Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-07-18


Will understand what l mean, for there
are many cases where an anaeSthetlc
cannot be administered.
Il am old enough and have worked
long enough at my profession to say
this 10 you, that for man TO perfect
himself In anything all honest means
are to be used; so l remember when
Houdin said to me: Why do you take
lessons in.tmy trickery? Do you want
TO become a professional in your own
country in that line?' And my answer
was: No; l want to be surgeon.
Then that impulsive Frenchman mug
gsd me and cried over me, saying l
had giorifed his art
Now. ladies and geLrlemen, because
I was awkward, all my fingers beirg
thumbs at the beginning o. my career,
that is Uhy l taught myself palmisry
ara all Ile tricks of the prestidigeateur.
You may smile when l tell 70 u'Eat TO
be absolutely perfect as a sleight-of-
hand man. takes a lifetime. You
nigh fancy that work if this special
kind only gives suppleness TO the i'm
gers. But it does much more than that.
am now past my prime, but | dou5, II
there are many men past my age, even
the all-around ayhleGc men, who have
q stronger grip than | have.
Il have no patter OF the Snowman. l
never wanted to acquire that l can
even give you explanations, for you
could not follow them. This, however,
YOU must take on my word-that all
shall 90 VIII be carried out by my hands
ta,h - ~ fr~af1 SrQ
glass"
Then, with pleasant smile, the gem
tlemeri occupied the attention Of 2is
audience for a full hour. One trick
was marvellous for its simplicity. Put
ting his left hand fat, palm down
ward. on TIE glass table, on top OF that
hand he put a glass ball as big, say, as
plum. Covering his let hand with his
rieht. then the ball Was gone from The
top of his left hand, 70 be found under
the left hand. Then the trick was re-
versed. From the ball being placed UNI
Cur the lst ha-d. it appeared, after a
pass. on top CT the hand. Holding the
BAN in both hands. the two hands were
rubbed together. and there was no bail.
Ii had disappeared. Then, ciasDlnS his
hands together. out dropped the ball.
You may think it was sent up my
sleeve, but it is not, because | will turn
up my cuffs and my coat sleeTes,' and
this the gentleman did, and the bali dis
appeared or appeared at will.
Card tricks are mi0n0tonCuS, though
inIumeTable, but | would be the most
dangerous OF gamblers, for | could deal
myself just such cards as i wanted, 9no
could give YOU all the losing ones. Now,
here is a pack of cards which | have
never seen before. The seal on. the
package has never been disturbed /
shall turn their faces 10 me presently -
/ 50 as TO look at them-tNt as they Gene
from thu manufacturer in suits, they re
QUire mixing. Suppose you co that for
me" and the gentleman handed the un-
opened pack to a wei, known club man,
a conspicuous member Of the whist
congress
The club man took the unopened pack
/ age and generously shuffled The cards,
remarking: Professor this is the very
/ pack OF cards l brought you this even
Ing. The club steward furnished me
with them, and marked the outside of
/ the envelope. | do ncr think any che
/ has opened it and, ladies and gentlemen,
/ l give you my word OF honor that I am
/ not the professors confederate" Then,
| after five minutes shutting, the club
man gave the professor his cards, who
took them with the faces Of the cards
/ 10 him.
Shall it be game of poker or whist?'
/ he asked OF the audience.
/ 'WhiSf said the majority
And what shall be trumps?" he in
quired A lady present said Hearts. "
of course l give the cards" said the
/ professor, and after another shuttle or
two. he dealt 10 four players, when the
! final trump card was in his hand, ask
ing: (which of the four players is to
have me best hand?' and somebody said
the third hand, or the one the furthIast
from the dealer. II turn then the seven
of hearts for the dealer" the professor
/ remarked, after some further manipula-
ton, as dhe last card was put on the
table. land with the exception of this
seven Of hearts, which l 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
/ designated held all the trumps, save the
I even. and there was the ace OF clubs.
Poker presents much less difficulties;
that is. when five play, but it is rather
more troublesome when there are six.
Let me. however, have those cards for a
moment. and you, Sir, may deal-and
deal as If there were five players, and
viii shuttle, but you may cut the cards
.T.- = ,,Tf
and the professor 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 ?"
'eThe probabilities, according to the
late lamented Schenk, are in favor of
the four tens" said the clubman.
you are mistaken. The first hand
/ STAYS in and takes its chances. Now
| give il a card for it has discarded its
one heart. Now. what is the card? 1t
/ is the six of clubs: so the first hand is the
/ best. haTing royal flush. Houdin
/ taught me that. Il is the rapid glance
/ at the cards, which is the foundation of
/ the trick. but that would be useless, I'M
less ~ fingers did the rest of the work.
/ It is in some respects q cruel, fatal trick,
for those few who have exercised it,,
with intent to deceive, have invariably
come TO sudden death. l never play
cards, save piQuet with my wife, and
she invariably beats me.
The conclusion, then, proves my own
experiences" said the gentleman. Il
believe to-day that l am ambideXtrOus: