pages: practicalmagicia00harr.pdf, 91
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practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 91 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 81 Too much attention cannot be bestowed on the study of sound as it falls on the car, and an endeavor to imitate it as it is heard- for the "secret" of the art 1S, that as perspective is to the eye so is ventruloquism to the car. When we look at a painting of a land- scape, some of the objects appear at a distance ; but we know that it is only the skill of the artist which has made it appear as the eye has seen it in reality. In exactly the same manner a ven- triloquist acts upon and deceives the ear, by producing sounds as they are heard from any known distances. PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS. No. I. THE VOICE IN. THE CLOSET This is the voice in which Mr. Frederic Maccabe, the celebra- ted mimic and ventriloquist, excels, and the clever manner in which he can adapt it off-hand, as it were, will be best illustrated by the fact mentioned to us by the gentleman in question, whom we call Mr. B. in Mr. Maccabe's presence. Mr. B., who was an invalid, suffering from some nervous disorder, originating by over- work and anxiety, was travelling in Ireland in search of health, and when on his way from Dublin to Cork, lic lay exhausted in a corner of a railway-carriage, muflled up in cloaks and wrap- pers in a paroxysm of pain. At Mallow, two gentlemen entered the carriage, one of whom was in exuberant spirits, and commenc- ed telling some amusing anecdotes. At length the porter came to collect the tickets. They were all handed in but one, when the following colloquy ensued :- l'orter.- gentleman hasn't given me his ticket. Gentleman.-Bill, in the next compartment, has the ticket, (tap- ping at the partition). Haven't you, Bill ? The imaginary Bill, who appeared to be suffering from a se- vere cold, replied that he had, and the porter would not take it. The official went off to find the ticket, but Bill, in the mean time had vanished. Back came the porter and indig- nantly demanded the ticket. He was interrupted by a shrill voice in the opposite compartment, crying,- Porter ! porter ! why don't you come and take the ticket ! There's some ono insulting ne!" Away went the chivalric porter, to come back puzzled and chafed to receive the ticket, which was handed to him. His hand had not reached the coveted piece of pasteboard, ere the yell of a terrier under the wheels caused the porter to draw back, amid bursts of laughter, during which the ticket |