The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-11-18
4 Surprising Trick.

Yes, boys, real Simon-purc maggie
just such tricks as you have seen the
magician do; Just such tricks as
some of you may have seen your hum
bic servant do.
A muslin sack large enough to con-
tain boy of fourteen is handed out for
examination, and after the audience are
satisfied that the seams are not only Sc
cure and perfect, but that its only open
ing is at the mouth the performer as
sistant gets inside. The sack is gath
cred over his head, and the mouth tied
fast with silk handkerchief, and then
with tape, the knots of the latter be-
ing not only sealed in any way that
seems best TO the audience, but the
ends, which are left long, given to some
one to hold.
A screen is now placed between the
audien and the boy in the sack, the
ends of the tape passing either over the
top of the screen OF through holes in its
side
ltwould seem impossible for the per
son thus securely enveloped to get out
of the sack without cutting or untying
the tape and handkerchief; and yet, 0
the screen is thrown open. and the late
/ occupant of the sack walks out, while
the sack is found still tied up, the knots
not tempered with, and the seals I'M
broken.
Surprising as this appears, there are
needed but three requisites for its sue
cessful accomplishments: first, an as
si>tant upon whose Sc recy and faith
fulness the young coniurer can rely, for
ne willrequire his help in very many
tricks; second, tirO sacks, exactly alike,
made of very light material, so that they
will fold INTO small compass; and third,
unlimited impudence, assurance, or
what ever you may be pleased to call it.
/ When about to exhibit the trick, the
! performer comes forward, holding
silk handkerchief in one hand, and sack
/ No. l in the other. The assistant, who
is to be tied up, has the duplicate, or
| sack No. 2, concealed about him, say
| inside his vest, or in some such suitable
/ place.
As soon as he gets fairly into No. /,
he whips out the duplicate, and puts the
mouth of it inside the mouth OF No. l.
The exhibitor, who is fumbling about
as if to gather No. over the assistants
head, seizes No. 2, and drawing out
about nine inches OF it, at once wraps
the silk handkerchief over the two so
as to cover the point where they meet.
This he does deliberately, as an appear
ance of haste would give rise to sus-
picion among the audience. As it is
now i'm ossible for any one to distin-
guish between the parts of the two
sacks, the exhibitor turns to his audi
ence with the remark: Il have now
! tied up the mouth of the sack in such
way as to make it next to impossible
for the young man to get out. But to
make assurance doubly sure. should
like one of the audience to tie it again;
this time with piece Of tape" As he
says this, he produces the tape and ties
1t once around the part bGtWeen the hand
kerchtet amt the month of No. ,. The
person selected from the audience then
draws the knots tight, seals them, and
retains the ends of the tape in his hand.
When the screen is placed in position
Tor home exhibition a clothes-horse with
a sheet over it makes an excellent sub
SIlIute Tor a screen--the assistant gently
pulls on the mouth of No. |, which If
readily drawn out from under the hand
Kerchlet and steps out, leaving the
tape and handkerchief still closely
wound around No. 2. 1t takes but
4 second to told up No. /, conceal it, anu
then to walk out from behind the
screen TO receive the applause OF the
audience. Henry Hattoa, in HarperS
Young People.