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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75010 ***

+

+

+

+

+

+  Transcriber's Note

+  Italic text displayed as: _italic_

+

+

+

+

+  SECOND SIGHT

+  SECRETS

+  AND

+  MECHANICAL MAGIC

+

+  BY

+  DR. HERMAN PINETTI

+  BRIDGEPORT, CONN.

+

+  BEING A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF MANY OF

+  THE LATEST EFFECTS IN MECHANICAL MAGIC,

+  TOGETHER WITH SECRETS AND EXPLANATIONS OF

+  HOW MANY OF THE PERFORMANCES IN SECOND

+  SIGHT AND MIND-READING ARE PERFORMED.

+

+

+

+

+  COPYRIGHT 1905

+  BY

+  THE DUNHAM PRESS

+  BRIDGEPORT, CONN.

+

+

+

+

+CONTENTS

+

+

+  Chapter 1. Cabinet Tricks,                                           7

+

+  Chapter 2. Table Lifting,                                           14

+

+  Chapter 3. The Floating Girl,                                       18

+

+  Chapter 4. Second Sight and Kindred Phenomena,                      24

+

+  Chapter 5. Parlor Amusements,                                       48

+

+

+

+

+PREFACE.

+

+

+The author in presenting this little volume does so with the intention

+of assisting his readers to solve some of the mysteries and illusions

+that are performed on the public stage to-day by conjurors and

+so-called spiritualists, and also with the hope of dispelling the

+idea that these mysteries are accomplished by occult or supernatural

+methods, which belief is growing to quite an extent in this country.

+

+The author has made a very careful study of the many illusions both in

+magic and in spiritualism, and of the transmission of thought, which

+is known by a great many different names, and in this little volume

+he intends to show how these illusions may be performed by purely

+mechanical means. It should be borne in mind, however, that it is not

+so much the apparatus employed as it is the shrewd, ever-observing

+methods employed by the performers, who are very sharp, keen men.

+The devices employed by the performers are so numerous that it is

+impossible to say just what methods they will use next. As soon as

+one method is exposed they immediately begin to plan, and evolve an

+entirely different method of performing the same illusion. The great

+success of the magician is in disarming the suspicions of the skeptic,

+and this is accomplished by leading him to think a certain method is

+employed when he is really using another.

+

+The author merely offers some solutions and points out certain

+fundamental principles which are usually employed, and which he thinks

+will assist his readers in solving these mysteries for themselves.

+No literary merit or perfection of style is attempted in this little

+volume for it is written in every-day language, but I hope it may prove

+of interest and value to my readers.

+

+  DR. HERMAN PINETTI.

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER I.

+

+CABINET TRICKS.

+

+

+Cabinet tricks have always been a great stand-by for performers in

+spiritualism. A committee from the audience is usually chosen, and

+after tying the performer securely to a chair or board or in some other

+way binding him very securely, he is then placed in a cabinet, the

+curtains drawn, and immediately manifestations take place, such as the

+ringing of bells, the banging of tambourines and playing of guitars.

+

+I will now explain three of the latest and best cabinet tricks which I

+know. The first is known as the “Mahatma Miracles,” and the effect of

+same is as follows:—

+

+A cabinet with a translucent gauze opening in the front curtain stands

+on the stage and is freely inspected by a committee to see that there

+are no double backs, sides or tops. The medium then takes a seat in

+the cabinet and passes his or her hands through two apertures in the

+sides of the cabinet, where they are tied with ribbons and the ribbons

+held on the outside of the cabinet by the committee. The curtains are

+now closed, but due to the translucent gauze opening in the front of

+the curtain the medium’s head and shoulders are seen by all. In spite

+of this, however, bells are rung, tambourines played, a glass of water

+is raised to the medium’s mouth, a newspaper which is placed on the

+floor of the cabinet is cut into beautiful designs, and many other

+manifestations take place.

+

+The secret of this trick lies in the cabinet. It is an ordinary cloth

+one, with a raised platform about four feet square. The front curtain,

+as above mentioned, has a gauze opening about eighteen inches in

+diameter, and the two side curtains have openings large enough to allow

+the medium to pass his hands through. The legs of the cabinet are about

+six inches high and five inches in diameter. The secret of this cabinet

+lies in one of the front legs, which is hollow. The floor of the

+cabinet is laid off in squares so that one of the squares comes over

+the hollow leg and acts as a trap. A strong screw-eye is screwed in the

+under side of the trap and a rope attached to same. This rope passes

+down through a hole in the floor to an assistant underneath the stage,

+who holds the trap down while the committee inspects the cabinet.

+

+The medium takes his seat on a chair in the cabinet, and passes one

+hand through each aperture in the sides, where they are securely

+fastened with ribbons or ropes, the ends of which are held by the

+committee. The curtains are now closed and the tests occur. The

+assistant under the stage works everything by pushing his hand and

+arm up through the hollow leg. He is thus able to ring the bells and

+play the musical instruments which are placed on the floor. In the

+glass-of-water test the assistant has a stuffed glove, with wires

+running up each finger, which is painted flesh color, and is fastened

+to a stick. He bends the wire fingers of this glove around the glass

+of water and pushes same up to the medium’s mouth. In regard to the

+paper test. An ordinary newspaper is placed on the floor of the cabinet

+with a pair of scissors. The assistant promptly draws this paper

+down through the hole in the floor and places another paper, cut into

+beautiful designs, on the floor of the cabinet, where it is found

+when the curtain is drawn aside. Many other tests can be performed,

+all of which I think will now be clear. It is needless to say that

+the assistant must always pull the trap down and hold it tightly by

+the rope after each test so the committee can discover nothing upon

+examining the cabinet. The medium gives the assistant a signal when to

+open the trap by tapping his foot on the trap. The cloth of the cabinet

+should be of some dark material.

+

+The spiritualistic post test is the next which I will describe. In the

+most common form it consists of a post of pine wood two and a half feet

+long. This is given to the committee, one of whose members bores a

+hole through it, near its upper edge, and then passes an ordinary rope

+through the hole. A knot is then tied in the rope on each side of the

+post. The knots are pressed against the sides of the post to prevent

+the rope from being pulled through the hole. The ends of the rope are

+now unravelled, and the post is fastened to the floor with spikes. The

+medium takes a seat behind the post and his hands are securely tied to

+the post with the unravelled ends of the rope. Small pieces of court

+plaster are pasted over the knots so as to prevent him from slipping

+his hands from the fastenings. A nail is driven into the top of the

+post and a rope is secured to it. This second rope is held by the

+committee. A screen is now placed around the medium. Bells are rung,

+etc., showing that the medium has the use of his hands.

+

+The secret of this trick consists in boring a hole in the center of

+the end of the post. A chisel is then inserted in the hole and the

+opening closed with glue and sawdust colored with paint. In boring

+the hole through the post the medium starts the bit so that there is

+no danger of the committee boring the hole too low or so high that it

+will strike the chisel. When the nail is driven in the top of the post

+it forces the chisel down and cuts the rope. The medium may now ring

+bells, etc. After the medium is through he puts the rope ends back in

+the hole in the post and holds his hands very tightly against the post

+while the knots are inspected by the committee.

+

+I will now explain what is known as the cotton bandage test, which

+is usually used by female mediums. A male performer, as a rule, uses

+rope or wire. In this experiment the committee is chosen from the

+audience and furnished by the performer with pieces of cotton cloth

+about an inch and a half wide and three feet long. One of these

+cotton strips is tied securely around each wrist of the medium, the

+performer instructing them to tie a number of good hard knots. As an

+extra precaution, a needle and thread is now furnished and a number of

+stitches are made above the knots to prevent them from getting untied.

+Strips of court plaster are also fastened over the bandages on wrists

+to prevent them from being slipped off the hands. The medium now places

+her hands behind her, and the ends of the strips from each wrist are

+now tied together by a number of good hard knots by the committee. What

+ends are left are evenly cut off near the knots. Another strip of cloth

+is now produced and one of the committee ties this strip around the

+knots between her wrists, leaving the ends of about equal length. The

+medium now takes her seat on a small stool with her back toward a ring

+in a board which has been fastened to the floor. One end of the last

+strip is passed through the ring and several knots are tied. Another

+strip is produced and tied around the medium’s neck and then tacked

+against the upright board. Two more strips are now used, tying one

+around each arm above the elbow, and the ends of same are also tacked

+to the board. The committee having done all this work themselves are

+thoroughly satisfied as to its genuineness. As an extra precaution, to

+show that the medium does not use her limbs in any way, a cord is tied

+around both feet, an end of which is held by a member of the committee.

