FAMILY FUN

New Zealand Tablet, 19 November 1914, Page 62

FAMILY FUN

tricks, ILLUSIONS, and INDOOR . , amusements. ' .;= (Special to the N.Z. Tablet, - by Mahatma.) . Match Trick. This is a splendid after-dinner trick. Showing his hands empty, the performer takes a few matches from a box and wraps them in a handkerchief. The next moment he shakes the handkerchief out and the matches have vanished. They are afterwards produced from the inside pocket of a spectator’s coat. The secret of the trick is a rubber band. It is stretched round a box of wooden matches. Circling the end of- the labels of, these boxes there is usually a heavy black line. Where there is not, the lines may be mad© with ink, and it is over one of these lines that the rubber band is placed, being practically undetectable. The box of matches may be lying on the table at the commencement of the trick, together with the handkerchief. As the performer picks up the box, his alight thumb rests on the top, at one end, and the first and second fingers push in the end so as to open the box. As the left hand takes out some matches the right thumb rolls the rubber-band backward so that it encircles the two fingers, which are then closed in on the palm so as to conceal the band. Laying down the box, the conjuror picks up the handkerchief with his left hand and spreads it over the right. Under cover of the handkerchief the right thumb joins the fingers inside the rubber-band. The left now stands the matches upright in the centre of the handkerchief, and the right hand grasps them. The handkerchief is then, turned over, and, at the same moment the band is stretched over the matches, through the handkerchief. The left hand takes hold of one corner of the handkerchief and shakes it. The matches do not fall to the floor; they have gone. Before commencing, the performer conceals a second lot of matches in a fold of his trousers leg. These he gets hold of, and having them in the palm of his hand plunges the latter into the pocket of one of the spectators and produces the matches one by one. The subtle movements described above-will render the trick positively undetectable at close quarters. A Card Tricks The performer takes two cards from the pack and, holding them tightly together, they appear as one. Holding them up, he calls attention to the value of the bottom card, calling it by name. He then places the two cards in the middle of the pack, which is in the left hand, allowing them to protrude about an inch. The two cards are held between the first finger and thumb of the right hand. These fingers draw the top card of the two slightly forward, while, at the same time, the forefinger of the left hand, which is under the pack, pushes the bottom card, which is the known card, back into the pack. By keeping the cards slightly tilted downwards at . the front and the left thumb extended alongside the pack, the card will slide between the thumb and second finger of the left hand, without showing itself.. Now the cards below the protruding card, which the audience suppose to be the card that was shown to them, are placed on top of the pack, the protruding card being thus brought to the bottom. In this position, the pack is placed on the bottom of an upturned goblet. Then the bottom card is pushed slowly home. ‘ Where is the card now?’ asks the performer. Of course everyone declares that it is at"lhe bottom ; but much to their surprise it is found not at the top, but at the bottom.