The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-12

ture. To witness one of her entertain
ments is a treat to be enjoyed but once
in lifetime
i'see her tonight Nothing approx
mating ii has ever been seen here be-
fore. We urge all our friends to avail
themselves of this opportunity Of see
ing her. Her exhibition Is clean. re-
fined ana elevating. We especially
recommend IL TO the ladies. the clergy
and all. G. w. Wakefield. liveryman;
II. A. Denny. Herald; s. L. Holiday,
county treasurer; c. A McCune. chief
dispatcher; A. ]. Campbell. attorney:
Charles GARNER, cigar manufacturer;
George Anderson. editor Post: F. 8.
Webster. real estate dealer: f. w. Bar
ker. ticket agent N. p. r. r.: Allan
Watson, n. p. r. r.. Committee. Liv-
ingston, Mont. May 4, 1896"
The tricks that the Little Electric
Magnet perform were exposed by
San Francisco papers five years ago
and many of them are extremely sim
pie 1t is claimed that Miss Abbott
cannot exercise her strange force"
when standing on the ground or on
metal, and but slightly when on carpet.
The reason is apparent when the
tricks are understood. On earth.
smooth metalor carpet, the surface Is
yielding and proper purchase cannot
be obtained; the feet slip and the con-
ditions of muscular rigidity are render
Again. she cannot work except with
animate matter. simply because with
|out such she cannot get that concord
|'of action or that unconscious or invol-
untary aid necessary to performance
Of the tricks. The pushing of a man
while holding chair in his arms Is
trick older than the present generation.
having been performed by the old me
diums. If the holder allows all the
muscles Of the body to become lax or
limp, and merely stands and holds the
chair, without attempting to resist any
external force. the trick cannot be per-
formed. He is requested to hold tight
ly, which he does; he braces himself to
resist some strong force. She by
slight, and to him imperceptible pres
sure. takes deft advantage of his
straining and he is thrown about (by
himselD at will Anyone can do it with
a person not familiar with the true
causes.
The lifting of a man in a chair is
equally simple. She presses her fingers
against the sides of the chair and is
supposed to raise 1t by force. BY
gently pressing upon the back of the
posts with the ball of her thumb, the
chair raises, apparently lifted. No
pressure need be exerted by the fingers
lin fact the hand of a third person
may be placed between hers and the
chair. and no pressure be felt; or an
broken. The thumb which is behind
the interposed hand does the business.
But to perform the trick certain condi-
tons are absolutely indispensable.
namely, the occupant of the chair must
lean back so as to throw the center
of gravity exactly over the hind legs
of the chair: the toes must be braced in
front of the chair and as near Ii as pos
sible, and the subject must grasp firm
,ly the hind legs of the chair in order to
bind the body down to the seat. If the
chair rests on all four legs, If the mans
feet are not on the floor. IL they are on
the floor but back of the front legs, or
IL his grasp on the chair is relaxed or
Is on the front legs, or his body bent
forward, the trick is impossible. The
toes are the fulcrum and that cannot
be moved.
|d The trick of pushing her off her
balance, while more complicated, me-
chanically considered. is only mechan-
zeal. If she stands squarely on both
feet any child can push her over, or
n on one foot or heel. with the other in
front instead of behind the leg upon
which she stands, then she can easily
be pushed off her balance. The raised
foot must be thrown back, and used as
a counterpoise to maintain the center
of gravity at the proper point. If her
force was real she could hold the bill
lard cue horizontally and prevent it
Us
hold it behind her and resist being
pushed forward, but these changes al
ter the mechincal conditions, and, of
course, will not be entertained by the
manager.
The pressing of a cue downward
through her open hands is the SIM
pliest of all She has you grasp the cue
at some point between her hands and
press hard. She then presses up at the
lower end, thereby bending the cue.
and neutralizing your force. She will
not submit to any of the following
notifications. since they destroy her
mechanical advantages: Reverse the
cue so the small end is up and the trick
is not so easily performed, or use
rake handle which will not bend. If
the one pressing grasps firmly, but
does not bear down-just pressing
gently so as to create no leverage-the
movement of the cue cannot be pre-
vented, nor can 1t, If pushed at the top
with one hand or with both. or IL
merely pulled at the lower end. In
order for her to accomplish the trick
one must press hard at some point be-
tween her hands.
The trick of lifting her from the
floor is that upon which they put spe-
cial value as indicative of her mystic
rious force or power" but as in all the
other tricks. there is a mechanical ad-
vantage taken by the lady which rem
ders 1t impossible to lift her The trick
lies entirely in the position of the body.
The elbows are thrown slightly out
and back. the shoulder, blades are.
slightly drawn together, the spine
elongated to its fullest extent and the
body slightly inclined forward. In this
position no man on earth can lift her
or any other lady or person who will
practice the trick until the proper po-,
sition is learned. Il
The trick where a boy places his
hands on hers. while person tries to
lift him. just as she is lifted. is the
same as trying to lift her. She deftly
manages to get the boys body and
arms in the right position. so that he
cannot be lifted. In this trick she must
use excellent judgment, but as safe
guard against possible failure she an,
nounces that she cannot operate on all
persons equally well. ,
The trick of pressing her against the
wall when her fingers only touch ii,