The record-union., 1897-12-13
A TRICK OF DIVINATION.
Miserable night. isn't it?"

miserable night, isn't il?
The speaker was a fine-looking man
of middle age and with nothing more
remarkable about him than pair OF
keen gray eyes which had in their depths
a peculiar twinkle He had just entered
an elevated train at Park Place ana
had taken seat next to the person
to whom he had made the remark about
the weather. which was in every way
fitting. The person addressed, suspi-
ciOus of train acquaintance, was al
first inclined to pay no attention to the
stereotyped phrase of chance introduc-
ton, but the tone was SO courteous ana
the eyes twinkled so merrily that he
looked up from his newspaper and an
swered: Yes, it is a particularly uh-
pleasant night TO be abroad
The conversation, fairly started, pro-
gressed, and the first speaker soon told
his companion that he was In business
on Broadway. The other repiled III
kind, and then the middle-aged man
mentioned casually that he had once
been a prestidigitateur, and the talk
drifted naturally into a discussion OF
the relative merits of various trick art
lists, illusionists and the like, until the
first speaker said in his usual casual
like way that at the time he had dab
bled in legerdemain he had made a
speciality of the tricks that required
no paraphernala. While he was talk
ing he tore off a corner of his news
paper and wrote something on ii. This
scrap of paper he handed to his COM
panion, who held it between his finegrs
in much the same way as does the
man who is asked to walk up on the
stage and make a fool of himself for
the entertainment of the magician S
audience.
Now mention an odd number be-
tween one and ten, said the erstwhile
man of tricks"
"One of those old-timers about
doubling it, and dividing it and sub
tracing from it, thought the man with
the slip of paper, but he mentioned a
number just to oblige, and not because
he was particularly interested
The trick man wrote it down on the
margin of the paper
Now mention an even number be-
tween one and ten said the first man.
The other obliged again. and the
number was likewise written down
Now, call off some other numbers
between one and ten. The victim
called off at random, and the other
wrote them down in line between the
first two.
THAT will do" he said when eight
numbers had been written down
Now, for convenience we'n just di-
vide these eight numbers in half" He
drew pencil through the line.
Which half will you choose?"
The other chose.
Take one of the remaining num-
bers."
They We're taken.
We have now two numbers" said
the late illustrator of tricks. Which
one of the remaining numbers will you
choose?"
The willing victim chose one. and one
remained on the paper
Now look at the slip in your hand y
Gingerly the other unfolded his cor
ner or paper, and there plainly written
was the number CORES sponding with the
one remaining on the strip.
The whole thing was so plainly a
matter of his own choice that the sec
ond man was now aroused from his
apathetic state to one of interest He
had chosen freely, and yet here was
his choice foreshadowed
Very clever" he said in q tone of
deep conviction.
Still, it is very simple trick" said
the legerdemain artist, compIacently.
Thats just about the game, however -
he continued, that is used by slate
writers and so-called mediums, with