Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-07-16
BlAcK Art.

1t intervals Of q year or so, gone through
this and neighboring States exhibiting
Is u magician. Although he did this
for amusement, and not for profit, his
entertainments proved very successful
A reporter called at the gentleman's
place of business and asked him to ex-
hiblt his outfit for the performance of
marvels, and a little of their mechanism.
He complied with the request, and took
bis visitor by elevator to the fifth story
sf his double store. In one corner OF
the room stood large, plain cabinet.
The door Of this being thrown open
there was displayed a number of shelves
burdened with all manner of aids to
he magician's arts. There were pistols,
words, glasses, bottles, pitchers, all
orts of magic boxes with invisible
Iprings, sides, bottoms and tops, innu-
merable packs of cards, several full re-
Ealias-in fact the entire paraphernalis
sf the prestidigitator.
The sword trick. "Here's a starter"
Iaid the gentleman, whipping from one
Of the shelves long sword with a gilt
tering, not particularly sharp, but ap-
parently perfect blade. He then picked
up pack Of cards at random and hand
ID them to his visitor.
''Plck out ore, observe what it is,
replace it and then throw the pack at
me.
The reporter distracted card from
he psck-the king Of clubs-carefiIlly
replaced it in another part of the pack,
ind dexterously threw the pack at the
naked sword in the signor's hands. The
cards few in every direction. AS they
.ame at him the magician threw HIM
self forward gracefully, and made an
apparently wild thrust at the flying
pasteboards, and the king Of clubs ap-
peared lmpaled on the point of the
sword.
Understand how that's done?" this
1uizzically.
'tI can't say do"
''This may make it a little clearer"
said the black art expert, bringing the
sword up close to the reporter and wig
Cling short artificial point which
pierced the card. 1t wasn't made very
clear, however, how the card got on the
end OF the sword. Directly afterward
the reporter picked up the original king
Of clubs among the scattered cards, en-
tirely uninjured. "Of course had the
other card prepared" commented the
magician. but the manner in which he
got it on the sword before the eyes of
the visitor or how he knew the card
selected was beyond finding out.
A large empty tin box, from which
the master drew about everything at
will, seemed very puzzlIng, until the
artist whirled it around and showed how
the double back of the box worked back
and forth under his arm out CT sight,
giving plenty Of opportunity for con-
federate TO load the box with all man
ner of burden. Then it looked too
simple to be considered; but so do all
puZzling things when understood.
Here's puzzle" said the master,
lifting I'D a very ordinary black bottle,
examined carefully by the reporter with
put anything unusual being discovered.
''This Is an old trick of magicians, and
always a corker," he said. ''Six diff
serent varieties of liquor can be poured
tom this single bottle at will. I'll
make it plain as day how it's done. "
he threw the bottle up to the light and
the visitor looked down its threat. Six
pipes ran side by side down its lower
nalf. "These are each filed with great
care before each evenings performance
by an accomplice. When the magician
comes on the stage he takes the bottle,
places his fingers over each of these six
small air holes that you will notice
piercing the bottle and entering the diff
ferent pipes. OF course when a finger
is lifted from one of the air holes the
liquor contained i'll that particular pipe
will pour ont. Thus the audience can
name Its medicine and the magician can
furnish it at his own sweet will out Of
this marvellous bottle.".
The master permitted his guest to
take card, tear it in pieces, return all
the pieces but one; then he took the
ether pieces, placed them on a steel
plate, covered it and speedily produced
sound card, with simply corner out,
into which the piece preserved by the
reporter fitted exactly. "Of course
you didn't tear up the card that you
found perfect-but assure you it's all
very simple" was the assurance Of the
private professional.
suppose you never saw this" said
he, producing a glittering butcher knife
and apparently driving it through his
hand Not foot away the looker-on
could not discover how the deception
was played, or at what time the perfect
knife had been replaced by the one with
the absent center that had appeared to
pierce his hand. The effect of this act
was very startling.
A rapier blade was run through the
body of the magical servant and fol.
lowed by the ribbons to which it wa:
attached, which were pulled back and
forth. This looked SIMPLER when the
signor demonstrated that the blade was
Of tin, capable of any amount of bend
ing and really passed around his body
under his vest.
He closed his very astonishing enter
tainment by reproducing Herman's eel
e5rated trick Of the goli fishes in dishes
drawn from under a single handker
chief, using bouquets instead Of gold
fishes. This he did not explain.
The entire outfit cost me about 81,
600 Many of the apparatus are yer,
rare. The assistance of this machinery
etc would be of very little use unles
q man understood the art of palming
and most Of the principles Of ocula
deception" said the master in conciu
sion. "It takes pretty far length o