Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-11-23
POINTS ON CARDS.


Caru TICKS viewed from the stand
point Of Exact Science.
Card tricks so called can be divided prop
erly into two classes-tricks which are
purely tricks and nothing else, and tricks
which are founded on mathematics. OF
the former it can only be said that 1t re.
quires a special dexterity to handle the
cards coupled with long practice to make
any sort Of a success at it. There are scores
of trick books which profess to reveal hid.
den secrets and to show the willing enthu.
siast how to astonish and mystify his
friends on every occasion.
The basis Of many Of these tricks is the
art of palning, which alone not one in a
thousand ctu learn 10 do with any degree
Of success. Ia fact, il requires "A born
genius 10 manipulate cards skillfully, and
when a genius of this Eort comes into the
world he is likely 70 witch of from the
playing Of hgrInlcsst q ks 20 "~woTkingthe
boys in the vernaCular Of the gambling
table, aud become an our and out sharper.
There are, however, a number If simple
card tricks, some Of which are founded on
mathematics and others which require but
little skin and are easily learned, which are
extremely interesting. To the mind not
versed in the range and power Of numbers
1t is simply wonderful what can be don,
with cards. For instance, take the old
spelling trick, which Is nothing more than
a simple arrangement Of the cards, but al.
ways a constant source of delight 70 the
children, and Of instruction as well. espe.
cially to those who are just learning to
spell.
Arrange the thirteen cards of any one
suit in the following order: 8, o, 10, king,
knave, 2, 4, 6, queen, ace, Z, s, 8, with the 5
at the bottom. Then take the top card
from the top and place IL at the bottom.
Continue the operation and begin to spell,
remembering that each card represents a
letter. Spell in this way one. Then turn
up the fourth card and IL will be the ace or
one spot. Then continue and spell two,
and the fourth card will be the W spot.
Then three and the sixth card will he
the three spot, and 20 on, leaving out each
card as 1t is spelled.
This is an excellent trick for the chill
dren, aud here is another one, similar in
idea, and which will give them a knowl-
edge OF the novels. A little story goes
with IL. A certain ship contained a crew
OF fifteen Christians and fifteen Turks.
Provisions running short, owing TO a storm
having driven the ship out of her course, II
became necessary for fifteen Of the crew TO
die In order TO save the rest.
The willy captain therefore made the fol-
lowing proposition: That the crew should
be placed In a line and every ninth man
counted out, until fifteen men had been We.
lected. He then placed them in such a
position that every ninth man was "A Turk.
Now the question is, How did be do it, Let
fifteen black cards represent the Turks
and fifteen red cards represent the Chris
tians. OF course, IL all depends upon the
arrangement Of these cards, but IL has
been found best in order 10 facilitate the
emorizing Of them 10 take u sentence In
INCH the five novels appear
Here il the sentence, From numbers,
add and art never Will fame depart" The
first vowel In the sentence j. o. Ia the
grammatical arrangement Of the novels Ia,
e, 1, o, " this Is the fourth. Therefore, De
ginning with the red cards take four and
place them on the table face down. U Is
the next vowel aud the fifth IN the order.
Therefore take five cards from lac black pile
and place them on Obe -four red ones. Then
two red, one black, three red. n black,
one red, two black, two red, three black,
one red, two black, two red and a black.
altel mating the red and black. Then he
ginning with the pile face up, every ninth
card left m will lie n black one until they
are exhausted from the pack.
y. WILLING.