Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-05-25

A development, and necessary one, of
palming is the pass" of which there are
many forms though | shall only describe
one. To pass" or Change is to APP
parently transfer an object from one hand
to the other while it really remains in the
hand it seems to have quilted In the or
binary pass" the coin, for instance. is
held apparently supported as in ''C' by
the thumb and the second and third fin
gers. 1t is however held only by the fin
gers, and the thumb merely for the mo-
ment steadeS it. As the haudsare brought
together as though in the act OF TRANSFERS.
ing the coin from one 70 the other, the
thumb of the hand holding it Is slipped
aside, and with tightening quckness the
fingers are closed As in 3D." If the coin
is rightly placed it will be found to have
been left in precisely the right position
for palming and the fingers being again
extended the hand is apparently empty.
The other hand in the meantime as its
fellow reaches it makes pretense OF re-
ceiving the coin and IS Immediately closed.
This simple motion which by constant
practice can be SO effectually performed
as to deceive the keenest eye, is at the ba-
sis of many a startling conjuring trick.
Those who would care to pursue the sub
ject further may easily CRAFTY their de
sire by studying Professor Hotlmans in
teresting book on magic to which | am in
debted for suggestions embodied in the
accompanying sketches.
The reference to Heliers clever outwit-
ting of the Hindoo jugglers at their own
game naturally suggests some similar
tricks with more weighty consequences
played by Houdin on the Arab m 'rabouts
The great con1urer had attained the
height of his fame and wishing some re
Taxation was easily persuaded to accept
the offer of the French government and
proceed to Algiers, there TO exhibit before
the Arabs and their sheik, so as to destroy
by the evidence of superior skill the in
nuence OF the native cOnjurerS or mara
bouts. He found this of course an easy
task, but the novelty of the conditions
under which he performed gave rise to
many comical situations. The stories of
many of these are tolerably familiar, but
| shall briefly refer to two tricks played
by HOudin on peculiarly and obstinately
incredulous marabout, because they illus
trate first seeming paradox Of conjuring
art which Houdin was the first to enun-
ciate, namely, that the success of a trick
depends not so much on hOlU ii is done, but
UhCn it is done, and secondly the neccssi-
ty of the possession by the conjurer of an
appreciable amount of dramatic instinct
A cOnjurer is dramatist and actor both if
he stands high in his profession. Each
trick is carefully written and construct
ed little one act comedy with situations
well led up to, an attractive opening and
more or less startling demise set off
with appropriate and witty dialogues.
Now for Houdin and the marabout. He
was performing in an Arab encampment
as the guest of the shek, and the mara
bout in question had been an annoying
example of the doubling Thomas to be
found in every audience in places less e
mote than Egypt He scOiied at every
thing until Houdin determined TO get
even, so carelessly approaching him he
purloined from his sash an old watch, of
which he had noticed the marabout seem
ed immensely proud, and slipped in its
place II five franc piece. Then he went on
performing some other sleight of hand
tricks. He was waiting for the When.
| Finally the marabcut became particularly