+

+A cabinet is now placed over the medium, and no sooner is the curtain

+closed than the usual manifestations take place, such as the ringing

+of bells, tooting of horns, banging of tambourines, driving of nails,

+etc., etc. Each time the curtain is opened the medium is seen with

+her hands apparently securely tied as before. Finally a pocket knife

+is placed in her lap, the curtain is closed for a few seconds, and

+soon the medium comes forth with her bonds cut, but only the wrists

+separated. This is supposed to be done by the spirits. Now, I will

+explain this mystery.

+

+In a convenient pocket in the back of the medium’s dress or in her belt

+she has slipped a small sharp open knife, with which she cuts through

+the bands between her wrists. She is able to do this as her hands are

+not tied absolutely tight together, because in tying the bandages

+around the wrists the performer instructs the committee to tie a number

+of good hard knots, and furthermore to sew the bandages together about

+two inches above these knots. These knots are also tied on the inside

+of wrists or above the palms of the hands. It will be readily seen

+that when the loose ends are tied together there is a three or four

+inch space between her hands, so it is not at all difficult for her to

+cut herself free. She cuts the bandage which connects her wrists close

+to the band which fastens her to the ring and slips this bandage off,

+leaving it whole and still tied to the ring, and now has the free use

+of both hands, and as the strips tied around her arms were tied above

+her elbows she has full use of her forearms, and is thus able to raise

+a glass of water to her mouth, tie knots in a handkerchief around her

+neck and drive nails into a chair. She makes what manifestations she

+chooses, and by placing her wrists one on each side of the ring and

+clasping her hands together, pressing all tightly together, she is

+ready for examination. The ring being wound with cotton cloth the same

+as used in the bandages the committee cannot see that anything has been

+changed, and, being a little ill at ease upon a public stage, they

+are ready to say that she is bound without making the most thorough

+examination possible. Another thing to notice is that she is finally

+cut free. The reason of this is that if the investigators were to

+release her they would discover the secret.

+

+This cotton bandage test is also performed in a little different

+manner, in which the medium is not cut free at all. In this case, when

+she places her hands behind her, she rests one hand on each hip so

+that her hands are about nine inches apart, and then has the committee

+tie the four ends together and then fasten her as in former case.

+She is now able by reaching with her left hand in back of her as far

+as possible to slip her right hand into her lap and get hold of what

+musical instruments are placed there. At first thought this may seem

+impossible, but with a little practice and some contortion on the part

+of the performer it is quite easy to perform the trick in this manner.

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER II.

+

+TABLE LIFTING.

+

+

+Most spiritualistic performers usually perform a test of table

+lifting or of floating tables. Small, light tables are lifted by the

+mere “laying on of hands.” The arms are raised in the air and the

+table is seen to cling to the hands and follow every motion. This is

+accomplished by a pin driven well into the table, projecting above

+the table about a quarter of an inch. There is a good-sized head to

+this pin. The performer wears a ring with a slot in it. The body of

+the pin easily enters the slot in the ring, but the head of the pin

+being of good size prevents the table from falling away from the hand.

+After the table has been floated successfully an extra strong upward

+pressure of the hand pulls the pin out and the table can be examined.

+This trick may be performed when the table is covered with a borrowed

+silk handkerchief, as the handkerchief, being of fine, soft texture,

+does not prevent the pin slipping into the slot cut into the ring. This

+addition makes the trick a little more effective.

+

+There is also another method employed of raising a table which has been

+examined beforehand by a committee, who also examine the performer’s

+hands to see that there is no sticky substance on them. In this method,

+instead of having a slot cut into the ring, a strong needle point is

+soldered to the outside of the ring and at a slight angle to it. This

+ring is placed upon the performer’s hand so that the point is sticking

+toward the tips of his fingers. The ring may be turned upon his finger

+so that the point can be concealed between the fingers when his hands

+are being examined. When he performs this trick he merely turns the

+point around to the inside of his hand, and the top of the table being

+of some soft texture, such as cardboard or wood covered with felt, he

+is able to push this needle point well into the top of the table, and

+is thus able to raise it without trouble.

+

+Small, light tables are sometimes floated in the air with the performer

+holding his hand well above the table and not touching it at all. This

+is easily accomplished by having two strings running from one side of

+the stage to the other worked by assistants. They merely raise these

+strings from the floor so they come underneath the table, when by a

+little effort they are able to raise the table completely off the floor.

+

+

+THE OBEDIENT HANDKERCHIEF.

+

+This little trick is usually performed in connection with some other

+handkerchief trick or with some act in hypnotism.

+

+The performer having borrowed a handkerchief from some one in the

+audience for some trick, before returning same to the owner states

+that he is going to try and make the handkerchief stand alone. He ties

+a knot in one corner of the handkerchief, rubs it between his hands,

+“to endow it with magnetism,” and then places same on the floor. At

+his command the handkerchief rises or falls, it dances to music, and

+altogether acts in a very strange manner. He now picks the handkerchief

+up and carries it forward to its owner.

+

+There are several methods of performing this little experiment, and,

+while not much of a trick in itself, if well presented it is very

+interesting. The old method used to be of having a string extending

+from the floor to the ceiling and thence passing over a small pulley to

+the back or side of the stage. On the end of the string on the stage

+was a small bent pin or a pellet of wax. The performer when tying the

+knot in the handkerchief stuck the pin in the corner of same or stuck

+the wax to the handkerchief, whichever method was used. His assistant

+from the side of the stage was now able to operate the handkerchief.

+This was somewhat of a clumsy method, as it took a little dexterity to

+release the handkerchief from the string after the performance. The

+method now usually employed, and on which the details are worked out

+with care, is to have a fine black string passing from one side of the

+stage to the other. The performer has an assistant at both sides. When

+he is to perform this trick they raise the string to the height of his

+hands, and in tying the knot in the handkerchief he ties it loosely

+around the string. He now drops it to the floor, and at his command the

+assistants are able to raise the handkerchief and make it move forward

+and backward in a very mystifying manner. To heighten the effect

+the performer passes a chair or a tambourine over the handkerchief,

+thus showing that there is no connection made from above, which is

+the method usually supposed to be employed. Now, when he returns the

+handkerchief one assistant drops his end of the string and the other

+holds his firmly, and the performer walking down to the front of the

+stage with the handkerchief, the string is drawn through the knot.

+

+Another method of fastening the string to the handkerchief may be

+employed where the performer is able to carry the handkerchief to the

+side of the stage before performing the experiment. In this case he

+passes a needle to which is attached a thread through a corner of the

+handkerchief, and then walks to the other side of the stage, where he

+gives one assistant an end of the string, the other end being held by

+the assistant on the first side.

+

+There is also another method of performing this, in which the performer

+passes a solid hoop completely over and around the handkerchief while

+it is suspended in the air This little contrivance, being one of my

+own, consists of a fine piece of wire made on the same plan as the

+apparatus used in suspending a woman in mid-air, which I will explain

+in the next chapter.

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER III.

+

+THE FLOATING GIRL.

+

+

+The following illusion is usually performed in connection with an act

+of hypnotism, and is very sensational and mystifying. The effect is

+as follows:—On the stage is a long, narrow couch with back and ends,

+usually upholstered in some dark material. The legs of the couch are

+about twelve inches high, and the audience are able to see plainly

+underneath the couch. The performer introduces a young lady, and

+apparently hypnotizes her. She then lies down upon this couch and

+the performer continues to make more passes over her, arranges the

+draperies of her dress, and sometimes covers her with a small shawl.

+He then takes a position in back of the couch directly over her and

+continues his hypnotic passes. To the wonderment of all, she is seen to

+rise slowly from the couch to a considerable height. The couch is now

+removed by two assistants, and she is apparently suspended in mid-air.

+To disprove the agency of any mechanical appliance the performer now

+has brought to him a solid wooden hoop, which he passes completely

+over, in back, and again over the suspended girl. His two assistants

+then bring back the couch, and she slowly sinks back upon the seat of

+same. The performer now rouses her from her hypnotic sleep, she rises,

+bows to the audience and retires.

+

+I will now explain how this illusion is usually performed. It can

+only be performed on a theatre stage or where there is plenty of room

+underneath, as this is where the working of the trick takes place.

+There is a false seat to the couch, which consists of a board from four

+and a half to five feet long and from six to eight inches wide. This

+board is upholstered in the same material as the couch, and when laying

+on the seat of the couch cannot be noticed. There is a small slot cut

+in the back of the couch in the very center, from the top down to the

+seat. This slot is hidden by the upholstery so it cannot be noticed by

+the audience.

