit for your amusement, a few experi-
ments in Unnatural Philosophy, otherwise Magic.
""Magic in the olden times was a very different
thing, as I daresay you know, from what it is at
present. In those days every respectable wizard
kept a familiar spirit: a sort of magical man of all
work. He cleaned the boots and knives, and
when his master gave a show, it was the familiar
who worked all his miracles for him. The
magician only did the talking, and pocketed the
takings. But the familiar did much bigger things
than that. If his master's next-door neighbour
made himself disagreeable, the familiar would"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,230,,"214
LATEST MAGIC
I should like to mention. You hear people talk
about the quickness of the hand deceiving the eye.
I don't know whether the quickness of the hand
ever does deceive the eye, but I want you to under-
stand that you must not expect anything of that
sort from me. I am naturally slow. I was born
twenty minutes after I was expected, and I have
been getting slower and slower ever since.
""To-night, I intend to do everything even more
slowly than usual: SO that you will only have to
watch me closely to see exactly how it is all done.
Then, when you go home, if you do as I do, and say
as I say, without making any mistakes, no doubt
you will be able to produce the same results. If
not, there must be 'something wrong with the
works.''"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,232,,"216
LATEST MAGIC
1. For woodwork on a small scale, an old cigar
box will often be found suitable material. Where
such a box is not available or not suitable for the
particular work in hand, what is called ""three-
ply"" may supply the need. This consists of three
layers of thin wood glued together under pressure,
with the grain of the intermediate layer running
crossway to that of the other two, the tendency
to warp being thereby greatly reduced. Drawing-
boards are, for this reason, now usually made of
wood SO combined, and a drawing-board makes for
many purposes a good enough extempore work-
bench. For a finer class of work, the amateur
mechanic, if he is willing to take the trouble, may
make his own three-ply. For this purpose he
should procure a supply of what is called ""knife-
cut' veneer, i.e., thin sheets of walnut, mahogany,
satin,-0 other hard wood, and glue them together
with the white glue to be presently described. Ve-
neer merchants form a distinct trade, and are com-
paratively few in number, but the resident in Lon-
don can obtain veneer and thin woods of all descrip-
tions from Messrs. McEwan & Son, 282 Old Street,
E. C. In country districts the shops which hold
agencies for ""Hobbies' materials also sell planed-
up woods of various kinds, ranging like veneer
from one-sixteenth to half an inch in thickness.
2. As a handy substitute for glue, most people
are acquainted with the virtues of Seccotine, in its
way a most useful preparation. But there are"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,234,,"218
LATEST MAGIC
that the ""marker"" is replaced by a little spade-
pointed cutter. This tool is only available for cut-
ting wood up to say eight inches in width, but to
the amateur attempting small work only, it will be
found invaluable.
5. For staining wood or cardboard a deep dead
black I have found nothing better than the ""Record
Jet Stain,"" manufactured by the Record Polish
Company, Eccles, Manchester. It is normally
designed for staining leather only, the makers not
having apparently realised its usefulness in other
directions. It is to be had of any dealer in leather
goods, in twopenny and sixpenny bottles. In
many cases I have found it best to rub it in with
a pad, rather than to apply it with a brush, but
this will of course depend largely on the nature
of the article to be treated.
6. An excellent polish for use after staining, or
for other purposes, is made by dissolving white
wax in turpentine, to the consistency of cream.
Applied sparingly, with plenty of friction to fol-
low, this produces a clean hard gloss, free from the
stickiness which is sometimes left after the use of
other polishes.
7. For enamelling small articles use Maurice's
Porceleine (the makers of which are Walter Car-
son & Sons, Grove Works, Battersea, S. W.) pro-
curable at ""oil and colour"" men in tins from three-
halfpence upwards.
8. For any article to be made of flat card or"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,38,,"22
LATEST MAGIC
way for ""changing"" a borrowed coin. The per-
former, asking the loan of a marked coin, brings
forward held in his left hand a velvet mat (of small
size) whereon to receive it; the right hand mean-
while holding palmed against the second and third
fingers the velvet patch, and between this and the
hand a substitute coin of similar kind. Turning
(to the left) towards his table, with the coin in full
view on the mat, he (apparently) picks it up and
holds it aloft with the right hand, placing the
now empty mat alone on the table. What he
really does is to lay the velvet patch over the bor-
rowed coin and to pick the substitute in its place.
