The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-07-22
MAGICIAN UNMASKED.
WONDERFUL TRICKS EXPLAINED BY
ONE WHO PROCESSES TO KNOW.

All Very Simple and Easily Understood
Psyche and His Three-Legged Stool
Cabinet Tricks Made Easy-A Miracu1-
Gus Growth of Flowers.
The writer sat through one of modern
nagician's sleight-of- performances
some nights ago and noticed once or t"loe
that his right-hand neighbor took unusual
interest in the entertainment. Not tnat
he seemed particularly pleased, for he
more than once gave vent to eXclamasons
indicating anything but JOY or astonlsh-
ment. AS the audience filed. out at the
conclusion of the cabinet seances the
writer made some commonplace 'smaTk
10 the gentleman who had sat next 20 him.
One word led to another, and five minutes
later the two were seated together in a
resort near by.
~The posters and announcements Of this
great magician make one SMILE" he said
Turing a pause in the refreshments
From them one would think that he was
going to prove q mixture OF the
devil and DR.. Faustus, while, on the con-
trary, the tricks he performs were old
when I was boy" and the speaker
stroked his long beard angrily. "A few OF
them are of later date, but they were
copied from European magicians, So
called. They are all very simple and easily
understood. Take his levitation act for
instance The posters represent him
sailing all over the auditorium. That,
Of course, is mere theatrical adver-
Using. He does not even leave
The stage. The theatre is darkened
and stuffed dummy with e phosphor-
sscent mask is swung about the theater
oy wire. AS for Psyche, as he called 1t,
It is nothing but piece of mechanism
worked by man concealed below the
stage. The magician repeats the question
,r problem in loud Toice, and all the
men have to do Is to move the hands right
and there you are!
PSYCHIC AND HIS STOOL.
II saw the same thing worked IN Lon
lon years ago. The machines are sold there
sor SIS by the carload. These figures may
be worked in two ways. One is by forcing
Or sucking the air through them in the
same manner that the monkeys in tobac-
eonist's windows are made to smoke. The
other way is by means Of q key by whIoh
The swinging arm can be moved as easily
IS the hands of watch. The three legs
If the stool on which Psyche is placed are
hollow and are fitted on tubes which pass
through the stage and are connected with
an air-pump. The air passes through the
glass cylinder and operates the figure as
easily as the air passes through your nos
trils ard operates your lungs. A silver
plated wire can be put through the glass
cylinder to operate the head or hand with
out being seen by the audience, and thus
cause Psyche TO perform his feats with
:he greatest ease.
"The feat of passing the knight over the
;hess-board will teach you in. five min
utes or forfeit 800. Those cabinet tricks
nave been seen and explained thousand
times, so that every schoolboy. under
stands them. The confederate who cuts
The knots and ties them again as soon as
;he magician takes his seat in the cabinet,
IS concealed just behind the front apart
nent Of the cabinet on small platform.
There is door in the center of the back
Of the cabinet which turns on a pivot, so
hat he (the confederatel can enter anu 20
,ut of the box as quickly as possible aud
show his face at the window, ring the
oells, beat the tambourine, thrust his
hands out, cut the magician loose or tie
aim fast, as no requires. He can tic or
lntie tho cords placed OIL the magician's
person in very short time.
SEVERAL MODERN MIRACLES.
sYou saw him do those alleged spiritual
site tricks with the tables and chairs?
~ Sc Ia Of tho 1irhfngt
possible kind OF wood. Upon the table
md chairs he has some fine wire places
into which he slips his fingers and moves
The furniture where he pleases. have
;eenthe same thing done by means of
Gne nails driven into the wood. By eX-
ending his fingers against these q man
an get purchase enough to lift tho OBJ
ject
"You noticed the apparently miraculous
;rowth of flowers in the pots2 Go to-nfor-
,ow night and watch him closely. 1t is
IN old trick, and when l was boy !. used
% amuse our people with it. The trick
consists simply il changing the empty
zone rapidly Us the performer passes
.oward the pot How about the hot
;otfee? Oh, my dear boy, that is done by
dropping into it a piece Of unslaked lime
hat has been concealed in the palm OF
me hand. And those drinks? That's as
.asily explained as the other. In the
bottom of the tumblers are essences Of
various kinds OF liquor. The same liquor
generally sweetened water or thin wine
is poured into the tumbler, and the re-
suit is something tasting like the liquor
.sked for.
"Then you know tho performer has con-
tedcratcs all over the house. Some of the
nen who come upon the stage during the
cabinet tricks are III his employ, as is also
;he man in the gallery who cries out that
Psyche is wrong. He has been placed
there for that purpose so that the per-
tormer can prove that Psyche is right. II
| didn't want to bore you l could go
,traigh5 through his programme and
show up every trick he ces."-Chicago
News Interview.
Three Graccs without Their Heads.
In ancient Rome another very remark
able discovery has been nude in the gar
lens of SalluSt, where excavations are 60