+

+[Illustration: floating girl platform]

+

+I will now call attention to the accompanying cut, by the aid of which

+I can better explain this illusion. “A-B” is the board or false seat

+which I have described. In this diagram we are supposed to be looking

+directly down upon it. At “G” there is firmly connected to this board

+a heavy metal coil, as illustrated in the cut. This coil consists of

+three metal bars, numbered, respectively, “1, 2 and 3.” This entire

+apparatus is in the same horizontal plane as the board “A-B.” The

+connection “G” is made through the slot in the back of the couch of

+which I spoke, and the back of the couch extends between rod “No. 1”

+and the board “A-B,” running out considerably beyond the ends of this

+board. It will now be seen if this metal coil is raised upward it will

+carry with it the board “A-B.” At “F” there is a small stud, connected

+to metal coil either by welding or having the bar bent over. This

+little stud is of triangular shape and several inches long, and is at

+right angles to the metal coil and perpendicular to the floor. The

+smaller cut “F” at the right will make this plain to the reader.

+

+This stud “F” fits firmly into a bar having a triangular opening at

+its end. This bar is pushed up through a small trap in the stage from

+underneath same. This bar is free to move up and down, but otherwise is

+firmly secured underneath stage. Underneath it is a strong screw-jack,

+which is capable of raising the complete apparatus above, even with the

+additional weight of the young lady reclining on the board “A-B.” The

+performer, after the young lady lies down on the seat of the couch,

+in reality on the board “A-B,” walks around in back of the couch and

+stands close up to bar “No. 3” with his right leg in the space “H.”

+The stud “F” is thus in back of his right leg. The small trap in the

+floor is now opened and the bar is pushed up in back of the performer’s

+leg and connected with the stud “F.” The bar being painted black would

+not be noticeable against the performer’s black trousers and shoes

+should it come into view. It is, in fact, hidden from view by the

+performer’s right leg. All the performer has now to do is to remain

+in this position, and heighten the effect by his spectacular play,

+such as hypnotic passes directed toward the young lady. His assistants

+underneath the stage merely raise the young lady by screwing up the

+jack, or raising her by whatever appliance may be used. When she comes

+to a position above the top of the couch the couch may be removed by

+two assistants of the performer. Of course, it will be understood that

+the dress and draperies of the girl will completely hide the board and

+the apparatus in back of same.

+

+Now, for passing the solid wooden hoop over the suspended girl. To do

+this the performer takes the hoop in his left hand, passes it over the

+end marked “A” of the board and down between rods “No. 1” and “No. 2,”

+the hoop assuming the position of that in the diagram marked “D.” It is

+now carried forward by the performer’s right hand and off at the end

+of board “B.” The hoop is now turned around and assumes the position

+“C.” The whole hoop is now passed in back of the girl, running between

+rods “No. 2” and “No. 3.” When it reaches the end of the board “A” it

+is again passed over the girl and board and assumes the position marked

+“E.” It may now be completely withdrawn from off of the end marked “B.”

+The performer may now reverse the motion of the hoop by starting it at

+“B” if he chooses.

+

+The foregoing is somewhat difficult to explain, but if the reader will

+bend a piece of wire into the shape as above and take a small ring and

+follow these directions he will see how this is accomplished.

+

+The position which the legs of the couch occupy are marked off on

+the floor, so that when the couch is returned it will be in the same

+position as at first, and thus the little bar “G” slips through the

+slot in back of couch when the girl is again lowered. This slot may be

+cut diagonally through back and then cannot be seen. When the board

+“A-B” comes to rest on the seat of couch the bar which passes up

+through the hole in the floor is now withdrawn through the floor and

+the trap closed. The performer then walks around to the front of the

+couch and apparently awakens his subject.

+

+Some performers have a different connection with the rod from under the

+floor, having a thread cut on the end which screws into the coil at

+“F.” This may be a more secure fastening, but it takes longer to insert

+and remove.

+

+I wish to call attention to the fact that this little diagram, which is

+made very roughly, is not drawn to scale, being more to illustrate the

+course of the hoop than for any other purpose. The small semi-circular

+space “H” has a diameter of about a foot, and the performer stands in

+this, the semi-circular hoop encircling his leg. The apparatus may

+be raised up as high as performer’s waist or even higher, and the

+hoop will then be encircling his body, while the rod connected to “F”

+running through the floor will be hidden by the performer.

+

+This illusion was first performed by having the girl lie on a couch

+or upon a board supported by two wooden horses, quite close to the

+rear curtain of the stage, and instead of having the connection made

+underneath the floor a rod was passed through a slot in the back

+curtain which connected to the metal coil. The end of the rod in back

+of the curtain was firmly fitted into a heavy block which slid up

+and down in a perpendicular frame. This block, by means of ropes and

+pulleys, could be raised or lowered by the assistants in back of stage.

+Without a doubt, however, the method of performing this illusion now,

+where the performer stands over the girl in the center or even in the

+front part of stage, is very much better and more mystifying in every

+way.

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER IV.

+

+SECOND SIGHT AND KINDRED PHENOMENA.

+

+

+As far back in history as one cares to go he will find mention of

+magicians and the works of magic which they performed. Even before the

+building of the Pyramids in Egypt magic was a reputed art.

+

+We read in the Bible of Aaron casting down his rod before Pharaoh and

+his servants and its becoming a serpent. The magicians of Egypt then

+being summoned by Pharaoh did likewise with their enchantments, turning

+their rods into serpents. (Exodus, Chapter seven, Verses ten and

+eleven.)

+

+Magic was greatly in vogue in the middle ages, and we read weird tales

+of ghosts and gnomes in literature of that time.

+

+One of the earliest of the necromancers of whom we read was Joseph

+Balsamo, known as Count Cagliostro. He married a very beautiful girl at

+Rome, who proved of great assistance to him in his impostures, and with

+her and a retinue of servants traveled all over Europe and scattered

+money right and left. He, however, reaped an abundant harvest by his

+impostures. He was very cordially received wherever he went, and was

+believed in by serious-minded and educated men. In Paris he became

+involved in some affair and was thrown into Bastille. Though eventually

+liberated, he was compelled to leave Paris. Cagliostro was the last

+to win any great fame as a pretender to occultism, although there

+was a feeble attempt to revive thaumaturgy in the nineteenth century

+by Madame Blavatsky. Science, however, has laughed away sorcery and

+witchcraft.

+

+In London, 1784, we read of Chevalier and Madame Pinetti, and his

+wonderful experiments of new discovery. We read of Madame Pinetti being

+seated in one of the front boxes of the theatre, blind-folded, and

+guessing at everything imagined and proposed to her by any person in

+the company. Here we have the first mention of the second sight trick

+which, in the hands of latter-day artists, has become so popular.

+Houdin rediscovered it, passed it on to Robert Heller, who improved it,

+and at the present day Keller and others make it a feature of their

+performances.

+

+Heller’s performance was very remarkable and mystified the people for

+years, even after his death; in fact, until Mr. Fred Hunt, Jr., who was

+Heller’s assistant for many years, made an _exposé_ for the “London

+Times.”

+

+Heller used to perform with his sister, Haidee Heller. She was

+introduced to the audience blind-folded and seated upon the stage.

+Heller would then go among the audience and receive from them various

+articles, which Miss Heller accurately described. Heller’s method

+consisted of a very elaborate code of words, which system he so

+simplified as to embrace every variety of article, classified in sets.

+One question with a word or two added sufficed to give the desired

+information to his sister, who had a thorough knowledge of the code,

+and she could at once describe any desired article.

+

+Heller also had a silent method of performing these tricks, in which

+he did not speak a word, and this effect puzzled every one. It was

+accomplished by means of electricity. A confederate sat among the

+spectators, near the center aisle of the theatre, and the wires of an

+electric battery connected with his chair, a small push button being

+under front part of seat. The wires ran from the confederate’s chair

+to the floor and under the carpet and underneath the stage, then up

+to the floor of the stage, and connected to a small metal plate. The

+chair on which Miss Heller sat had two little pins in one leg, and

+these were placed upon the metal plate in the floor. In the chair was

+a little mechanical contrivance connected with wires which ran through

+the woodwork and down through the leg of the chair, and connected to

+the two little pins before mentioned. When the chair was placed on the

+plate the connection was made, and when the button was pressed by the

+confederate the little contrivance used made a slight tapping upon

+the chair which could be heard or easily felt by Miss Heller. In this

+manner the code used by them could be telegraphed by the assistant.

+Heller would bring the article to be described down near where the

+assistant sat so that he could see it, and he would then telegraph in

+their code a description of what the article might be to Miss Heller,

+who sat blind-folded on the stage, and she, to the wonderment of all,

+would accurately describe the article.

+

+This method of telegraphing information to an assistant has been used

+by later performers in a slightly different manner. The assistant

+is concealed at the side of stage where he can see the audience

+and performer. The medium is blind-folded, and a committee of

+gentlemen come upon the stage and write numbers on a blackboard. The

+blind-folded medium adds or subtracts, and tells whatever figure is

+pointed to by any one in the committee; also tells the value of cards,

+and gives other tests in numbers.