The original lies perdu on the mat, whence it is
child's play to gain possession of it at any later
stage of the trick.
The process may be varied by placing the mat,
after receiving the borrowed coin upon it, at once
on the table, and a little later picking up the mat
with the left hand, then proceeding as above indi-
cated. The advantage of this plan is that the turn
to the table to pick up the mat masks for the
moment the right side of the performer and gives
him a convenient opportunity to palm the coin and
patch, bestowed in readiness in the pochette on
that side.
The same principle may be applied with appro-
priate modifications to card tricks. The idea of
the black ait mat is so completely a novelty that I
have not found leisure to give it the full considera-"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,32,,"22
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
tors, and to mislead their imagination, so that they shall fancy
that they see him DO things which he only APPEARS to do, and
shall blindly fail to observe actions and movements carried out
before their very eyes.
And here let me say, that I have, by long experience, come to
the conviction, that the simpler and more common the objects
are on which, and with which. a trick is performed, and the less
anything beyond dexterity of hand is openly used, the greater
will be the astonishment and the amusement of the spectators.
There are, it is true, some very striking and complicated illu-
sions which it is impossible to present without resorting to art-
istic contrivances of mechanical or scientific arrangement. On
these illusions, as being beyond the power of a young amateur,
I need not dwell. Nor need the preceding remarks be consid-
ered as any disparagement of the combinations and extrinsic aid
which are indispensable for developing such startling illusions.
The scope of my present remarks is simply to this effect, that
to depend mainly upon the co-operation of a confederate, or
upon mechanical contrivances, for what can be far better carried
out by mere sleight-of-hand, will not pass for a satisfactory ex-
hibition of conjuring now-a-days; and the amateur will find
that, as he advances in skill and dexterity, he will swim more
freely the less ho trusts to such unsubstantial bladders to uphold
him.
Having thus discussed my two topics I shall now add explana-
tions of a few more tricks, which the learner may practise with
the hope of making progress in the art of conjuring. The only
way to make such progress and gain high attainments in the art,
is to practise diligently over and over again the passes I havo
described in my former paper, and to learn to do a few tricks
neatly, and without hesitation or stumbling. I subjoin, there-
fore, some simple but effective tricks, in which they will do well
to perfect themselves."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,236,,"220
LATEST MAGIC
yard lengths, and in half a dozen grades of thick-
ness, the finest being not much thicker than a hair
line. The breaking strain of this is much greater
than that of ordinary thread, and it has the fur-
ther advantage that being plaited instead of
twisted it does not unroll or ""kink"" in use. All-
cock, of Redditch, a name familiar to all anglers,
is a noted maker of such line, but he has no mo-
nopoly of its manufacture. It is usually sold
white, but may be easily dyed any desired colour.
For this last valuable ""tip"" I am again indebted
to my often-quoted friend, Mr. Holt Schooling,
who, as an enthusiastic angler, is an expert as to
lines of all descriptions. The reader will find
numerous instances of the practical use of such
line in the earlier part of this book.
A good way of dyeing line is to thread a needle
on to one end, and pass it by the aid of the needle
through one corner, moistened with the appropri-
ate dye, of a soft sponge, and then back again
through the dry part of the sponge to clean off any
excess of moisture. When dry, if necessary,
repeat the process.
12. Square envelopes, for the purpose of form-
ing ""nests"" or otherwise, are now and then needed
by the conjurer, but envelopes precisely square
(save the small variety known as ""pence"" envel-
opes) are not kept in ""stock"" by stationers in the
ordinary way. When such are needed the readiest
plan is to take an envelope of the long ""bag"" shape"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,169,,"233
This setting shows how cumbersome was the apparatus employed by magicians before Wiljalba Frikell proved
Lithograph used by E. W. Young, who copied all of John Henry Anderson's billing and featured the obedient-card trick. that
he could score with apparently no apparatus. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,40,,"24
LATEST MAGIC
out any quickness at all. I will prove it to you by
means of these two cards which have been chosen.
Please give me one of them. I don't mind which.""
We will suppose that the card handed up is the
eight of hearts.
