Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-04-16
ASlEIGHT-OF-HANOT TRICK.
How NoAh's Ark is Manipulated in "After
the Flood.n

Those who saw Powell. the prcstidgl-
tator, at the opera house in Burlington
last September will be interested in the
following from the New York Journal:
"A new optical Illusion is being exhibited
in this city and Is making a lot of money
for It's inventor 1t is called After the
Flood" and is a miniature reproduction
OF Noahs Ark, in which the inside of the
ark Is first shown to the audience entirely
empty The ark is supported on the stage
upon wooden trestles. After tho curtain
rises the exhibitors unfasten the four sides
of the box and two ends, which curve up
ward. giving it a boat-like appearance
The back of the box away from the audi
ence is first turned down on hinge.
Then the front. the sides and the ends
are let down. Nothing is left but the four
posts of the frame and everybody can see
that there is nothing in the case while
the audience can look under 1t, seeing that
1t stands clear of the floor. The front Is
then lifted back in place. At this point
one of the exhibitors inserts funnel and
begins to fill the box with water. Pail
after pail of water, enough to fill the box,
Is poured in in full view of the audience
AS matter of fact this water does not
remain in the box after all, but flows down
through one of the legs into barrel be-
meath the stage. The audience think that
the box by this time must be pretty nearly
filled.
No water runs out, but chickens, ducks,
dogs, cats, rabbits and small pig and
other creatures are pulled out one after
another. They are placed upon the STANCE
and begin to run about in full view OF the
audience.
When enough OF these creatures to have
filed the box have been taken out the
operator let's down the front. A beautiful
woman in an easy position Is disclosed re-
clining upon the bottom of the box, where
the water ought to be deep enough to
drown her had 1t not mysteriously disap-
peared.
Then the people in tho audience begin
TO wonder how it is all done. They study
the ends of the box and a few of the
sharper ones arrive at the correct conclu-
sion in regard to the birds and animals
that they were concealed in some hollow
chambers.
But how about the woman? That Is a
question that has puzzled nearly all of
those who have watched the performance
of this interesting trick
The woman, as a matter OF fact, has
been part of the apparatus all the time
but concealed in such way that the au-
dience had no reason to suspect her pres
ence. When the box is first brought on
she is attached by heavy straps to the in
side of the back.
| When the box Is opened In view of the
audience this back plank is let down first
thus concealing the woman from sight
When put together again, the back of the
box is the last part to be lifted on its
hinge into place.
Thus the woman strapped to the back,
Is concealed from the view of the audience
by the plank In front She retains her
place until the last of the animals are be-
Ing taken out. when she releases the
straps and takes her position on the floor
just before the front of the box Is let
down, disclosing her to the audience.