Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-01-23

ltnt.
:. He took the cards in his hand
There are eight OF you be said. Fac
one has drawn a card and replaced il
and the eight cards, if you have wei
shuflled them, should be dispersel
through the pack. No eye could SCI
! into this room when the door was shut
even knowing the cards--were that pos
sible--would leave the seeming impossi
bility Of bringing the eight cards to
gether; you will acknowledge that. BE
hold what art can dot He gave th'
cards sort Of flourish. and placing thu
pack on his left palm, threw from the tor
the eight cards which we had drawn. HI
then turned 10 Skeptic, and witha gooC
humored smile inquired whether he haC
any idea how the trick was done. Oul
nil admirati friend laughed, and sale
nothingj but shortly afterward he wal
heard TO observe, Curious, amt it2
This trick gave rise 10 q good deal o.
talk, and some disputation; but there
we're no two opinions about il; il was
allowed by all TO be the most complete
and inexplicsble feat Of legerdemain
ever Witnessed. Ira
Trick No. was even more astonish
ing and ineomprehensible. You know,
said Herr Hermann, addressing the
whole party. after some discussion had
gone on about the sleight of-hand per.
formances, | work by wit, and not
witchcraf. For wit read trick, inter
posed Skeptic. But what continued
the conjurer not needing the interrup.
ton, supposing that | we're to interpret
your thoughts-to know what was pass
ing through your mind?' That in
deed, would be trick above natural
magic, | exclaimed. Skeptic filled his
glass and winked to his neighbor, as
who should say, i know all about it.
We shall see, said Herr Hermann.
Now, each of you two gentlemen, he
went on, speaking to his right-hand
guests, think of card; / do not ask you
to touch one; and taking up the pack,
he threw the cards front upward on the
table The choice was quickly made.
Mr.. Hermann recovered the cards, shuf-
fled them and spread them ous as before.
The card, he said, one of you thought
Of is there; the card the other thought
Of is absent The gentlemen searched.
One of the cards selected was not to be
seen-the other was found. So far SO
good, exclaimed Herr Hermann, but
the trick is only half done. The con
jurer took the cards again, shufied
them on the table. Now, he cried,
the illusion is reversed. The missing
card reappears, and the card thought of
that was present is not to be found.
Searchl And such was the case. The
cards had come and gone at the bidding
of the wonderful magician, who seemed
to influence a mental rather than physi-
cal exercise over them. Wonder was
expressed in every countenance, and
Skeptic, annoyed because be was foilsd
drank off an additional bumper to quail
ify him for calculation.
" A moment's consideration of the
trick must satisfy anybody Of its ex-
treme cleverness and incomprehensi-
bility. The only possible solution that
offers itself is in the supposition that
the conjurer, by some process of bis
own, was enabled to follow the eyes of
the gentlemen in their direction to the
cards spread on the table, and to mark
those they made use of. Knowing the
cards, of course an expert practitioner
would find no difficulty in manipulating
them as he pleased; and getting rid of
card and returning il to the pack, con
trived with Whatever rapidity, is no ex-
trsordinary feat OF legerdemain. Ascer-
tanning to certainty the two cards upon
which two persons have thrown a glance
for the shortest possible snaoe Of time,
is it must be allowed, ane OF the most
remarkable aad puz2ling achievements
Of the conjurers art, and may be termed
its growing feat. do not assert that it
was by this process Herr Hermann
ascertained the cards his two guests
thought Of; but il not thus, | can con-
ceiye no other method by which he made
them known to him, unless indeed it
were veritable witchcraft.
Some ten or fifteen minutes had
passed, and the conversation was about
to lapse into generalihea, when our host
rose from his seat, and taking from the
table the cards, went to the other end of
the room / want to ask your opinion |
Of a trick which, no doubt, you have
often seen-your opinion as to how | do |
it. Will you 0blige lAe by taking card2
May / be allowed to suggest the un.
opened pack of cards2 inquired friend |
Skeptic, looking around him with au air
of wisdom. Oh, certainly, answered |
Herr Hermann; open the untouched pack
yogrself and then give it to me. Skeptic |
removed the envelop from the new pack |
and scrutinized the cards carefully. The
eyes OF the company were now fixed on
the pair, and no one spoke, Skeptic
having satisfied himself that the cards |
had undergone no previous prepara-
ton, handed them to the conjurer.
Take a card said the latter. 1t was
done. Now take the pack in your own |
hands, put the card back, and shuttle.
Skeptic did as he was told, and smiled |
as he shqiied the cards IN 2 variety Of
ways. " would be difficult, would it
not, asked Herr Hermann, TO tell you
the card you drew2 Rather ejacu-
lated Skeptic. What If l were to do more,
and make you draw again the same card 2 !
: | should like to lay el0 70 a half
crown on that. Keep your money, my
friend; ! dont want to rob you; give me
the cards. he took the cards from
Sksptic, aud shuffling them, said This
time, when you draw the card, do not let
anybody see it, nor say what it is until
ask you. / must do my tricks after
my own fashion Draw
He drew. Now place the card upeu
the table backupwards, and cover il with
your hand, holding it tightly. Skeptic
did as he was desired. Now, sir, is not
ihsl card the one which you drew irst2
Certainly not exclaimed Skeptic, loud
b aud triumphantly Indeed cried
Hermann, there must be some mistake.
or course there is, rejoined The guest
but it was your mistake aad be laughed
with much glse. Are you suref Pos
tive. Name the cards i drew the
queen Of spades first and this under my
hand is the nine of diamonds. Let
ne look at IT, Skeptic took away his