""Notice please what card this is; the eight of
hearts. You can't possibly mistake it for any
other card, can you? I will turn it down here on
the table. And now for the other card."" (It is
held up that all may see it.) ""This one, you see,
is the seven of spades. No mistake about that,
either! I will lay that one here."" The card is in
each case laid upon the velvet-covered card of the
opposite kind.
""Please don't forget which is which. There has
been no quickness of the hand so far, has there ?
Now I am going to make these two cards change
places."" (You touch each with the wand.)
""Presto, change!"" (Picking up the upper and
lower cards exactly one upon the other you show
what was a moment previously the eight of hearts,
but which now appears to be the seven of spades.)
""One card has changed, you see. And now for
the other."" (You show the other pair after the
same fashion.) ""And here we have the eight of
hearts. I will now order them to change back
again."" You lay both pairs again face down.
""Now I again give the cards a touch with my
wand, and say 'Right about! Change!' and now,
you see"" (showing the faces of the original cards),"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,34,,"24
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
Borrow a marked dime. Take out your handkerchief, and
while pretending to wrap this dime in the handkerchief, conceal
it in your palm, and take care that the one previously sewn into
the corner of the handkerchief can be felt easily through tho
handkerchief. Giving it to one of your friends, tell him to feel
that it has the dime in it, and to hold it up over his head firmly.
While giving these directions to your friend, the dime that is in
your palm must be transferred to your pocket, and introduced
into the slit of the orange. Then bring the orange out of your
pocket, and place it on a table you will keep the slit on the side
away from the audience.
Then make a few mesmeric passes over the hand of the per-
son that holds the handkerchief, saying, ""I will now destroy
the sense of feeling in your hands. Tell me, can you feel tho
dime ?"" He will say, .6 Yes."" You can reply, ""Oh, you must
be wrong, sir. See! I will shake out the handkerchief."" Tak-
ing hold of one corner of it, shake it out, saying, ""Observe,
nothing will fall to the ground. You see that you were mis-
taken about feeling it in the handkerchief.""
The fact is, the dime being stitched in the corner' could not
fall out, and you must take care not to let that corner of tho
liandkerchief hit against the ground. Put the handkerchief in
your pocket, and say, ""But I must return the borrowed dime.""
Exclaim : ""Fly, dime, into the orange on the table."" Cut up
orange, and show the dime concealed in it, and then restore it
to its owner, asking him to tell the audienco if he finds it to bo
his own marked dime.
TRICK 7.-How to double your pocket money.
The only preparation 1S to have four cents concealed in your
left palm.
Commence the trick by calling forward one of the spectators,
and let him bring up his hat with him.
Then borrow five cents, or have them ready to produce from
your own pocket should there be any delay.
Request your friend, while he places them one by one on a
small plate or saucer, to count them audibly, so that the com-
pany may hear their number correctly. Inquire, ""How many
aro there ?"" He will. answer, ""Five."" Take up the saucer and
pour them into your left hand, (where the other four are already
concealed.) Then say, ""Stay, I will place these in your hat,
and you must raise it above your head, for all to see that noth-
ing is added subsequently to them."" You will have placed
these nine cents in his hat unsuspected by him.
Borrow five cents more. Make Pass 1, as described on page
9, appearing to throw these five into your left hand, but really"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,42,,"26
LATEST MAGIC
An illustration of the use of the same device
in a somewhat different form will be found in the
item next described, and in the trick entitled
""Where is it?'' post. Other ways of using it will
suggest themselves to any reader of an inventive
turn.
THE DETECTIVE DIE
This is another of the new departures dependent
upon the use of the velvet mat. Broadly stated,
the effect of the trick is as follows.
One of a group of six different cards laid out in
a row or rows repeatedly changes place with some
other, the position which it occupies, or to which it
has moved, being indicated by the cast of an ordi-
nary die. This may be repeated any number of
times.¹
The requirements for the trick are as follows:
1. The Velvet Mat. This should be one with
a plain surface, diniensions preferably eighteen
inches by ten, so as to admit of the six cards being
laid in one row. A smaller size, say twelve by
nine, may suffice, the six cards in this case being
arranged in two rows. In either case there must
be a space of an inch or SO between each pair.
1 Since the description which follows was written. it has come to my
knowledge that there is already on sale a trick on somewhat similar
lines in point of effect entitled The Educated Die. I need hardly say
that my own trick, so far as I am concerned, is absolutely original. The
advertised description of The Educated Die would suit either trick, but
there is little further resemblance between them."