+

+The assistant at side of the stage can see all numbers on the

+blackboard and can also see the cards. He communicates the answer to

+the blind-folded medium by pulling a little string which runs under the

+stage and which causes a little metal rod to come up through a small

+hole in the stage floor. The medium sits with her foot directly over

+this small hole, and also has a hole about one inch in diameter cut

+in the sole of her shoe. Now, when the string is pulled the small rod

+presses against the medium’s foot, and when the string is released the

+rod, which is fastened to a spring or stout elastic band, again recedes

+into the floor.

+

+Suppose the sum of several columns of figures on the blackboard is

+5037. The assistant at the side of stage quickly adds them up himself,

+and then pulls the string seven times, and the medium calls out in slow

+tones, as if under great mental pressure, (not foot pressure) “Put down

+number seven.” The assistant now pulls the cord three times and pauses.

+“The next figure is number three,” says the medium. To telegraph the

+cipher the assistant now gives a long steady pull. The medium now calls

+for cipher, and then on receiving five pulls calls out the last number

+five. She is thus able to tell any number pointed to by any one. When

+vacant space is pointed to the assistant does not pull the string, and,

+there being a long pause, the medium knows that no figure is being

+pointed to, and says: “You are not pointing to any figure.” The signal

+to stop is a series of two pulls in rapid succession.

+

+It sometimes happens that the assistant cannot see what number is

+required, say, for instance, the number on a watch or the date on a

+coin. In this case the performer communicates with the assistant by

+sign language, and the assistant now telegraphs the desired number or

+numbers to the medium. The signs may be gotten up as in the following

+table:

+

+  Closing right hand, sign for number 1.

+  Frowning, sign for number 2.

+  Smiling, sign for number 3.

+  Right hand on hip, sign for number 4.

+  Raising eyebrows, sign for number 5.

+  Rubbing chin, sign for number 6.

+  Drawing mouth to right, sign for number 7.

+  Rubbing ear, sign for number 8.

+  Hand to brow, sign for number 9.

+  Looking to floor, sign for 0.

+

+A great many signs can be used, and most performers have their own.

+The telegraphic method is very good for tests in numbers, but for

+the communication of words or questions is too slow, and it is also

+difficult for medium to get the question, if it be a long one, as she

+cannot write it down, and, therefore, this method is not often used in

+anything but number tests.

+

+Some of the performers in magic around the country are now giving very

+mysterious exhibitions in thought transmission. Notably among these are

+the Baldwins, known as the “White Mahatmas,” and the Fays in their act

+called “Thaumaturgy.” Their performances are remarkable, and I will now

+describe the effect, and offer some solutions to the mystery. I do not

+say that the methods I suggest are the only ones used, for there are so

+many methods that it would be impossible to describe them all. I will

+merely tell the principal methods employed for producing these effects

+by purely mechanical means. Now, for a description of the tricks

+performed by some of the present conjurors.

+

+The performer announces that his assistant, who is usually a woman,

+and whom I choose to call a medium in the following description, will

+read and answer questions written by the people in the audience, which

+they may have written at home on their own paper or at the theatre. He

+instructs them to write a short question and sign their name if they

+wish an answer, then to fold the question up and place same in their

+pocket or pocketbook. For the convenience of those who have not written

+their questions at home the performer and the ushers distribute slips

+of paper and pencils among the audience. They also pass out pieces of

+millboard to act as a rest on which to write the question. They (the

+performer and ushers) disclaim any preparation of these millboards

+and they are only passed out to obviate the inconvenience of writing

+on the knee. A number of these boards are torn in two and given to

+the audience to examine, and keep as souvenirs, if they so wish. This

+is done to show that there is no preparation about the boards. After

+the questions are written the boards are brought back by the ushers

+and laid upon the stage in view of all. A little vaudeville show

+now usually takes place, which occupies a half-hour or so, the star

+performance or that of thought transmission or telepathy being held

+until last.

+

+Before commencing this last part the performer makes a few remarks

+and impresses it upon the audience that if they wish their questions

+answered they must concentrate their minds upon them, for if they

+oppose “the one with attributes not usually utilized by man” or think

+that the medium cannot read their questions then she cannot, and they

+will not be answered. He instructs the audience that if any person’s

+name be called, whether he or she has written a question or not, to

+promptly respond by raising his hand so as to put himself in direct

+communication with the medium. Why the raising of the hand, which is

+somewhat embarrassing to a person, places him into closer or more

+direct communication with the medium the performer fails to explain.

+To assist the audience to concentrate their thoughts on the questions

+he bids them take out their questions from their pockets or purses

+or wherever they may be concealed, and occasionally read them over.

+At this point a rustle of paper is usually heard all over the house,

+showing what faith the audience have in the performance.

+

+The performer now presents the medium. She is very carefully

+blind-folded, and then mesmerized by the performer. A large sheet is

+now usually thrown over the medium, ostensibly to shut out material

+vision and to retain the personal magnetism, which cannot escape

+through the white sheet, provided it be a very white one. The performer

+and ushers now distribute themselves about the theatre, and the medium

+now starts in something after the following:—

+

+“Sitting down stairs and to my right there comes to me the name of

+Smith. I believe it is Clarence R. Smith.”

+

+Now the performer requests Mr. Smith to raise his hand, which he does,

+and the medium continues:—

+

+“He is sending me a thought about himself. Now, concentrate your

+thoughts, Mr. Smith, and think very hard, and I will see if I can get

+your question. Yes! He says: ‘Will I be successful?’”

+

+Mr. Smith now states that this is the question which he has written,

+and the medium now proceeds to answer him in something of this manner:—

+

+“I see no reason, Mr. Smith, why you will not be successful, and I

+think you will. However, you will make a change in a short time and

+will leave your present position as bookkeeper for Brown & Jones.

+

+“You wrote that question out at home, Mr. Smith, and on a card, didn’t

+you?

+

+“Yes,—I thought so. It is written in ink, and you wrote it at your

+home, No. 734 Main Street. Am I not right?”

+

+Mr. Smith now states that everything the medium has told him is correct

+as far as he knows.

+

+The performer now collects the card from Mr. Smith and brings it down

+to the front of the house, and calls attention to the fact that it is

+not written on his paper. If there is some printed matter on the card

+he may ask the medium to read what is there, and she, after a little

+hesitation, does so.

+

+This test which I have described would be known as a star test, as the

+question was written outside of the theatre and besides reading and

+answering the question she describes the card on which it is written.

+

+I will now enter into an explanation of a variety of methods used, or

+that may be used, to perform these seemingly remarkable experiments, by

+the pure aid of science and trickery.

+

+The very innocent-looking little millboards play a very important

+part in performances of this character. Out of a lot of about fifty

+boards there are twelve to fifteen that are “faked” in a manner which I

+will presently describe. The rest of the boards are, however, without

+any preparation, and can be broken open and examined by any one. The

+“fake” boards are prepared by inserting under the top thin layer of the

+board a piece of white paper and over this a sheet of carbon paper.

+The thin layer or face of the board, really a piece of brown paper,

+is now pasted down around the edges, which, when sandpapered off,

+bears casual inspection without disclosing the secret. Both sides of

+the board may be prepared if desired, but one side is usually deemed

+sufficient, for the ushers who pass out the boards know which is the

+“fake” side. They place a piece of paper on this side and pass it to

+the person to write on, and not one person in a hundred will turn the

+board over to write on the other side. Any question written on the

+paper, using this board as a rest, will be transferred by means of the

+carbon paper to the sheet of white paper underneath. The ushers armed

+with a handful of good solid boards and four or five “fake” boards now

+pass among the audience. By a little practice they are able to pick out

+a skeptic or any one whom they think may cause trouble by stealing a

+board or tearing it open for the purpose of discovering the secret in

+the board. To those they give the genuine boards, and if that person

+should now break it open for the purpose of exposing the performer he

+feels very cheap on finding no preparation about it. As before stated,

+to all of those of whom the ushers are suspicious they pass genuine

+boards, and to others they pass the “fake” boards with paper and

+pencil, and they are very careful to get all of these boards back.

+They may occasionally break open a good board to show that there is no

+preparation. Several questions can be written on each prepared board,

+as the questions, being brief, are not apt to be written on the same

+part of the board, and even if they are can easily be read.

+

+The ushers, after they have collected all the boards, retire to the

+back of the house, where they slip the “fake” boards under their coats

+or vests, and then bring down the genuine ones with some little show,

+holding them above their heads and throwing them carelessly down upon

+the stage, where they remain during the entire performance.

+

+The performer also passes out some boards to be written on, but as all

+eyes are on him he has no opportunity to slip any of these boards under

+his vest, so he uses only genuine boards, and is not very particular

+whether they are returned or not. Questions written on these boards are

+not answered, that is, not by any assistance of the boards, but they

+may be answered by some of the other methods, which I will describe

+later.

