The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-03

had purchased the novelty, and which has been
the sensation in the Eden Musee for some
months past. Mme Hermann appeared in a light
drapery; rug was placed on the stage, a large
sheet of paper and chair thereon, the lady
sitting on the chair. Then Hermann enveloped
her IN thin, but not gauZy, dark green sheet
that com pletely covered her while revealing the
contour of her figure. In Paris almost instantly
the covering was removed and the lady had van
ished, but Hermann required slow music, and it
was several moments before the sheet was re-
moved and the vacant chair discovered. OF
course he directed attention by gances to every
part of the stage than that he sought not to
the rear corner-where ne touched spring that
| Immediately detected letting his wife and the
chair drop to the regions below, while the appar-
ent gauze sustained 10y its vertical folds) its po
sltion. Theories that mirrors were used, pro-
duclng an optical delusion, were advanced, but
very careful scrutiny always watch the magi
clan and not the point at which he directs atten-
tlon1 discovered the spring and sitting near,
l could hear the mechanism
have never read an expose of Heller's Psyche
trick, which has mystiied most beholders. The
pigmy figure of a half body, with head and
arms. and a sectional shelf of figures across the
'front.' is placed on a hollow glass cylinder. At
Hellers command PSYCHE masters the most in
trlcate cubes and squares, the head and arm
moving from side to side, the latter selecting
figures and placing them to form correct
answer The theory was that the arm and head
was moved by electric wires, but the glass sup
pOF6 rSnQereu tnaL lTnp0SSlOI0. 1G puzzled me
for some time but finally discovered-just how
III not.sav-that it was worked by compressed
air circulating in the glass cylinder from one of
the feet of the pedestal The assistant
in the wing worked the supply tube
by ball. one press setting the arm to
moving, two dropping it on the figure, third
picking it up when it moved lstessy until
another double pressure dropped the numeral
in its place The magician wore a fash button.
/. g.. one OF the buttons on the small Of the back
pocket battery. You have seen those electric
ure, he being lightning calculator Years ago
1t took me three nights to discover his trick of
the Sphinx. an Egyptian head that out of
stood in the center of the stage, apparently per
fectly clear underneath, with one corner fac
ing the audience. The head talked and was
obviously alive, but there was no possi-
bility of its being connected with a body, be-
cause the top of the table was not one and half
inches thick and it was entirely clear under
Meath On the third night, having exhausted
all my theories. threw a putty ball from a
blower carried with me in the direction of the
table. and finding it lodged in the air. / soon
discovered that the table had a looking glass be-
tween each leg, the magician being careful
never to be caught in the reflection, and that
there was reflection of the surroundings
The same way little investigation always
proves that the naturalization at a spiritual
seance is the medium impersonating, because
whenever scatter tackS over the floor spirits
can't stand on them, and the medium is always
lame when he or she emerges from the cabinet
JOHN DARME