The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-04-08

WIN were tbus enabled TO see that II was
% nerseciiy cmpty.v The cage was then
susncnded fror, Two wires, which were las.
tened "a : cotl ,Ie Of upright brass rods bxed
IN The ccntre-table. Two large SILK pocket;;
lhandkerchicfy were placed over cage ana
box. and Herrmann, standing at the sma'l
table. fred 4 pistol. instantly withdrew tne
nocltet .handkercbiefs and showed tue glass
box empty and the cage full OF canaries.
Nor Ian 0 time. as has been said, THIS trics
was'o ,uzzler: but the following was founh
n he iis cxnlanation. The ordinary.looking
| care had IN reality false top, or rather
faise hottom TO the top. The roof OF tbe
On 60 was peaked, and between its ridge ana
the hnttom of the caves was what might De
| caJ,ed a carret. Before being brought on
tho stage the same number OF canaries were
therein confined as the box contained; lnc
wires which held the cage suspenoeo w. w.
connected with battery OUTSIDE. Ine
glass box was also
PECULIARLY CONSTRUCTED.
The s;des were secured by brass inter
,oints. hat the bottom and top were held to-
ge,bcr by wires concealed by these loinis,
and could at will be slid down until me
ton formed the bottom and the bolton hung
below. sustained by the corner wlfes' IKE
the standards OF a whatnot. Wneh tue
box is placed on the table u res's on u
snrinc-trap. and at the moment the pistol IL
fired Hermann presses the spring, the Trap
dcscends, with it fail the sliding top ana
bottom or the box, and the canaries are tnus
forced out OF their quarters. Inc spring Is
released, the box receives again us Top ana
bottom In their places, and the canaries
are left in the table. Coinstantaneous'y
with this man9uvre the watchful attendanl
presses the button Of the battery, the moor
Of the stage "garret gives way ana tue
released birds iutter down into the cage.
The fish-bowl trick is by no means new
one. and the Chronicle readers, OF course,
know that the magician comes upon tne
stage with the bowls and their contents
nesiIv slowed away beneath bis coat,
stout rubber cover that fits tightly over the
rims of the bowl, keeping both water aud
fish from escaping. The large handker-
chief which he throws over his arms con-
ceaIs the withdrawal Of the bowl from un-
dcrneath the coat a dexterous pull at the
edge OF the rubber cover wItbdraws that,
and this damp cover grasped in the band
kerchief IL the reason. by The by, that new
is required for each new
bowl. But Hermann introduced clever
novelty into bis performance OF this trick.
The Hsh-bowls. when exhibited, had each a
stand Of some two or three inches high and
sbsped like a squat tripod. 1t OF course
seemed impossible that such an unwieldy
article could be concealed upon any ones
person. The tripod, however, was not the
fixture il seemed to be. TO be sure it was
riyeted on to the bottom OF the bowl, but
all these legs were hinged so that when
closed they ciasped the bow like three fiat
fingers, without at all, or materially, in
creasing its bulk. The greater part OF Herr.
mann's tricks was to be taken as a proof OF
bow adept man may become in the art OF
palming. and amateurs who may wish TO
occasionally amuse their friends by little
parIor magic are assured that the true secret
OF success in diablere is practice. The me.
chanicai aids TO the more elaborate tricks
are, as we have already seen, costly and OF
Intricate construction.
THE INExHsusTIBLE BOTTLE
from which any liquor is poured that
NAV be asked for has always been
looked upon as good trick. To do
IL all that is required is prepared
bottle, digital agility, and good memory.
The bottle is prepared by having an inte-
rior with five divisions msde for it, which
has to it exactly and which is shaped like
40 many radii proceeding from a common
centre. Coming up to the neck five holes
are bored through the glass, one over each
Of the spaces between the divisions. The di- |
visions are then flied with five different II. |
Iuors, and the fingers playing upon the DIFF.
erent holes 10 the neck, allow OF the escape |
only Of that liquor contained 10 the division
INTO " hich the air passes by the removal OF
he finger from the orifice. Should any liquor |
be demanded that the bottle does not con-
ain, two or three Of those it does are mixed |
bv the removal OF two or three fingers, and |
ninety.nine times out OF a hundred the |
irnker is under the impression that be
swallows what he asked for. A number OF
,ther tricks are interesting, and could be as
easily explained, but the limits OF news |
paper article have to be respected. Enough, |
however, has BEEN said TO show that the
modern coujurer invokes the same wonder
working spirits to his aid that our men OF
science more legitimalely employ in the
OF their studies.