The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-08-16

| Please name the flower Geranium.
| Can You tell me the
| flower? Passion-fower.
Etc, etc.
Now the application of all this, and much
more, after the hard work of study is over,
is as pleasant as playing the piano when you
| have got through the drudgery of the notes,
| fve-finger exercise, and four hours day in
| harmonious strumming. Let us take an i'm
| aginary run through our material and see
how it can be ''worked in'' together with
the professors ''patter," and the 'wheezes,"
or jokes, with which he interlards his dis
course. OF course he will take a prelimin-
mary canter, in which he will dilate upon
the wonders of mesmerism, and the special
marvels of ''second sight" He will,then in
troduce his clairvoyant-m likely young
| lady-and, after blindfolding her, he will
| proceed to take articles at random from the
audience. Say the first thing handed him is
purse, he will ask the clairvoyant, 'What
have 1 here?" ga purse.' Then, turning
to its owner, the professor may say, "Shall
open it? Thank you! like handling other
peoples money! Again, to his "suDject,"
and taking coin out of the purse
| What have now? Money
| What is the metal? Silver
| What coin is it? forin
| What is here? banknote
| (You had better take your purse back sir, the
temptation is too great.)
Is this for any purpose? Yes; reticule is very
| Of what use is this? 1t is very refreshing; it is
bottle of SCENT
Do ladies or gentlemen Ladies. Gentlemen sell
use this? dom carry pincushions.
(Of course the girls right. How absurd l am not
| to have thought of thatD
This? Answer instantly! 1t is handkerchief.
What is now in my hand? A breast-pin.
Has it stone? Yes
Tell me The color. Green.
Tell me the stone. Emerald.
Tell me now. You have q bunch of keys.
Now can you tel me this? Yes; it is pocketbook.
(May open it, sir? Thank you. Dear me- strangely
| This will puzzle you. Not at ALL 1t is court
plaster.
| This? Speak loud. 1t is letter.
Don't be afraid, sir; / will not open Mdt0
| Is this of any use? Certainly; it is an alma
mack.
Do you admire this? Yes; it is brooch.
Is anything in it? Yes; portrait
A lady or gentleman? A gentleman.
His hair; please name the
color Red.
pardon, madam the young lady should have said.
"SandyP)
What is this for? To light cigar.
What should be done with Put it in your pocket you
this? like a cigar going home,
Good advice, I'll act upon it! All right? Thank
you, sir)
Tell me this? A toothpick.
Who gave me this? lady. The clairvoyante
here reserves her knowl-
edge that it is a bracelet.
Any color? Yes; yellow.
What metal is it? Brass.
ooh, madam, excuse the frankness of the clair
Arid t is? A bracelet.
Now. Who gave me this? A gentleman, Its chain.
What kind of chain? An Albert.
Do you know the metal? Aluminium.
Dear me, how rude! I'm sure it's pure Brumma-
Would you like this? Yes; it is a watch
q think you acant a watch on you yong ladyD
What is the metal? Silver.
What is this? flower.
Has it color? 1t is white. Some say that
is no color
What is the flower? It'll a camelia
What is this Stuffp SmilaY
Who is this flower for? Me
Il thought she'd say sol You've objection?
Thank you, sir.)
And this? 1t is a cane. You can
have that.
s x II EVERY Sne got their deserts few
Do you see this? Hold Rather sir, I'm looking
ing up ring] out for a plain one my
(Are you? pity the poor man, that's all9
This and much more, when the Professor
will perhaps declare that his clairvoyant can
read any sentence written by the audience
(lndiscrimitely taken from number placed.
in hiatt which has neither been seen by
himself or his pupil, and more, will add up
the total of sum she has no knowledge of.
To this end small slips of paper are distrib-
uted that anybody who chooses may write
upon them and set down figures. Those with
the numbers go into one hat, those with the
written words are relegated to another. The
papers being ''well shaken before taken' the
professor dips into hat No. l, and gets, not
slip written upon by anyone in the audience,
but one he has himself carefully prepared be-
fore the performance and which the clair
voyante has studied, and he goes through the
same process with hat No. 2, bringing forth
paper with the arranged sum of which the
pupil knows the total. He has ''palmed" both
these slips so they are in his hand before it
goes into the hats; but he appears to take
them from those written by the outsiders,
so there is no suspicion aroused. Besides,
does he not hand the papers to strangers to
hold until the lady has in the one case de-
ciphered its contents, and in the other added
up the long columns of figures? This would
not do for private room, because your
friends would be sure to compare notes af-
forwards, and find that neither the sentence
nor the sum had been set down by any of
them, but in public assembly there is no
chance of the trick being discovered in such
manner.
The professor may "wind up'' by touch
ing various articles of dress, ETC., among the
audience in sequence previously fixed up
overcoat, a necktie, an opera-glass, a
glove, spectacle-case, and so on.
1t appears very wonderful, though, when
he says, Snow tell me. This?'' ga hat"
''This?" can umbrella ''This?'' can
overcoat." ''Name the color.' Grown"
''This?' ga nec1tie." ''What is the col
or?'' 'Blue." "This?' Gan opera-glass"
'0This?' "a glove" ''What coiorg'
''Black." 'This?'' ga spectacle case"
'This?'' "a wig" Whereupon the conjur-
er takes off his confederate's wig amidst a
roar of laughter, in which the professor and
his pupil make their bow and depart.