The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-21

age. even the all-around athletic men,
who have a stronger grip than 1 have.
I have no patter of the Snowman. l
never wanted to acquire it. I can't even
give you explanations for you could not
follow them. This however you must
take on my WOrd-that all l shall do will
be carriSd out 10y my hands alone, for the
table is of transparent glass"
Then, with a pleasant smile, the gentle
man occupied the attention OF the audi
ence for a full hour. One trick was mar
velous forlts simplicity. Putting his left
hand nat, palm downward, on the glass
table, on top of that hand he put a glass
ball as big, say, as a plum. Covering his
left hand with his right then the ball
was gone from the top of his left hand, to
be found under the left hand. Then the
trick was reversed. From the ball being
placed under the left hand, it appeared,
after pass, ,on.tOp of the hand. Holding
the ball in both hands, the two hands
were rubbed together, and there was no
ball. II had disappeared. Then, clasping
his hands together, out dropped the ball.
"You may think Ii was sent up my
sleeve, but 1t was not because l Will turn
up my cuffs and my coat sleeves and
this the gentleman did, and the ball dis
appeared or appeared again at will
card tricks are mOnOtonous, though in
Vulnerable but ! would be the most dan
gerous of gamblers; for l could deal my
self Just. such cards as / wanted, and
could give you all the losing ones. Now,
hereas a pack OF icards which / have never
never theen disturbed shah turn their
h faces@'to raes Btessntly-so as to look at
them-but as they come from the manu-
facturer in suits, they require mixing.
Suppose you do that for me?" and the
gentleman handed the unopened pack to a
well known clubman, a conspicuous mem
Der of the whist congress.
The clubman took the unopened pack
age and deXterOusly shuffied the cards,
/ remarking: professor, this is the very
\ pack of cards l brought you this evening.
/. The club steward furnished me with
I them, and 1 marked the outside of the
( envelope. I do not think any one has OPP
ened il; and. ladies' and gentlemen, 1 give
you my word of honor that l am not the
I professors confederate Then, after five
minutes shutting, the clubman gave the
professor his cards, who took them, with
the faces of the cards to him.
Shall 1t be a game of poker or whistY'
he asked of the audience.
Whist" said the majority
"And what shall be trumps?" he In
quired. A lady present said hearts"
''Of course I give the cards" said the
professor, and after another shuttle or two,
{ he dealt to four players, when the final
trump card was In his hand, asking:
( (which of the four players is to have the
best hand?' and somebody said the third
{ hand, or the one the furthest from the
dealer II turn then the seven of hearts
for the dealer" the professor remarked,
after some further manipulation, as the
last card was put on the table, land with
the exception of this seven of hearts,
which 1 turn, that third hand has every
other trump-and its thirteenth card is
. the ace of clubs"
Then the hands were turned with their
faces upward, and the particular one des-
fgnated held all the trumps, save the sew
en-, and there was the ace of clubs.
Poker presents much less difficulties !;
! that is, when FIVE play, but it is rather
more trou blesomee when there are six
Let me, however, have those cards for a
moment and you, sir, may deal-and deal
as II there We're five players, and ] will
shuttle, but you may cut the cards and deal
them. The clubman dealt, and the pro-
fessor said:
THE first hand has four clubs-the two
three, four and five-and one heart The
second has three queens and two kings
the third hand three aces and two jacks
the fourth hand has four tens, the fifth
hand is nothing at all. Now which one
will win?''
1.-THE probabilities, according to the late
lamented Schenk, are in favor of the four
tens" said the clubman
" GU are mistaken. The first hand stays
in and takes its chances. Now give it a
card, for 1t has discarded its one heart
Now, what is the card? 1t is the six of
clubsi so the first hand is the best hav-
ing a royal Hush; Houdin taught me that
1t is the rapid glance at the cards which
is the foundation of the trick, but that
would be useless, unless the fingers did
the rest of the work. Tt is in some re-
spects cruel, fatal trick, for those few
who have exercised 1t, with intent TO de-
ceive, have invariably come to sudden
death never play cards, save piquet
with my wife, and she invariably beats
me.
THE conclusion, then, proves my own
experiences" said the gentleman. Il be
lteVe to-day that l am ambidextrOus; that
Is, most persons would 50 consider me,
but still I think my left hand surpasses
my right in cleverness. 1t does most of
the work. Certainly it responds more
quickly to my vOlition, for on the two
sides of the body it can be shown that
the personal equation differs"