+

+The ushers now carry their boards around to the back of the stage to

+the medium, where they are arranged in piles. The usher who distributes

+the boards on the right side of the house places his in one pile; a

+pile is also made by the usher from the left of the house, another by

+the usher from the center of the house, and still another by the usher

+from the gallery. In this way it is known in what part of the house the

+questioner sits.

+

+A paper knife is now inserted under the top sheet of board and the top

+sheet removed and the white sheet with the copy of the questions on

+it is taken out. The medium and her assistants now either cut these

+questions out, making little slips of them, or copy them into a little

+book, making notes regarding the answers under each question where it

+is necessary. Of course, the sensational part of the performance is in

+the answers the medium gives, and the quicker and cleverer she is in

+her answers determines the success of the performance.

+

+The medium and assistants now, while the vaudeville show is taking

+place on the stage, work up the answers. They are provided with recent

+issues of local papers from which they can get information about local

+affairs, and also are able to post themselves on the latest stock

+quotations, if any question is asked about them, and there usually

+are a number. They also have a directory of the town they are in,

+which contains a great deal of useful information for their business.

+Suppose the medium only has the name of some man in the audience. She

+can look that person up in the directory, find out his business and

+his home address, and, by consulting the street directory, can find

+out his next-door neighbors. If, in her performance, she calls out

+this man’s name, telling him she cannot seem to catch his question,

+as he does not concentrate his thoughts upon it, she may bring in, in

+a very clever manner, the information which she has obtained from the

+directory, telling him where he lives and naming his neighbors, also

+telling him where he is employed. This makes a very good impression

+on the audience, especially if the man is well-known in the town and

+one who all would know was not in collusion with the performer. The

+directory also gives a list of all city and town officials, names of

+all physicians, clergymen and lawyers, names of men in the different

+departments, such as the police and fire departments, besides giving

+a list of all stores and manufactories in the town, their owners and

+officers, and it is all in a very convenient form for reference.

+

+I will now describe a similar method of gaining possession of questions

+by the aid of the boards, but in this case the boards are free of

+preparation, but not so with the small slips of paper distributed, on

+which the questions are written. One side of these slips of paper is

+prepared by rubbing it over with a piece of hard soap of good quality.

+Nothing will be noticed about the paper except that one side seems to

+be glazed. The cardboards used have a hard smooth face. In passing out

+the slips of paper and boards the soaped side of the paper is placed

+down upon the face of the board and passed to members of the audience.

+They write their questions upon these papers, naturally using the side

+uppermost. The pencils provided have a rather blunt point.

+

+These boards being collected they are carried back of stage as in the

+former method. Here the boards are dusted over with some pigment,

+such as bronze powder or lamp black. This is now shaken off, and the

+questions written will now show up plainly on the boards, the particles

+of lamp black or whatever is used sticking to the outline of the soap,

+which adhered to the board in the act of writing the question, and

+which was not visible until dusted with this fine powdered pigment.

+

+The medium now having a list of questions on which she has made up

+suitable answers conceals these in her dress and comes forward onto the

+stage, where she is blind-folded. As soon as the large sheet is thrown

+over her, however, she pushes this bandage up from her eyes, and the

+sheet being of thin material or having a number of threads drawn out

+in that portion which covers her face, she is enabled to read her

+questions and answers under the sheet.

+

+I think this will fully describe the methods employed where the

+questions are written upon the performer’s boards.

+

+I will now describe a number of methods by which she obtains questions

+which are written outside of the theatre, and upon the people’s own

+paper.

+

+Besides the ushers and assistants we see with the performer at his

+exhibition he also employs a number of men and women of whom the

+audience know nothing. They act as assistants to the performer in many

+ways. Usually one or two of them make a systematic canvass of the

+town to be played in a week or so in advance of the performer in the

+ostensible occupation of book-agent or peddler of some sort. Their real

+mission is, however, to keep their eyes and ears open and gain all the

+knowledge possible that may be of assistance to their employer. They

+mail a list made up with index to the performer before they leave the

+town for the next. On this list they have described subjects of local

+interest in the town which they have canvassed. The list may contain a

+description of some local mystery, such as a robbery, murder, fire or

+wreck, together with a list of names of those persons who are, or are

+thought to be, implicated in any way. If an election of any sort is

+soon to take place they send the performer a list of the candidates,

+with the probable successful candidates, and about how many votes each

+is expected to carry. If some race or athletic event is soon to occur

+the favorites are mentioned.

+

+This information the performer’s “advance guard” find out from local

+papers and by overhearing conversations in the hotels, on the streets,

+and at the houses and offices at which they call. By using a little

+diplomacy, they can “pump” a whole lot of local gossip and useful

+information from the unsuspecting citizens whom they run across,

+all of which is sent to the performer, who follows along a week or

+two afterwards. This preliminary work is known by professionals as

+“planting a town,” and the performer usually reaps the harvest.

+

+Another use of the confederates is to have them scattered through the

+audience at the performances. They make it their business to see and

+learn what questions those around them write or have written. They

+can often overhear one person telling another what question he has

+written. The confederates or “cappers,” as they are known, make copies

+of these questions they learn of by spying on those around them and

+by hearing them talked of. Sometimes they cannot get the person’s

+name, and in this case they give the number of the seat the person is

+sitting in or a description of the person. In other cases a person’s

+name is all they can see or overhear. They write this down, however,

+for all information, no matter how trivial, can be made use of in

+the performance. The “cappers” also write down a description of the

+question, whether written in ink or pencil and the color of same, and a

+description of what it is written on, whether a large, small or narrow

+piece of paper, card or envelope.

+

+When the boards and papers are passed around the “cappers” write down

+all the information they have gathered. This writing by the “cappers”

+is not noticed by those sitting around them, for they write the

+questions on one of the boards distributed and at the same time all

+are writing. When the “cappers” return the boards and pencils to the

+ushers they pass the slips, containing the information which they have

+gathered, rolled up in little balls to the ushers, who take them in

+back of stage to the medium.

+

+A star test is usually worked up by aid of the “cappers,” the medium

+answering some question which they are supposed to have written, about

+the past or present, describing the details of what they inquire about

+in a very tragic manner, the “cappers” announcing that all she tells

+them is absolutely correct.

+

+The treasurer or ticket seller of the theatre or hall is usually taken

+into the confidence of the performer, and he can furnish additional

+information, as he knows the people in town well and by name, and

+is able to tell the performer what seats they are sitting in. He is

+also able to draw out from those buying tickets what questions they

+intend to ask, or they will often volunteer the information, telling

+the treasurer that they are coming to see the performance to find out

+who stole their watch or who will be the next mayor, or whatever they

+may wish to know. The treasurer makes a note of all this, and this

+information is used in the act. The person, however, who tells the

+treasurer what he would like to know may not write the question at all.

+In this case, the medium calling on him and being informed that he has

+written no question states that he is thinking of such or such a thing,

+and this adds greatly to the act and makes a number of converts to

+occultism.

+

+It will be seen now that if at every performance the four or five

+“cappers” sitting among the audience are all successful in finding out

+two or three questions which are written at home or outside of the

+theatre and a description of what they are written upon, together with

+what information is obtained from the treasurer of the house, and also

+the questions which the medium obtains from the “fake” boards, the

+medium has now obtained abundant ammunition of mystery to fire at the

+audience for about an hour, the solution of which passes over their

+heads.

+

+This method of employing confederates to find out questions written

+outside of the theatre is, of course, expensive, and some performers

+do not like to use it, not only on account of the expense, but because

+often-times “cappers” or “planters” leave the performers and start a

+show of their own or give away some of the secrets, so some resort to

+another method, which is simple and worked very openly, the working of

+which I will now describe.

+

+When the medium is covered with the sheet an assistant under the stage

+passes up through a small hole or trap in the floor either a rubber

+speaking-tube or a small telephone receiver connected by wires. This is

+either connected to the medium’s ear by a band which passes around her

+head or is held to her ear by her hand. The rubber speaking-tube or the

+wires from the telephone, whichever is used, run under the stage to an

+assistant. The arrangement of theatres being very different, there is

+no fixed place for the assistant to conceal him or herself, but it is

+always in the most advantageous position—sometimes at the side of the

+platform, sometimes in one of the lower boxes, but usually underneath

+the stage, directly under the footlights or under the runway which runs

+from the stage out to the auditorium. The sides of this runway being

+boarded up or covered with rugs or carpets, the assistant is concealed

+from view of the audience. In one of the steps leading from the runway

+down to the floor of the auditorium there is a secret opening, by means

+of which the performer is able to pass, unobserved, slips of paper

+containing questions and suggestions, which are read by assistant and

+telephoned to medium sitting under sheet.

+

+The performer usually stands near these steps and walks back and forth,

+while his assistants or ushers wander over the theatre locating the

+people whose names are called.

