The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-11-24
A SURPRISING TRICK.

Yes, boys, real S.mOn-pure magic,
Just such tricks as you have seen tue
ssmapician', do /; Just such trick as you
have seen your humble servant do
Many of these you can do yourselves
when you know how; others require
more practice than you ought to give to
such nonsense, and others are again too
expensive. But there are some that any
boy-or girl, for that matter-can do
with little rehearsing and slight expense
The magic sack trick, which l had the
honor of introducing into America in
1873, is as clever as it is simple.
A muslin sack large enough to con-
tain boy of fourteen is handed out for
examination, ard after the audience are
satisfied that the seams are secure and
perfect, but that it is only open at the
mouth, and the performers assistant
gets inside The sack is gathered over
his head, and the mouth tied with silk
handkerchief, and then with a tape, the
knots Of the latter being not only sealed
IN any way that seems best to the aud
ience, but the ends, which are lett long,
given to some one TO hold.
A screen is now placed between the
audience and the boy in the sack, the
ends of the rope passing either over the
top of the screen or through holes in the
side.
It would seem impossible for the per-
son thus securely enveloped to get out
Of the sack without cutting or untying
the tape OF handkerchief and yet, o
mystery of mysteries in few seconds
the screen is thrown open, and the late
occupant Of the sack walks out, while
the sack is still tied up, the knots not
tampered with and seals unbroken.
Surprising as this appears, there are
needed but three requisites for its sue
cessful accomplishment first, an assis-
tant upon whose secrecy and faithful
ness the young cOnjureT can rely, for he
will require his help for a great many
tricks second, two sacks, exactly alike
made Of very ine material so that they
Will fold into small compass and third,
unlimited impudence, assurance. OF
whatever 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 num-
Der one in the other. The assistant who
is to be tied up, has the duplicate, or
sack number two concealed about him,
say in his vest, or some other suitable
place.
AS soon as he gets fairly into No, l he
whips out the duplicate, and puts the
mouth of it inside the mouth of No. l
uc cAulDlblLOI. WHO Is lDllUR ABOUT
as If to collect No. l over the boys head
seizes No. 2 and pulling out about nine
inches of it, at once wraps the silk hand
kerchief over the two so as to cover the
point where they met. This he does de-
liberately, as an appearance of haste
would give rise to suspicion among the
audience. As it is impossible to distin-
guish between the points OF the two
sacks, the exhibitor turns to the aud
fence with the remark II have now
tied up the sack in such a way as to
make it next to impossible for the young
man to get out. But to make assurance
doubly sure, 1 should like one of the
audience to tie it again this time with
tape" As he says this he produces
q piece OF tape and ties it once around
the part between the handkerchief and
the mouth Of No. 2. The person seIec-
ted from the audience draws the knots
tight, seals them, and retains the end
Of the cord in his hand.
When the screen is placed in position
for home exhibition a clothes horse with
q sheet over it makes az excellent sub
stitute for a scTeen-the assistant gently
pulls at the mouth OF No. l, which is
readily drawn from under the handker-
chief. and steps out, leaving the hand
kepchief and tape closely wound around
No, q 1t takes but second to fold up
No. /, conceal it, and then to walk out
from behind the screen to receive the
applause Of the audience.
This brief, but trust clear, descrip-
tlon can give but little idea of the effect
produced by this really surprising trick.
I first saw it exhibited by a mar call
Ing himself LIE Due, at,Stockholm, Swe-
den, some twenty five years ago, and at
that time, although knew considerable
about magic, it completely mystified me.
Henry Hotton in Harper's Young Pso-
pie.