Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-05

the cards." you continue. 'ff they can
spell their own names, using the same
code that the spiritualistS use for the raps.
namely, one for no and three for yes "
Rap the top of the pack with the knuckles
of the right hand, the pack being held in
the left. and say, Hello, King of Clubs:
can your people spell their own names?"
Make rnffiins noise on the corner of the
pack with the thumb. "Ah, Here comes
the answer" Pick up the top card and
show it. Three. That means yes. Now
let us see if it is true" Commence spell
ing ONE putting a card from the top
underneath the pack for each letter AS
you pick up the fourth card say one,
and throw the card face up on the table,
WREN it will be seen to be the ace. Then
say two two, throw down the two spot,
and continue UP to and including Queen.
Then conclude by saying, That leaves
only the king. and as his royal highness
utterly refuses to be placed below anybody
or anything we must let him off and judge
his intelligence by that of his subjects"
In another similar trick the arrangement
is as follows: 4, !, ., = s, ), j, 4, 9, 3, X,
&, 10. In this case every other card is
placed underneath and the alternate
thrown OF the table. giving /, . 3, 1, etc
After doing the spelling trick you can pick
the cards up il this order and repeat the
trick in this form, if desired.
The Power of Magnetism.
Because the word magnetism means one
thing to one person and something else to
another, and because so-calied animal mag
netism is so little understood anyway,
either term is a good one to use to set in
vestigators of mystifying tricks off on the
wrong track. Sometimes they can be used
in card tricks, end here is one which en-
ployS electro-magnetisn, close relative of
the other two. Having taken a pack of
cards and shown that there is no prepara-
ton about them, say:
Il will now show you a peculiar effect in
electro-ma gnetism. You have many of you
doubtless experimental with a rubber comb
or stick of sealing wax and found what a
surprising amount of energy can be gener-
ated by little friction. Now, by applying
tbs principle to an ordinary pack of play
ing cards a volume of magnetic attraction
can be generated which is little short of
marvellous Grub the pack briSkly with the
hand for moment and place it on top of
an inverted glass tumbler on the tablet
l place the cards on this tumbIer, as glass
is a non-conductor and the currents of
electricity which the friction generated are
thus prevented from escaping. l then place
my left hand on the table, palm down.
ward, and make a few passes with the
right from the wrist to the tips of the
fingers, thus charging the hand with mega
tive electricity. Then l place the cards one
by one beneath the hand, thus. Occasion
ally make the passes till all the cards lie
between the palm of the hand and the
table,. Now the positive electricity in the
cards, being attracted by the negative cleo
tricty in the hand, causes the cards to
cling to the palm as you see'
Then raise the hand and the cards cling
to it. Pass among the audience and let
their see there is no deception" As you
return to the table, turn the hand over and
show the cards faces and wave the hand
about as much as YOU wish TO. Whenever
desired the cards can be made to drop to
the foor, as finish or climax.
The Useful Pin.
To accomplish this trick it is necessary
at the start to stick a small pin through
the calloused skin At the root of the mid
die finger Gas in fig. y. In placing tie first
two cards under the hand, slide the edges
between the pin and the palm, the second
two at right angles to these and between
them and the palm. (See fig. p The rest
of the pack can be put in hit miss, but
always between the first four and the
palm. At q very short distance the pin
is invisible, even when the hand is turned
over. A very slight sidewise motion will
. cause them to drop, the pin can be in
stantIy removed and dropped on the floor
and the hands shown to be in a normal
condition.
The concluding trick of this article is
called Blonde and Brunette" and though
a very simple one, it invariably proves a.
puzzer, and for these very reasons is just
the trick for a beginner. In starting it
the following address to the audience is
effective, especially when coming from a
youngster:
81 will now show you a very peculiar
experiment, the principle of which is
battling that although l have given the
matter considerable study, l have been
quite unable to fathom it," Next say to
one observer: viii you draw Il card? Now
please look at it carefully, SO that you may
remember it. Now return it to the pack.
To a second listener: will you draw one,
sir? Return it to the pack, if you feel
sure you can remember Ii.
Choosing the Cards.
Again addressing all, you say: "Now,t two
cards have been drawn, examined and re-