The Lamar register., 1891-12-05
THE BLACK ART,
Very Few Additions Have Been MADE
within Recent Years

within Recent Years.
very few additions OF Importance
have been made to the repertory of
the professional magician within re-
cent years. said an expert in prestidi-
citation to a Washington Star report
er. THE new tricks all required
elaborate mechanical contrivances. It
may be that they draw the public for
awhile, but they do not furnish last
Ing attractions.
Take tho vanishing lady for er-
ample. In its way it was a wonderful
thing and the mechanism necessary
was elaborate and costly; but every
one knew that the woman must neces-
sarily disappear through trap in the
stage and the only mystery lay in the
cleverness with which the feat was ac-
comrlished.
Here was no illusion. properly
speaking, nor anything to excite won
der. A trick to be really worth any
thing must be seemingly miracle,
inexplicable to the mind of the spec
tator.
The best tricks are those requir-
Ing the least apparatus. No feat of
magic ever attempted on the stage has
treated more profound sensation
than did the famous 'sphynx' when it
drst appeared in Europe. Even the
scientific men went wild over it.
at was the first thing OF its kind
ever seen. and for a long time no one
suspected that the body to which the
talking head belonged was concealed
behind two mirrors that stood at an an
gle with each other beneath the table.
The extreme simplicity of the means
used for deceiving was the most effec-
tive point
''But the performer is most success
ful when he employs for the purpose
OF legerdemain every day articles such
as people are accustomed to. AUDI
ences are always entertained to see
rabbits, guinea pigs and other arti-
cles taken oT-hand out OF the hat OF
the fat gentleman who has been so
imprudent as to take a front seat near
the middle aisle
This sort of trick is much moro
simple and easily performed than you
might suppose. | descend from the
stage and borrow silk hat from any
gentleman who will give me one.
The first things to be taken from the
hat are already concealed on the in
side OF my coat
LAS turn and regain the stage
with my back for a moment to the
spectators. ! quickly drop these arti-
cles into the hat Then l face the
audience once more, and draw the
things out one by one. exhibiting
much surprise.
Some live animal may come first
because it is desirable to dispose oi
that as quickly as possible. Next per
| chance, / pull out wig, which always
excites roar OF laughter. The other
articles 10 be brought forth have been
previously done up in many compact
little bundles
Sometimes a single small package
contains quantity Of hen feathers, SC
tightly done up that when they are
shaken out there seems to be enough
\ OF them to gil mattress Each bundle
is so fixed that its wrapping can be
disengaged in a second.
Having pulled out of the hat all
the things which had been previously
taken from under my coat and put into
| it / go to shelf under pretense OF
| DTusHluR lue tlIe, anu lnClusntdlly sllE
number Of other articles into it
Then | come down toward the
audience as II for the purpose OF re
storing the borrowed stovepipe, bu
suddenly pause and begin TO draw out
of it many thugs several times tht
size OF the hat such as bird cages
| trunks. etc. all of which are SO made
that they close up in very small com
pass The springs that hold them il
shape are released as each one il
taken out.
'-Of course, trick like this require!
great deal OF practice and skill. bu
its effectiveness is almost wholly du,
to the fact that it is performed with
so commonplace an object as Dor
rowed silk hat Perform seeming
miracle with a broom, brick or any
thing else that is exceedingly com
monplace and familiar and your fea
eGcites infinitely more wondermen
than if it were accomplished with al
elaborate mechanical coutrivance
When Pharaoh's magicisns turned
their walking-sticks into snakes they
knew how TO impress most strongl,
/ he. DO ~ nbsarvara ~