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,36,,"26
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
Pretend to blame the person who cut the two inches off, say-
ing: ""Dear me, sir, what have you done ? You have quite de-
stroyed this nice handkerchief. Well, I hope, madam, you will
pardon the mistake, if I manage by magic to restore to you your
handkerchief in perfect order, and I request you to allow me to
try to do so. Carefully holding in the candle the edges of the
cambric, (both of the part cut off and of the portion from which
it was cut,) and letting the real handkerchief hang down from
the same hand, pretend with a conjuring wand to weld together
the edges of the cambric when they get hot, as a blacksmith
""welds metals together. You can prevent the flame from reach-
ing the real handkerchief by tightly pressing your fingers.
Then exclaim : ""Oh, where is the dime ?"" and while picking it
up from the table, get quietly rid of the pieces of cambric with
their burnt edges into a hat or some corner unseen by the audi-
ence.
Holding up the dime which you had just lifted from the table
say : ""But to complete my trick I must replace this dime in the
centre of the restored handkerchief, whence it was cut out.'
Make the Pass 1, appearing to pass it into the centre of the
handkerchief, but retaining it in your hand, and afterwards se-
cretly pocket it. The handkerchief has already the borrowed
dime in it. Say to the handkerchief: ""Change-restore !"" and
unfolding it, show the borrowed coin in it. Shake out the hand-
kerchief and show it is all sound and right, and restore it with
thanks, as well as the borrowed dime, to the owners.
TRICK 9.-To make a large die pass through the crown
of a hat without injuring it.
I will now give my young friends a nice, easy trick, requiring
very little dexterity, as the articles for its exhibition can be pur-
chased at any depot for the sale of conjuring apparatus there-
fore the most diffident amateur will be able to display this trick.
PREPARATION.
Have a die exactly like the common dice, only it may be about
two inches square. Have two covers for it, one of them exactly
resembling the appearance of a die, only hollow, except that
one side of it is open, so that it can easily be placed over, or be
taken off, the solid die.
The other cover may be of decorated material, and it is in-
tended to be placed over the first die-cover. Let this last cover
be made of some pliant material, so that by compressing gently
two of its sides with your fingers, while lifting it up, you can
lift up the first die-cover, which will be within it."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,44,,"28
LATEST MAGIC
are laid on the mat, which may partially cover two
or more of the six cards.
Presentation. Performer, picking up the pack
of cards with his right hand, transfers it to his left,
leaving the queen of diamonds palmed in the right.
Picking up the tray and its contents with the right
hand and advancing with it, he offers the pack to
some member of the company, saying: ""Will you
kindly look well over this pack of cards and satisfy
yourself that there is nothing exceptional about
them; and when you have done SO give them a
thorough shuffle. And you, Sir"" (handing tray
and die to another spectator), ""please test this die
in any way your please. Throw it as many times
as you like. I want you to be quite sure that it
throws a different number each time, and that it is
not loaded, or 'faked' in any way.
""I don't like bothering people to examine things,
for in most cases it is a mere waste of time. But in
this case I have a special reason for asking. There
is something about this pack of cards and this die
which I myself don't understand; and I shall be
much obliged to anyone who will help me to do SO.
As a matter of fact, these cards, though quite ordi-
nary in other respects, are afflicted with a peculiar
restlessness. They change places without notice
and without any apparent reason. If I were to
try to play bridge with them, for instance, I should
find as likely as not that my best trump had invis-
ibly left my hand and passed over to the enemy,"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,38,,"28
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
hand so as to take up the bag while catching hold of the middle
of the handkerchief.
Taking the handkerchief up by nearly the centre, the edges
of it will fall around and conceal the bag make some pretended
wavings of your wand or right hand over the handkerchief, and
say, ""Tow, handkerchief, you must supply my friends with
some bon-bons."" Squeeze with your right hand the lower part
of the bag which is under the handkerchief; the bag will burst,
and you can shake out into a plate its contents.
Asking some one to distribute them among your young
friends, you can throw the handkerchief (as it were carelessly)
over another bag, from which you can in the same way produce
a liberal supply of some other sweetmeats, or macaroon bis-
cuits, etc., etc., all of which will be duly appreciated by the ju-
veniles, and they will applaud as long as you choose to continue
this SWEET trick.