+

+As the performer has requested the audience to take out their questions

+and read them over, they are usually held in their hands. The ushers

+often on seeing a person holding a question ask to see it for the

+purpose of assisting him in thinking about it. The ushers experience

+very little difficulty in collecting these questions, as the majority

+of the people in the audience believe that the performance is one in

+pure thought reading, and think the reason their questions are not

+answered is due to their being unable to concentrate their thoughts

+upon them, and as they are usually anxious for an answer are very

+willing to accept the proffered assistance of the ushers and give them

+their questions outright. The usher usually makes a few inquiries about

+the question. The usher, if he does not retain the question or slip, on

+walking down the aisle makes a copy of it on a little slip of paper,

+either in longhand or in some code understood by the assistant, and

+furthermore adds what information he has obtained about it.

+

+Suppose the question be:—

+

+“Where is my sister, Mary,” signed, “Annie Laurie.” The usher asks

+Miss Laurie when and where her sister was last heard from, and may be

+informed that it was a year ago, from Germany.

+

+On the questioner’s slip or copy of same he writes: “last heard from in

+Germany a year ago.”

+

+This slip and many others which he has obtained he rolls up into small

+balls, and on passing the performer, or under cover of talking to him,

+secretly passes him these slips. The performer in turn passes them

+through trap opening in the step to the assistant concealed under

+same, or possibly drops them over the railing of the lower box, if the

+assistant is concealed there, where they are gathered in from the floor

+of the box by the assistant and telephoned to medium.

+

+The medium is now able to answer the person’s inquiry about their

+missing sister. She utilizes as much dramatic power as possible in her

+answers and works them up cleverly, often-times giving information

+in her answers which she gains from the written question alone. For

+instance, she will probably answer the “lost sister” question as

+follows:—

+

+“Some one is sending me a thought from down stairs. It is a lady and I

+think her name is Annie Laurie.”

+

+“I see the lady right here!” exclaims an usher, and a connection being

+now established between the medium and Miss Laurie, she is able to read

+the question. She proceeds.

+

+“Miss Laurie is sending me a thought about her sister, and wants to

+know where she is.

+

+“I think I can tell you your sister’s name, Miss Laurie. It is Mary.

+Isn’t that right? Yes,—I thought so, and you have not heard from her

+for over a year.

+

+“It seems to me she is in a foreign land, and I seem to see the flag of

+Germany.

+

+“Your sister is well, Miss Laurie. She has written you a letter and it

+is now on its way, and you will receive it next Tuesday.”

+

+“Wonderful!” exclaim the audience, and Miss Laurie goes home a firm

+believer in the supernatural, wondering, possibly, if there will be

+money in “Mary’s” letter.

+

+The majority of questions written pertain to lost or stolen articles

+and questions regarding the future. This is natural, for most people

+are not interested in the past or present. It, of course, makes the

+answering of the questions very much easier for the medium, for where

+the questioner is in ignorance about the answer she can tell him

+anything, and the success of her answers is limited only by her skill

+and dramatic ability.

+

+There are, however, always a number of skeptics at the performances,

+who try and test the value of the medium’s answers by asking questions,

+the answers of which they know, such as:—“What is the number of my

+watch?” “What was the score of such and such a game?” “What is the date

+of the coin in my hand?” etc. The answers to these have to be worked

+out with more care, and is usually performed in this way. The medium

+has gained knowledge of the question in some of the preceding methods

+I have described, and when she answers this question she calls out the

+questioner’s name, and states that he or she is thinking about a watch,

+about a game, or coin, or whatever the question may be about. She

+states she cannot seem to see more, asking the person to think intently

+about it and she may get it.

+

+She now proceeds to answer some other questioner, but she has given the

+performer a cue that she desires more information about the question

+she left unanswered.

+

+The performer now goes to the person, asks for his question (we will in

+this case consider the questioner a man) and reads it. He also asks for

+the answer, which is usually told him. (If it is not the question will

+not be answered.) He now tells the person to think about it intently

+and he may be answered.

+

+The performer now leaves the person and walks down to the stage. On his

+way, secretly or openly, the latter is usually the better method of

+disarming the suspicious, he writes down the answer to the question,

+such as the number of the watch, score of the game or date of the coin,

+on a slip of paper. He now passes this through trap to assistant, who

+reads it off to medium, and she returns to the questioner, stating that

+she can now see his question, reads it and answers it. Questions of

+this kind always make a decided hit.

+

+Some performers, when they wish to convey a number to their assistant,

+do so by sign language, the assistant keeping his eye on the performer

+through a peep-hole from his place of concealment.

+

+By the aid of a verbal code the number may be conveyed directly to

+medium by a question or sentence spoken by performer. I will explain an

+example of this code. For instance, we will say

+

+  Please, means      1

+  Tell, means        2

+  Can, means         3

+  We, means          4

+  Hurry, means       5

+  Give, means        6

+  Quick, means       7

+  I, means           8

+  Speak, means       9

+  What, means        0

+

+Suppose the performer wishes to communicate the number 68,401. He says

+to the medium:—

+

+“Give us an answer. I wish it. We all do. What is the number of so and

+so? Please tell me.”

+

+By making short sentences or questions, using the code word first in

+each sentence, the number is conveyed to medium. It may also be done

+by making up one sentence and slightly emphasizing the code word; for

+example:—

+

+“_Give_ Mr. Blank an answer, for _I_ wish it and _we_ all do; _what_ is

+it, _please_?”

+

+There is another clever way of getting questions directly to medium.

+On the medium’s first coming on the stage she takes a seat on a chair

+that is upon a table, and is then covered over with the sheet. This is

+done to show there is no connection from underneath the stage, as the

+audience can see under the table.

+

+She now calls off a number of questions and answers same. These are the

+questions, however, she has concealed on her person, which she obtained

+from the boards or from the “cappers” before going on.

+

+She becomes restless after a while, however, and requests to be taken

+down from the table. The performer and one of the ushers go upon the

+stage and lift her, chair and all, on to the floor. The performer and

+usher have in their hands a quantity of questions they have collected

+from the audience, or copied, rolled up in little balls, and in lifting

+medium down from the table place their hands under the sheet in a

+perfectly natural way to take hold of the chair. Under cover of the

+sheet, however, the medium takes the questions from their hands, and

+now has ammunition for a lot more mystery.

+

+It will be seen that there are any quantity of ways to get questions to

+the medium.

+

+Regarding the part of performance where the medium describes a card or

+envelope which the performer holds in his hand on which some person

+has written his question, she is not only reading the question but the

+printed matter on the card or envelope as well. This is often done by

+holding the article to be described so that the concealed assistant

+at the side or under the stage or in a lower box can see it through a

+small peep-hole, either with his naked eye, or with the assistance of

+a powerful spy-glass, with which he is able to read fine print, the

+information being immediately telephoned to medium.

+

+Some performers do not cover the medium with a sheet. In this case one

+of the rear legs of the chair, in which she sits, comes directly over

+a small hole in the stage. The leg of the chair is hollow and this

+opening extends up the back of the chair, the chair being one of the

+bent-wood variety.

+

+The medium has a small rubber tube, one end connected to her ear,

+the other end running around her head and down the back of her neck.

+This tube is concealed by her hair and dress. The performer, in

+blind-folding the medium, slips the free end of this tube into a small

+hole in the back of the chair which opens into the hollow back and leg.

+One end of another tube is passed up through the hole in the floor into

+the hollow chair leg; the other end of this tube is in the hands of the

+assistant where he has concealed himself. Anything whispered into this

+end, to which is attached a mouth-piece, is distinctly heard by medium.

+

+The rest is easy, for instead of medium having a list of questions to

+read they are in possession of assistant, who reads them to her through

+the speaking tube, together with notes regarding the answers and all

+other information passed into him by performer. In my opinion, this is

+a very much neater way of performing the trick, for there has never

+been a good reason advanced for covering the medium with a sheet.

+

+

+CLOSING REMARKS.

+

+It must be remembered that in this little volume the author has not

+been able to enumerate and discuss all the methods used by clairvoyants

+or mind-readers on the public stage, or suggest what methods they will

+next use, for they will surely plan and contrive new ones as soon as

+the old methods are discovered. But I think, however, by the aid of the

+preceding explanations and suggestions the reader will perceive how

+most of the performances of this kind are now accomplished, and by the

+knowledge of these secrets discover other methods and, possibly, those

+to come in the future.

+

+I hope I have been successful in removing my readers from the hazy

+clouds of occultism and bringing them to earth, where we are all

+predestined to remain, both body and soul, until death. The only mind

+that any of us can read is that of our own, and that, many times, not

+too well. If any of us could fathom the thoughts of others an interview

+with financiers of Wall Street would enable us to own the world in a

+short time, especially if we could also predict the future, which would

+be, in my opinion, an easier and shorter way of gaining earthly riches

+than two performances a day at popular prices.

