Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-06-24
TRICK ARTICLES.
Ingenious Devices to Deceive the Unwary.

Ingenious Devices to Deceive the Unwary.
New tricks for the boys?" repeated a
dealer in sleight- of-hand articles IN reply
to New York Mail and Express report
er's inquiry. IT should say so. There's
no end to them. There IS beautiful
buttonhole bouquet, for instance. After
placing it in your coat buttonhole you
call the attention of a friend to It's beauty
and fragrance. Of course he will step
forward and smell of it, when to his
establishment fine stream of water will
be thrown in his face. Where the water
comes from is a mystery, as you can have
your hands at your side or behind you
and not touch the bouquet IN any manner.
Then there is little leaping monkey that
is better than a surprise party for making
fun and getting up an excitement. After
1t has been sitting quitely on the stand
or table, and being admired by your I'M
suspecting friends, it will suddenly and
without warning, make a wild leap into
the air and land under the table or in
somebody's lap, creating a regular panic
all around. Then there is a cigar-case
that is one of the best practicle jokes of
of the season. To all appearances 1t is
an ordinary cigar-case, made in imitation
of real leather. Ask your friend to have
a cigar, at the same handing him the case.
As he attempts to open it an ugly-lookIng
gorilla, six inches i'll height, suddenly
pops up instead of the expected cigar.
Another trick novelty in the cigar line
consists OF light, strong metal shell, the
size and shape and color of cigar. 1t
has a spiral spring concealed within that
may be released at the will of the opera
tor by slightly pressing trigger that IS
III 4 L. Ill nr,r Of
the spring is permanently fastened in the
shell, and the other end, which is project
ed when released has cork attached to
retain it in the shell. When the spring is
released it will fly out from twelve to fiji
teen inches, with a whirring, rafting
noise, so quickly that while the person
toward whom it points can see something
coming and hear it, he can not tell just
what has happened until after he has seen
1t and made lively effort to dodge it.
"a magic nail is another interesting
little trick article. A common nail is
shown, and without a moments hesitation
the performer forces it through his fing-
er. The finger can be shown with the
nail producing from both sides. The
Illusion is so perfect that the spectators
will be satisfied that the wound is a gen
uine Ond. The next instant the nail can
be withdrawn for examination and the
finger shown without a cut, scar, or
wound. In another trick you exhibit a
neat and pretty windmill, which you blow
with the greatest ease, remarking that
that the mill is enchanted and will only
work at your command. Then hand it to
onyone with the request to try it. The
moment he tries it he receives a startling
salute, and finds lips, chin, nose, and
cheeks decorated with black or white, as
the case may be. This has often been
used with excellent effect by storekeepers
who wish to get rid of loungers. 1t is
placed on the counter or showcase, and
most naturally some idle curiosity-seeker
will pick it up and blow on it with re-
suit that will cause him to retreat. A
good trick is done with a card which you
can change into a full-blown rose by
simply transferring it from one hand to
the other
''What is new in trick cards?''
"The wizards packed. This a full
pack, apparently the same as an ordinary
pack, but with which wonderful and APP
parently impossible tricks can be pre-
formed. These are not done by leger-
domain, or sleight-of-hand. The secret
Is IN the cards. Among these card tricks
are the following: A card may be drawn
shuffied in the pack, and cut the first
time; card may be blown from the pack
after having been drawn, returned, and
shuffled; the two colOrs of pack dividee
by one cut; the card discovered under a
handkerchief; six persons may draw a
card each, shuttle them, and Immediately
after the performer at oncd produces
them, pulling them rapidly out of the
pack, one after the other; the performer
may leave the room, and in his absence
a card may be drawn, which he on his r.
turn at once picks out of the pack"