'
-"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,372,,"3 6105 004 841 255
&'
STANFORD UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
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latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,46,,"30
LATEST MAGIC
card the lady chose. At what number it stands
nobody knows (I can assure you that I don't), but
the die will tell us instantly. May I ask you,
Madam, to name your card. The queen of dia-
monds; you say? Good! Now will the gentle-
man who holds the die kindly throw it. What is
the number thrown? A three?"" (Whatever the
number happens to be.) ""The die says the card
stands number three. Let us see whether that is
correct.""
He picks up the two cards occupying the posi-
tion indicated, and shows the face of the under-
most, which is of course seen to be the queen of
diamonds.
""But now we come to the more remarkable fea-
ture of the case. I told you about the queer way in
which the cards change places. Even in this short
time I daresay the lady's card has got tired of
being number three, and has moved away to some
other number. If so, the die will tell us. Throw
it again, Sir, please.""
This is done, the die bringing up a new num-
ber, say ""five.""
""The die declares that the card has moved, and
now stands fifth. We shall soon see whether such
is really the case. First, however, let us see
whether it has really departed from number
three.""
Performer has meanwhile replaced the two
cards just lifted. He now lifts the upper one only,"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,40,,"30
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
and accurate manipulation, the astonishment at the result will
be infinitely greater than any one would imagine possible to be
produced by such simple means.
There is one help that I can suggest towards the better man-
agement of the hands in concealing or removing objects; it is
the use of a conjuror's rod or short magic wand. This is, now-
a-days, commonly a stick of about fifteen inches long, resem-
bling a common rule, or a partially-ornamented one. You may
often have observed this simple emblem of the conjuror's power,
and deemed it a mere idle or useless affectation. The conjuror
waves it mystically or majestically as he may be disposed. Of
course you are right in your judgment that it can do no good
magically; but it does not follow that it is useless. The fact is,
that it is really of considerable service to him. If he wants to
hold a coin or any object concealed in his hand, without others
observing the fact of his hand being closed, the wand in that
hand is a blind for its concealment. He may require to pick up
or lay down some object, and he can do so while openly fetching
or laying down his wand. If he wants to gain time, for any il-
lusion or process of change, he can obtain it while engaging the
attention of the spectators by some fantastic movements of his
wand. By the use of the wand, therefore, you will be able to
prevent the observation of your audience too pointedly follow-
ing the movements which you wish to carry on secretly. You
may also, at the same time, dispel their attention by humorous
remarks, preventing it from being concentrated on watching
your movements.
As a general rule, you must not apprise your audience of what
you are actually doing, but must often interpose some other
thought or object to occupy their mind. For instance : Do you
desire that a person should not examine too closely any object
which you place in his hand, tell him to hold it well above his
head. That takes it out of the range of his eyes. It would
never do to tell him not to look at it. He would then immedi-
ately suspect that you are afraid of something being observed.
Have you perchance forgotten to bring on your table any ar-
ticle requisite for displaying any trick, a feint must be made"
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,9,,"313341
Copyright, 1906
Copyright, 1907
Copyright, 1908
By HARRY HOUDINI
Entered at Stationer's Hall, London, England
All rights reserved
Composition. Electrotyping and Printing by
The Publishers Printing Company
New York, N. Y., U.S.A."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,48,,"32
LATEST MAGIC
ing meanwhile noted the marked card, does not call
attention to the disappearance of the queen from
that number, but proceeds at once to show that it
has moved to its new position. There is not the
smallest fear that anyone will notice the omission.
THE DISSOLVING DICE
To be worked on a Black Art Table
The requisites for this trick are as under:
1. Three small billiard balls, one red, two white.
2. A white half-shell to correspond, vested or
placed in a pochette.
3. Three hollow wooden dice, each of such a size
as just to contain one of the balls, and lined inside
with velvet to prevent ""talking."" One side of
each is left open, but the opening can be closed
at pleasure by the insertion of a loose side with a
beveled edge. When this is in position, the die
appears solid. The inner surface of each of the
loose sides is also covered with black velvet, so that
when lying with that side upwards on a black art
table it is practically invisible.
4. Three cardboard covers, fitting easily over
the dice. In preparation for the trick the three
balls are placed inside the dice, and these are
placed on the table, open side upward, but with the
loose sides inserted on top, and the covers over
them."