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER V.

+

+PARLOR AMUSEMENTS.

+

+

+I will now explain a few simple little tricks in second sight which may

+be performed by any one in his own home, but which, if well done, will

+be very mystifying.

+

+

+DISAPPEARANCE OF A CARD THOUGHT OF BY A SPECTATOR.

+

+The performer brings forward a pack of cards which he shuffles well,

+and then passes the cards from one hand to the other with faces toward

+the audience. A spectator is now asked to remember any card he sees.

+Upon this being done the performer again shuffles the cards and passes

+them from hand to hand, one at a time, when it is discovered that the

+card thought of has disappeared. A second card is similarly treated.

+

+To produce the above effect the performer takes an ordinary pack

+of fifty-two cards, but pastes them back to back, so he really has

+twenty-six cards with a face on each side. It will thus be seen that

+on one side are pictures of twenty-six cards and on the other side the

+remaining twenty-six. After the spectator has thought of any card the

+performer in shuffling the pack merely turns them over and next exposes

+the other side. It will be readily seen that any card selected, in

+fact, all of the cards first exposed have now apparently disappeared.

+To any one with a pack of cards so arranged would be suggested a number

+of clever experiments, such as changing the colors of the cards from

+all red to all black, and by waving a single card in the air to change

+its suit and color, etc., etc.

+

+

+DISCOVERING A SELECTED COIN.

+

+In this experiment the performer has an assistant, usually a young lady

+as the effect is better, whom he blind-folds, and she takes a seat in

+the room. He next borrows a number of coins from those in the audience,

+and has some one person select a coin. The performer asks this person

+to notice the coin carefully so that he can identify it. He then asks

+the person to hold the coin tightly in his hand and think very intently

+about it. The rest of the coins are now placed in a hat, and after a

+short period the person who has selected a coin is asked to drop the

+coin into the hat with the others. The coins are now well shaken up,

+and the hat taken to the blind-folded assistant. She puts her hand into

+the hat and promptly withdraws the selected coin. This, while a very

+simple trick, is very effective. The coin which the person selects and

+holds in his hand becomes slightly warm from the heat of the hand, and

+the assistant is thus able to distinguish it from the other coins,

+which are cool.

+

+

+TEST IN ADDITION.

+

+In this experiment the performer brings forward an ordinary slate and

+piece of crayon and requests some person to write a column of figures

+on the slate. The performer now takes the slate, quickly draws a line

+underneath the column of figures, and places the slate, face downward,

+on a table, on the top of slate placing a small piece of crayon.

+His assistant, who has been out of the room during this part of the

+experiment, now enters, and on walking up to the slate picks up the

+crayon and marks down the total sum of figures on the other side of the

+slate, which are found to be absolutely correct on turning the slate

+over and adding the figures up.

+

+To perform this experiment the performer is armed with a small piece

+of crayon in addition to the crayon which he gives to the spectator.

+One side of the crayon which he retains is filed smooth. The performer

+also has a small lead pencil concealed in his hand along with the

+crayon. When the person in the audience is writing down the figures the

+performer mentally adds these up, and secretly writes the sum total on

+this small piece of chalk which he has in his hand. He now takes the

+slate, places it face downward upon the table, and on top of it places

+the prepared piece of chalk, flat side down, retaining the chalk which

+the spectator used. All that is now necessary is for his assistant to

+pick up the piece of chalk, secretly read the figures written on it,

+and mark them down upon the slate.

+

+

+SECOND SIGHT TRICKS.

+

+By the following method quite mysterious tricks may be performed in

+one’s own house. The performer’s assistant is blind-folded and sits in

+a remote part of the room. She has attached to her finger an end of

+a fine black silk thread. The other end of this thread the performer

+carries. He is now able by sharp twitches upon the cord to communicate

+with his assistant, telling her the dates of coins, the suit of a card,

+the number of a watch and many other experiments by using a little

+code which they have arranged between them. It is needless to say the

+performer must keep his hand hidden in making these twitches on the

+thread so as not to be observed by the audience. This little trick can

+be worked up with good effect, as the performer may stand quite some

+distance from his assistant, and no words are spoken.

+

+

+ENVELOPE TRICK.

+

+A person is requested to write a question with ink upon a card. The

+card is now placed in an envelope and sealed. The performer takes the

+envelope from the room for a few seconds. On coming back he returns the

+envelope to its owner and also another envelope, which on being opened

+will be found to contain a card, on which is written an answer to his

+question. The envelope, however, in which his question is sealed shows

+no evidence of having been tampered with in the slightest.

+

+When the performer leaves the room he immediately takes a sponge which

+is saturated with alcohol and rubs it over the surface of the envelope,

+which makes it transparent, and he is thus able to read what is written

+on the card inside. He then writes a suitable answer on another card,

+which he seals in another envelope. The alcohol evaporating very

+quickly there is no sign of it upon the envelope when returned to its

+owner.

+

+

+The End.

+

+

+

+

+  Transcriber’s Notes

+

+  pg 12 Changed: loose ends are tied to-together

+             to: loose ends are tied together

+

+

+

+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75010 ***

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+<body>

+<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75010 ***</div>

+

+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 85%">

+<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="">

+</div>

+

+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">

+

+<h1>

+SECOND SIGHT<br>

+SECRETS<br>

+<span class="fs70">AND</span><br>

+<span class="fs80">MECHANICAL MAGIC</span></h1>

+

+<p class="center no-indent fs80">BY<br><br>

+<span class="fs150">DR. HERMAN PINETTI</span><br><br>

+BRIDGEPORT, CONN.</p>

+

+<br><br>

+

+<p>BEING A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF MANY OF

+THE LATEST EFFECTS IN MECHANICAL MAGIC,

+TOGETHER WITH SECRETS AND EXPLANATIONS OF

+HOW MANY OF THE PERFORMANCES IN SECOND

+SIGHT AND MIND-READING ARE PERFORMED.

+</p>

+

+

+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<p class="center no-indent fs70">

+<span class="smcap">Copyright</span> 1905<br>

+BY<br>

+THE DUNHAM PRESS<br>

+<span class="smcap">Bridgeport, Conn.</span><br>

+</p>

+</div>

+

+

+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS</h2>

+</div>

+

+

+<table class="autotable">

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Chapter 1. Cabinet Tricks,</td>

+<td class="tdr" style="width:10%"><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Chapter 2. Table Lifting,</td>

+<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Chapter 3. The Floating Girl,</td>

+<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_18">18</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Chapter 4. Second Sight and Kindred Phenomena,</td>

+<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Chapter 5. Parlor Amusements,</td>

+<td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_48">48</a></td>

+</tr>

+</table>

+

+

+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span></p>

+

+<h2 class="nobreak" id="PREFACE">PREFACE.</h2>

+</div>

+

+<div>

+  <img class="drop-cap" src="images/drop-t.jpg" width="42" height="50" alt="drop-cap">

+</div>

+

+<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">The</span> author in presenting this little volume does so

+with the intention of assisting his readers to solve

+some of the mysteries and illusions that are performed

+on the public stage to-day by conjurors and

+so-called spiritualists, and also with the hope of dispelling the

+idea that these mysteries are accomplished by occult or supernatural

+methods, which belief is growing to quite an extent

+in this country.</p>

+

+<p>The author has made a very careful study of the many

+illusions both in magic and in spiritualism, and of the transmission

+of thought, which is known by a great many different

+names, and in this little volume he intends to show how these

+illusions may be performed by purely mechanical means. It

+should be borne in mind, however, that it is not so much the

+apparatus employed as it is the shrewd, ever-observing

+methods employed by the performers, who are very sharp,

+keen men. The devices employed by the performers are so

+numerous that it is impossible to say just what methods they

+will use next. As soon as one method is exposed they immediately

+begin to plan, and evolve an entirely different

+method of performing the same illusion. The great success

+of the magician is in disarming the suspicions of the skeptic,

+and this is accomplished by leading him to think a certain<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span>

+method is employed when he is really using another.</p>

+

+<p>The author merely offers some solutions and points out

+certain fundamental principles which are usually employed,

+and which he thinks will assist his readers in solving these

+mysteries for themselves. No literary merit or perfection of

+style is attempted in this little volume for it is written in

+every-day language, but I hope it may prove of interest and

+value to my readers.</p>

+

+<p class="right">

+<span style="padding-right: 1em">DR. HERMAN PINETTI.</span><br>

+</p>

+

+

+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span></p>

+

+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.<br>

+CABINET TRICKS.</h2>

+</div>

+

+

+<div>

+  <img class="drop-cap" src="images/drop-c.jpg" width="42" height="50" alt="drop-cap">

+</div>

+

+<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">Cabinet</span> tricks have always been a great stand-by

+for performers in spiritualism. A committee from

+the audience is usually chosen, and after tying the

+performer securely to a chair or board or in some

+other way binding him very securely, he is then placed in a

+cabinet, the curtains drawn, and immediately manifestations

+take place, such as the ringing of bells, the banging of tambourines

+and playing of guitars.</p>

+

+<p>I will now explain three of the latest and best cabinet

+tricks which I know. The first is known as the “Mahatma

+Miracles,” and the effect of same is as follows:—</p>

+

+<p>A cabinet with a translucent gauze opening in the front

+curtain stands on the stage and is freely inspected by a committee

+to see that there are no double backs, sides or tops.

