The Saint Paul globe., 1896-12-21

can be seen that he has not gone down
through the floor or ascended up through the
ceiling. The audience is told that the drap-
cry prevents the sphere or influence or spell
tnat surrounds him from being dssipated.
he now begins and repeats word for word,
the sentences written upon any or all the
Slips OF paper Nothing be more as
tonishing; the paper has not left the possess
lon OF the writer's; it is equally certain that
1t is impossible that another person could
have seen what was thereon written, and
YET the trick is simple ii is surpris-
ing. and that is certainly saying a great deal.
The explanation is follows: In order to
write anything upon the slip of paper given
out one must have something firm and fat
upon which to place it. and for this purpose
bits OF pasteboard Of a convenient size are
handed about the audience. The pasteboard,
however. Is not solid, as it seems to be:
tne uppermost layer of paper be sep
arted at one of the edges from the layers
Deneath It, and In to this slip white paper
introduced The uppermost layer of paper
is blacked with crayon or soft pencil on its
under side, and whatever is written upon
tne @ paper resting upon 1t is faithfully stem
eiieu "a OF OF traced upon the white paper insert
ca; The pasteboards. being collected are
taken out of the room and given to the per-
FORMER by his assistant. who may or may not
be a confederate. That is il the performer
Is very skiiiful. he may dupe his assistant
as Wen as his audience. He may tell him,
Tor instance it is necessary for him to have
tneses pasteboard rests and pass his fingers
over Tnem so that he can become en- rapport
with the person with whom they were in
contact. 1t is better. however at least AFT
nrst, to have a confederate. The rest is easy
enough. The inserted slips of tell tale pa
pers are collected and carried with him by
tne performer who manages to read them
either through hole in the drapery or by
the light that Sits through it as he sits
covered up in his chair with his back to the
auaience. 1t is we'll, simetimes, not to-
nave enough pasteboard cards to go round
the audience. and give apparently at hap
hazard book, an atlas or portfolio. which.
OF course. has been neatly covered with
paper or cloth and supplied with blackened
cards. --a-
Ii anything should happen that would pre-
vent Feading any particular strip of paper,
tne performer may at once say that he does
not pretend TO be able to read all but only
such sentences as appear to his mental
vision This will add to the effect and make
the trick appear all the more mysterious. In
supplying pencils to the audience be sure
TO give them good, hard ones that viii re-
qulre some pressure to make the writing
legiDie; De careful, too, that the paper with
Wnich you furnish them is rather thin So
that you will get a good tracing on that Won
nave inserted in the paste5oard rest AS
each slip is read by the performer the assist
all aht should ask IL any one in the audience
wnote tnat sentence, and If it is correctly re-
peateo and then, stepping to the writer and
taxing the slip from him or her he Ebould
nllnseH read it aloud and show it to any one
ueslrous OF seeing it: this enhances the Won
Ger and interest of the performance. ana
also gives the performer time to decipher the
next SIP. 1t Is we'll to have the sentences
lake the form of questions which the per-
former can read, comment upon and answer
IN an oracuar way, especially as this takes
up time and consequently gives fewer select
eo slips to read during the period allotted
" the trlcK, Tor to read few is quite as
wonderful as to read many.
NOW let the master of occult art cap the
cImax. Let him again be led from the room
oStens1Dly to have his magic sphere renewed
ana let some one among the audience write
the name OF deceased person. together with
tnelr own, on slip Of paper Lay a good deal
OF stress on the requirement that the names
snaH be those of a person deceased this of
course, Delng only to mystify the audience
Wnen the names have been written the ner-
sformer Is to enter the room He does So with
the sleeve OF his coat rolled UP and his arm
pafed 10 the elbow. After showing there is
notning upon his he turns down his
sleeve, readjusts his cuff and proceeds with his
trick. he nrst names the person whom the
audience has chosen, in his absence TO write
the name; re requests that person to crumnie
up the slip OF paper upon which the name is
written and rub 1t well over his arm inst
aDove the cuff, $50 that the writing will
penetrate through his sleeve" he saws: now
turning up his sleeve, he SHOWS the writing
that was upon the paper in blood red letters
upon his barred arm The manner Of nerform0
ing this trick is having ascertained. as before
me writing upon the slip of paper by means
OF tracing to write or print it with red fnir
mixed mixed with little glycerine or red printers
INK, or oil color and turpentine uDon naner
wnlch Is 10 De fastened on the inside of that
part OF the performers coat sleeve which he
lnstructs the person who has written the naue
upon the paper to rub with the paper The
paper may be neatly pinned to the lining nf
the sleeve care being taken that the Dins
10 not scratch when the sleeve is turned
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