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,50,,"34
LATEST MAGIC
each of them."" (Take off all three covers, placing
each beside its own die. Then, placing one of them
on the end of your wand, advance with it to the
company, tacitly inviting anyone who pleases to
take it off and examine it.) ""I use these covers
to spare the feelings of the dice at the critical
moment. Like myself, they are rather bashful.
They don't mind doing the Jekyll and Hyde busi-
ness, but they don't like to be seen doing it. By
the way, there is a very ancient trick (believed to
have been invented by Noah in the Ark, to amuse
the boys on a wet Sunday), which is worked by
means of a sham die fitting over the real one.
Please take my word for it that I do not use any
such stale device. If I did, you may be quite sure
I should not mention it. These are all three gen-
uine dice. They are rather too large to play back-
gammon with, but save as to size, they are merely
big brothers of the regular article. Most of you
know, no doubt, that in properly made dice, the
points on opposite sides always together make
seven. Notice please, that each of these dice has
the numbers placed correctly."" (Taking up one
of the dice and turning it about.) ""You see, five
on this side, two on that; together, seven. Three
on this side, four on that; together, seven. Six on
this side, one on that; again seven.""
This is repeated, in a casual way, with the other
two dice, the object being two-fold, viz.: first, by
showing all six sides, to induce the belief that the"
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,44,,"34
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
ful
in
five
guesses.
After he has tossed up twice, you can take
the penny, and say, ""Now, I will vary the method of tossing.
You shall name now which you choose, 'heads' or ""tails.''
Toss up the penny, and while attention is occupied with this,
and he is looking to see which is uppermost, heads or tails, you
withdraw your left hand from behind you, holding the little an-
imal you have concealed, and slipping it into the hat, and turn-
ing the hat down over it, exclaim, 'Stay, I mean to pass the
penny through the hat upon the table, and the whole affair shall
be settled by the result of the present toss. You shall see the
heads or tails on the table.""
By Pass 1, pretend to place the penny on the hat, but retain
it in your right hand. Say, ""Fly, pass, and quickly."" Lift the
hat, and show both head and tail on the little animal or pet
there concealed.
If you should have had a Guinea pig, you must make the
guesses go on till your adversary guesses ""tails,"" and then it
will make a good laugh to say, ""He has won, and he had bet-
ter now take it up by the tail.'
TRICK 13 -To cook pancakes or a flat plum cake
in a hat, over some candles.
REQUISITE PREPARATION.
Have two gallipots or earthen jars, of a size to go easily into
a hat, but of such dimensions that the one reversed will fit
closely over the other. Tie worsted or a strip of linen round
the smaller gallipot, so as to insure the larger one holding firmly
round the smaller one. Have ready some thin, fluent dough,
some sugar, and a few currants, enough for two or three pan-
cakes or a small plum cake; also a spoon to stir the ingredients
up.
Have at hand two or three warm pancakes that have just been
prepared by the cook for you, with the same ingredients as men-
tioned above. Let them be firm and free from grease. Have
also at hand two small plates, with knives and forks.
Commence the exhibition by borrowing two hats, to give you
a choice with which to perform. You can remark that as you
should be sorry to injure your friend's hat, you will secure it
from being soiled by placing some paper in it as a lining. Hold
up the paper to show it is only paper, and then openly place it
in the hat, and lay the hat down on its side on the table near
you, having the brim towards you.
Have therready-prepared pancakes lying near you, and whilst"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,52,,"36
LATEST MAGIC
The right hand lifts the first cover, pressing its
sides sufficiently to lift the die within it, exposing
the ball, and in bringing it down again lands it
close to one of the wells of the table. The exposed
ball is picked up with the left hand, and while the
attention of the company is attracted in that direc-
tion, the die is allowed to slide out of its case into
the well, after which the ball and cover are brought
forward and handed to someone of the company.
The other two balls are now uncovered in the
same way, but in this case the dice may be left in
their covers, the offer of the first cover, found
empty as above, having sufficiently proved that
they really disappear.
""Well, we have got our three billiard-balls.
Good, SO far. Next, can any gentleman oblige me
with the loan of a billiard table? Nobody offers:
that's unfortunate. Well, does any gentleman
happen to have a cue about him. No again ?
