FAMILY FUN

New Zealand Tablet, 26 November 1914, Page 62

FAMILY FUN

TRICKS, ILLUSIONS, AND INDOOR AMUSEMENTS.

(Special to the N.Z. Tablet by Mahatma.)

The Card in the Pocket. —This trick will appeal particularly to the, beginner who has not yet mastered the difficult sleights associated with most card tricks. A card that a spectator has secretly thought of, disappears from the pack and is found in the performer’s pocket. The conjurer commences by offering the spectators a pack of cards, with the request that one of them notes and bears in mind a certain card and also notes at what number, counting from the bottom of the pack the card'lies. This having been 'done and the pack returned to the performer, the latter, under the pretence of looking for the chosen card, quickly passes the cards, one by one, from the left hand into the right, by which process the former bottom card now becomes the topmost one. Above the last card, he places three more indifferent cards taken from the bottom of the pack. Acknowledging that he is unable to discover the card in that manner, he returns the pack to the spectator requesting him to count off as many cards from the top of the pack as the.card he selected was separated from the bottom card. After his request has been complied with the conjurer knows that the fourth card from the top of the pack must be the selected one. Seizing the three uppermost cards, he places them face downwards on the table, boldly asserting that the chosen card is amongst the three. The spectators are asked to lift the cards and prove the truth of his statement, and while they are busy doing so, and of course finding that the chosen card is not on the table, the conjurer takes the opportunity of securing the top card of the pack in the palm of his hand and transferring it to a convenient pocket. The performer then asks the name of the card chosen, and upon' being told he exclaims * That cannot be, for I have had that card in my pocket all the evening.’ He then produces the card.

The Elusive Ring. The performer has in his pocket a handkerchief to the centre of which are fastened the two ends of a short piece of thread, thus forming a loop. Hanging from this loop is a cheap finger ring.- When called upon for a trick he selects a small goblet and a serviette, with which to show his deftness. Borrowing a ring from a lady, he pretends to put it under the handkerchief, but, under cover of the cambric, exchanges it for the ring hanging on the thread loop, palming the borrowed ring. A lady is asked to hold the ring through the handkerchief and a second lady holds a goblet underneath. Picking up the serviette, in the hand which contains the borrowed ring, the performer shows that it is free from preparation. Then gathering the corners of the serviette together, and at the same time working the ring to the tips of the finger, a bag is made. Into this the ring is dropped, unseen, A third lady is requested to hold this bag. The performer now instructs the lady holding the ring through the handkerchief to release her hold when he counts three. She drops the ring as requested, and the loop, being about six inches long, the ring is heard to strike against the glass. The performer immediately lifts the handkerchief by it* corner, and the goblet is seen to be empty. The third lady is then asked to open the serviette bag which she is holding, and the ring is of course discovered.