The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-12-07


of tlCHc more in accord with the
proprieties OF a drawing-room.
II your audience survive this and
spare your life, ask one OF them TO act
as a committee. First call his alton
tion to the box, and beg him TO ex-
amino 1t and SEQ that ii is what IL APP
pears TO be. Then place your hands
behind your back, aud request that he
will tie your wrists together in any way
ho secs III, and then seal the knots
with wax, leaving the ends of the cords
dangling. This done, seat yourself I'm
the box and ask the committeeman 10
reach one hand around you, first on
one side, then on the other, and pass
the ends of the cords through tho
gimlct holes 20 the outside OF the box.
whore they are to be tied tightly, aud
again sealed. A hand-bell, tambourino
and tin-horn are laid on the floor. and
n screen placed between you and tho
audience, and at distance OF two or
three feet from the front OF the box.
Almost Immediately the bell Is rung.
the tambourinc ratified, and the horn
blown, and yet the next moment. whom
you call Light" aud the screen is re-
moved, you are found calmly seated I'm
the box with the cords still sealed on
the outside. The manifestations can
be repeated over and over with such
variations rs your fancy may suggest,
and finally the cords are cut on the
outside, and you step out of tho box.
Your wrists are still tied. aud the seal
on the knots Is unbrolSen. All this
seems very mysterious TO the unin!ti-
atcd. Yet how simple IL all il.
The tying Is all real. and the knots
are never tampared with. But when
the committeeman reaches behind your
back TO get hold Of the ends Of the
twinc, you put into his hand The c'tdS
Of d second cord, which you take from
"A back pocket or from under the back
Of your vest, and these are the ends
that are put through the gimlet holes
and sealed outside. OF course this
leaves you free TO go in and out Of the
box, and pick up the bell and other
musical CD instruments. Finally,
whom the outer cord Is cut, you gather
it in and pocket IL, having in the mean
while cut OFT the ends of the twino
with which you are bound, otherwise
some sharp eyed spectator might no.
tlce that they are rs long as at the be-
ginning OF the trick.
In what is known as "The Hold
Fast" most ingenious device, neither
ropes nor cords are used, but one Of
the company, whom, for the sake Of
clcarncss and brovity, | shall designate
rs the Investigator, actually holds the
performer during the entire perform
ance.
This investigator, who Is carefully
blindfoldcd, sits with his right side TO
the audience and facing the performer,
whose knees tightly clasp on either
side those Of the othor. TO the right
OF the performer is a tablo holding IA
bell, tambourino and guitar
Before going further, let me say
word about blindfoldng Much ns
dislike TO disturb the confidence which
Is one OF the charms OF youth, must
warn you, my reader, against trusting
any one. There is only one way 90 do
the blindfolding 80 that there can be
no "pecking,' and that is with two
handkc"chicfs. Tho first should bc
folded shawl fashion; that is, In trian-
gular shape, and fastened round the
Investigators head I'm such n way that
one point falls down over his nose.
The second handkerchief is folded In
band form, aud placed outside
the first one Over the eyes.
Bliudfoldcd in CHS way, there
is little danger Of the invcsti-
gator seeing, and that is what we want.
II may not be pleasant 90 have one'B
head bound mp ~ / have described,
and the investigator will always prom
isc 30 "kccp his eyes shut, and not
look" but don't believe him. He is
sure 90 look II hc can; ho can't help IL,
for hc viii be- surprised, often startled,
and then naturally will open his eyes.
Being seated N described, the invcs-
tigator is requested 30 place his hands
on the performer head, the left hand
overlapping aud resting on the right.
Then the performer passes his left arm
around tho others arms 30 as 90 en-
circle them, and rests his two hands on
the investigators left arm, thus com
plcting tho circle.
T., o. f.. .,.,..ftf,.y, "a q. a., iJ,pf that Tho