Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-02-22
TRICKS WITH CARDS.
REMARKABLE EXHIBITION BYANON-
PROFESSIONAL.

AREMARKAsLE EXHIBITION BYANON-
PROFESSIONAL.
A Wealthy Cincinnati Business Man En-
tertained the Hamilton Whist Club of
Philadelphia With Tricks Which Have
Mystified Kellar and Hermann.
What was regarded by experts as the
most marvellous exhibition of card magic
ever seen at Philadelphia was given at
the Hamilton Whist club by Thomas B.
Arnold of Cincinnati A formal recep-
ton was given by the Hamilton club to
Mr.. Arnold, who, in return for the hos
pitality rendered him, entertained his
hosts with series of most remarkable
card tricks.
MI. Arnold is we'll known Cincin-
natl business man, being member of
the wholesale shoe firm of Alter, Julian
& Co.
He is not professional magician, but
his tricks have mystifed such men
trained III magic as Kellar and Herr
mann. He has refused fabulous sums
which have been offered him to go be-
fore the public as a professional, pre-
ferring quiet, domestic life to any no.
toriety he might gain as magician.
Mr.. Arnold opened the eyes Of his
witnesses by what he calls very SIM
pie trick. Two new packs Of cards be-
longing to the club were produced. He
had never seen them before. Shutting
one deck, he held it out to one Of the
gentlemen present. saying: "Select
card from this pack and then return it,
keeping the card in your mind. will
turn my back to you as you make your
selection. One Of the other gentlemen
will take the second pack and throw it
on the floor. The only card that will
fall face upward will be the card Sc
lected by you. will not touch either
one Of the decks. -
The card was selected, and the gentle
man threw the second pack on the floor,
the nine of diamonds being the only
card that fell face upward "That, I" ex-
claimed MI. Arnold, sis the card you
selected"
A cheer greeted the announcement
that that was correct.
''Now, here is good one, said the
entertainer Pointing to Charles Var
nall, he continued: "Will you kindly Sc
lect card in your mind? Do not men
ton its name.
When the selection was made, he pick
ed up pack, shuffled it carelessly, and
walking over to the wall threw the
cards at picture. They fell in show
er to the floor.
''Turn the back of the picture out
ward" said Mr.. Arnold. When this
was done, card was seen sticking in a
crack in the back of the frame. 1t was
the jack of spades. "That, sir, is the
card you had in mind. -
/ Mr.. Yarnall acknowledged that it
was, and the crowd was convulsed.
Again, member of the company was
asked to take card in his mind Four
others were asked to take cards at ran
dom from the pack and remember the
numerical value Of the card. The spec
tator who drew the first card was told
to write the number on sheet Of paper.
IAO SOOOAo Ald0 WIOcO UlAO Au1uOCl VI
his card in separate corner. The third
man placed his number under the Sec
ond one and added the two together, af
fixing the result to the first number. The
fourth man affixed the number of his
card to the other two numbers The re-
suit was 374.
| "Now,'' said Mr.. Arnold, twill two
gentlemen accompany me to the library,
each of them holding one of my hands.
A third can come along to see fair play. -
They returned bringing book. '3Turn
to page 374," ordered the entertainer.
The book was opened at the page indi-
Gated, and a card was found. 1t was the
deuce of spades. '"That is your card, -
said Mr.. Arnold to the gentleman he
had asked to make a selection.
The statement was correct.
! The most remarkable trick Of all was
the last Captain Walton, president Of
the American Whist Players league,
was asked to draw card from the
pack, replacing it and keeping the card
in his mind. Mr.. Arnold took an egg,
selecting one at random from a half
dozen, and broke it into a tumbler. He
showed first that neither the she'll nor
the inner skin of the egg had been bro
ken. No card was concealed up his
sleeve or anywhere about his person.
When the egg was broken, card was
seen in the tumbler, crumpled up and
covered with the yolk of the egg.
Drawing it out, Mr.. Arnold asked,
"What card did you draw, Captain
Walton9"
''The queen Of clubs +"
'"There it is. " The pack was search
cd and that particular card found miss
ing.
Although an expert on cards, Mr.. Ar
mold never played game for stake in
his life. ~ could make fortune as
gambler, said he, ''for can deal
man any hand I choose, but I wouldn't
dare to play out in our Yves -ern country,
for would be shot sure as fate. l DON'T
know what it is that enables me to do
these tricks. I studied them all out my
self, but can't explain how or why ]
do them. ''-Philadelphi Times.