Well, perhaps it would be 'cuerious' if any gen-
tleman had. I beg your pardon, it slipped out
unawares. It shall not occur again.
""It's unfortunate that I can't borrow a billiard
table and a cue, because it prevents my showing
you my celebrated break of ninety-three off the
red with my eyes shut. When I showed it to Gray,
he turned green, but that is another story. You
don't believe it? Well, I told you it was a story.
""Anyhow, as we have got the balls, we must do
something with them."""
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,46,,"36
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
interval, place the-hat on the table, and with some little cere-
mony take out the real pancakes or plum-cake. Let it be cut
up and.handed round to the juveniles who may be present.
REMARKS.
A more finished or surer arrangement for holding the dough,
etc., can be made with a tin apparatus, which can be prepared
by any tinman, upon the same principle as the gallipots, taking
care not to have it made larger than the inside of a youth's
hat.
An amateur can render a common table more suitable for con-
Fig. 25.
cealing any little object he wishes to have secreted, by placing
three or four tumblers under each end of a plank, about the
length to extend across the table, and throwing any common
cloth over the board and table, or a kitchen table, covered with
a cloth, having a drawer pulled out about six inches, will furnish
a
very good conjuror's table. It is well to have the table rather
broad, so as to keep the spectators at a sufficient distance.
TRICK 14.-TO EAT A DISH OF PAPER SHAVINGS,
AND DRAW THEM OUT OF YOUR MOUTH LIKE AN
ATLANTIC CABLE.
PREPARATION.
Procure three or four yards of the thinnest tissue paper of va-
rious colors. Cut these up in strips of half an inch or three-"
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,54,,"38
LATEST MAGIC
If the reader (being an expert) is provided with
a spare red ball and red shell, he may offer the
choice as to which shall be the colour of all three,
finally causing their disappearance after the man-
ner above described, or his own version thereof.
WHERE IS IT?
This is another of the tricks dependent on the
novel application of the black art principle.
For programme purposes the trick may, if pre-
ferred, be entitled ""The Erratic Shilling."" Its
effect may be broadly described as follows:
A marked shilling, lent by some member of the
company, after being professedly magnetised or
mesmerised by rubbing, is laid upon a black velvet
mat and covered with a playing card, face down.
Two other cards are laid (also faces down), one on
each side of the first, at a few inches distance from
it, and the audience are given to understand that
the rubbing has imparted to the coin the power to
travel from card to card at command, and indeed
sometimes of its own accord. When the card
which covered the coin is lifted, this is found to be
the case. The shilling is no longer where first seen,
but is found to have placed itself under one of the
other two cards. The spectators may be invited
to say under which of the cards they would like the
coin to pass, when it will place itself accordingly."
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,48,,"38
THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN.
appear to have cut through the bridge of the nose. A cutler
C. uld supply such knives, or they may be purchased at the de-
pots for conjuring apparatus.
Having placed out these articles on your table with serious-
ness and imposing formality, show to the audience the knife that
is whole, and call upon them to observe that it is sufficiently
strong and sharp. The other knife must be placed somewhere
near you, but where it is sheltered from the observation of the
spectators.
Ask some young friend to step forward, assuring him that you
will not hurt him. Mako him sit down on a chair facing the au-
dience. After having measured the real knife across his nose,
say ""But I may as well protect your clothes from being soiled,
so I will put an apron round your neck."" Goto the table to take
up the apron, and, in doing so, placc down the real knife where
it cannot be seen, and with your lef' and tako up the conjuror's
knife, holding it by the blade, lest any one should cbserve the
notch in it. Conceal at the same time also, in your left hand,
the piece of sponge.
Advancing to the chair, tuck, with your right hand, the apron
round the youth's neck. Then pr SS the conjuror's knife firmly
over the nose and leave il there, 2S if you had cut into the bridgo
of the nose. At the same time gently ¿queeze the sponge, and
a little of the liquid will make an alarming appearance on the
face and on the apron; go on for a short time, covering the face
and apron with (apparent) blood. When the audience have seen
it long enough, seize up the apron, wipe the face of the youth
quite clean, throw away the conjuror's knife, and exhibit your
young friend to the audience all right, and dismiss him with
some facetious remark on his courage in undergoing the alarm-
ing operation."