Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-11-11

head. then the assistant Will pass rapid
~ through the audience and touch arti-
cles here and there. while the blindfoid-
ed performer calls of the names OF them
as rapidly as they can be touched. All
this is done without asking single
question. as il has beea previously ar
ranged that when passing through the
audience be is 20 touch = number OF
articles, a list Of which is carefully CON-
United 70 memory. it always being so
managed tlat articles % be found Ia
every audience are selected. He will
touch 6rst lady's bonnet, mans watch
chain, walking cane, q hat, an um0rel-
Ia. the TOP OF an opera chair, and so on
until dozen or more articles have been
enumerated, when ne will begin 70 ask
Questions. lie will stop, take a watch.
open it and say, what have l hsre?'
The answer from the blindfolded per-
former will be, "A watch" Again,
question, "ColOr?' answer, Gold" II
she watch had been q silver ono the
Question would have been, "Metalp"
Instead of "Co,Or?" which would have
conveyed the information TO the blind
folded person that IL was a silver watch.
Occasionally the question is, What
metal?" and the answer, Brass" inva-
riably is the means u raising 3 hearty
laugh at the expense OF the owner Of
tie tiueDiece.
It's impossible TO understand, with
out making a careful study OF the mat
ter, 20 what extent series Of questions
NAV be carried The most wonderful
descriptions OF coins, dates on bank
notes, numbers in watches, the time
Of day, full description OF articles OF
wearing apparel may be given without
any one who lie not ia the secret
being IA the slightest degree aware OF
the fact that tue performers answers
are Ia every case directed by the man
passing through the audience.
Ooe OF the oldest Of the SecOnd-sight
tricks OF performances was the arrange
ment OF tubing passing from the door
up through the clothing o! the perfOr-
mer in such manner that II the hood
was placed over the he al she could
take the eud OF the tube from the OOr-
tiOu of her dress where 10 was conceal
ed and place 10 TO her ear. When seat
ed 10 the chair her hee', to which the
other end OF the tube was fastened,
rested over an aperture through the
stage, where the speaking tube cOnnec-
tiOn was made, so thai an unseen con-
federate could follow the movements OF
the man 10 the audience and whisper
the answer 90 the Ohndfolded perform
er as rapid as IL was possible for the
articles 90 be selected and held 10 70
the view Of the audience.
The latest form OF dark seauce mani
festionS given for the purpose Of obtain
ing money is the spiritual typewriter.
Now, while I do not hold that 1t Is not
possible for a typewriter 10 be operated
by spirit hands, / propose 10 show how
one may be operated by electricity.
q the first place al arrangement or
electrical wires with powerful batteries
could be made 20 connect with table
containing a typewriter, that would en-
able an unseen operator to write .elters
from the spirit world as often as he
chose By simply manipulating a dupli-
cate keyboard or alphabet beard acting
like a telsgrSpbic instrument. Each
letter on the duplicate board could be
placed as far from the machine which is
in view Of the audience as might be
deemed advisable. The typewriter Itself
could be 50 arranged that she lifting Of
IL up from the table would d.ScoDnect
the electric circuit II might be passed
around for the inspection Of the audi
ence and then placed back on the table,
the one handling it taking care TO re-
place il in such way as TO make the
electric connection by setting It down
exactly ia the right spot. Now itcould
be caused to write by having the I'M
seen operator write message on his
concealed keyboard, which would be
written on tBe type writer, as every let
ter OF that Instrument would respond 90
the touch connecting it with its dupii-
cate 10 COucealmeut. 10 this manner
pianos and organs have been success
fully played aud have made very great
successes.
The aIluring announcement that a
piano would be placed 10 the centre OF
the stage and com mittse chosen from
the audience aad allowed TO sit around