+The medium then takes a seat in the cabinet and passes his

+or her hands through two apertures in the sides of the cabinet,

+where they are tied with ribbons and the ribbons held

+on the outside of the cabinet by the committee. The curtains

+are now closed, but due to the translucent gauze opening in

+the front of the curtain the medium’s head and shoulders are

+seen by all. In spite of this, however, bells are rung, tambourines

+played, a glass of water is raised to the medium’s

+mouth, a newspaper which is placed on the floor of the cabinet<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span>

+is cut into beautiful designs, and many other manifestations

+take place.</p>

+

+<p>The secret of this trick lies in the cabinet. It is an ordinary

+cloth one, with a raised platform about four feet square.

+The front curtain, as above mentioned, has a gauze opening

+about eighteen inches in diameter, and the two side curtains

+have openings large enough to allow the medium to pass his

+hands through. The legs of the cabinet are about six inches

+high and five inches in diameter. The secret of this cabinet

+lies in one of the front legs, which is hollow. The floor of the

+cabinet is laid off in squares so that one of the squares comes

+over the hollow leg and acts as a trap. A strong screw-eye

+is screwed in the under side of the trap and a rope attached

+to same. This rope passes down through a hole in the floor

+to an assistant underneath the stage, who holds the trap down

+while the committee inspects the cabinet.</p>

+

+<p>The medium takes his seat on a chair in the cabinet, and

+passes one hand through each aperture in the sides, where

+they are securely fastened with ribbons or ropes, the ends of

+which are held by the committee. The curtains are now

+closed and the tests occur. The assistant under the stage

+works everything by pushing his hand and arm up through

+the hollow leg. He is thus able to ring the bells and play

+the musical instruments which are placed on the floor. In

+the glass-of-water test the assistant has a stuffed glove, with

+wires running up each finger, which is painted flesh color,

+and is fastened to a stick. He bends the wire fingers of this

+glove around the glass of water and pushes same up to the

+medium’s mouth. In regard to the paper test. An ordinary

+newspaper is placed on the floor of the cabinet with a pair of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span>

+scissors. The assistant promptly draws this paper down

+through the hole in the floor and places another paper, cut

+into beautiful designs, on the floor of the cabinet, where it is

+found when the curtain is drawn aside. Many other tests can

+be performed, all of which I think will now be clear. It is

+needless to say that the assistant must always pull the trap

+down and hold it tightly by the rope after each test so the

+committee can discover nothing upon examining the cabinet.

+The medium gives the assistant a signal when to open the

+trap by tapping his foot on the trap. The cloth of the cabinet

+should be of some dark material.</p>

+

+<p>The spiritualistic post test is the next which I will describe.

+In the most common form it consists of a post of

+pine wood two and a half feet long. This is given to the

+committee, one of whose members bores a hole through it,

+near its upper edge, and then passes an ordinary rope through

+the hole. A knot is then tied in the rope on each side of the

+post. The knots are pressed against the sides of the post to

+prevent the rope from being pulled through the hole. The

+ends of the rope are now unravelled, and the post is fastened

+to the floor with spikes. The medium takes a seat behind the

+post and his hands are securely tied to the post with the unravelled

+ends of the rope. Small pieces of court plaster are

+pasted over the knots so as to prevent him from slipping his

+hands from the fastenings. A nail is driven into the top of

+the post and a rope is secured to it. This second rope is

+held by the committee. A screen is now placed around the

+medium. Bells are rung, etc., showing that the medium has

+the use of his hands.</p>

+

+<p>The secret of this trick consists in boring a hole in the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span>

+center of the end of the post. A chisel is then inserted in

+the hole and the opening closed with glue and sawdust colored

+with paint. In boring the hole through the post the

+medium starts the bit so that there is no danger of the committee

+boring the hole too low or so high that it will strike

+the chisel. When the nail is driven in the top of the post it

+forces the chisel down and cuts the rope. The medium may

+now ring bells, etc. After the medium is through he puts the

+rope ends back in the hole in the post and holds his hands

+very tightly against the post while the knots are inspected by

+the committee.</p>

+

+<p>I will now explain what is known as the cotton bandage

+test, which is usually used by female mediums. A male performer,

+as a rule, uses rope or wire. In this experiment the

+committee is chosen from the audience and furnished

+by the performer with pieces of cotton cloth about an inch

+and a half wide and three feet long. One of these cotton

+strips is tied securely around each wrist of the medium, the

+performer instructing them to tie a number of good hard

+knots. As an extra precaution, a needle and thread is now

+furnished and a number of stitches are made above the knots

+to prevent them from getting untied. Strips of court plaster

+are also fastened over the bandages on wrists to prevent them

+from being slipped off the hands. The medium now places

+her hands behind her, and the ends of the strips from each

+wrist are now tied together by a number of good hard knots

+by the committee. What ends are left are evenly cut off near

+the knots. Another strip of cloth is now produced and one

+of the committee ties this strip around the knots between her

+wrists, leaving the ends of about equal length. The medium

+now takes her seat on a small stool with her back toward a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span>

+ring in a board which has been fastened to the floor. One

+end of the last strip is passed through the ring and several

+knots are tied. Another strip is produced and tied around

+the medium’s neck and then tacked against the upright board.

+Two more strips are now used, tying one around each arm

+above the elbow, and the ends of same are also tacked to the

+board. The committee having done all this work themselves

+are thoroughly satisfied as to its genuineness. As an extra

+precaution, to show that the medium does not use her limbs

+in any way, a cord is tied around both feet, an end of which

+is held by a member of the committee.</p>

+

+<p>A cabinet is now placed over the medium, and no sooner

+is the curtain closed than the usual manifestations take place,

+such as the ringing of bells, tooting of horns, banging of tambourines,

+driving of nails, etc., etc. Each time the curtain is

+opened the medium is seen with her hands apparently securely

+tied as before. Finally a pocket knife is placed in her

+lap, the curtain is closed for a few seconds, and soon the

+medium comes forth with her bonds cut, but only the wrists

+separated. This is supposed to be done by the spirits. Now,

+I will explain this mystery.</p>

+

+<p>In a convenient pocket in the back of the medium’s dress

+or in her belt she has slipped a small sharp open knife, with

+which she cuts through the bands between her wrists. She is

+able to do this as her hands are not tied absolutely tight together,

+because in tying the bandages around the wrists the

+performer instructs the committee to tie a number of good

+hard knots, and furthermore to sew the bandages together

+about two inches above these knots. These knots are also

+tied on the inside of wrists or above the palms of the hands.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span>

+It will be readily seen that when the loose ends are tied together

+there is a three or four inch space between her hands,

+so it is not at all difficult for her to cut herself free. She

+cuts the bandage which connects her wrists close to the band

+which fastens her to the ring and slips this bandage off,

+leaving it whole and still tied to the ring, and now has the

+free use of both hands, and as the strips tied around her arms

+were tied above her elbows she has full use of her forearms,

+and is thus able to raise a glass of water to her mouth, tie

+knots in a handkerchief around her neck and drive nails into

+a chair. She makes what manifestations she chooses, and by

+placing her wrists one on each side of the ring and clasping

+her hands together, pressing all tightly together, she is ready

+for examination. The ring being wound with cotton cloth the

+same as used in the bandages the committee cannot see that

+anything has been changed, and, being a little ill at ease upon

+a public stage, they are ready to say that she is bound

+without making the most thorough examination possible. Another

+thing to notice is that she is finally cut free. The reason

+of this is that if the investigators were to release her they

+would discover the secret.</p>

+

+<p>This cotton bandage test is also performed in a little

+different manner, in which the medium is not cut free at all.

+In this case, when she places her hands behind her, she rests

+one hand on each hip so that her hands are about nine inches

+apart, and then has the committee tie the four ends together

+and then fasten her as in former case. She is now able by

+reaching with her left hand in back of her as far as possible

+to slip her right hand into her lap and get hold of what musical<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span>

+instruments are placed there. At first thought this may

+seem impossible, but with a little practice and some contortion

+on the part of the performer it is quite easy to perform

+the trick in this manner.</p>

+

+

+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span></p>

+

+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.<br>

+TABLE LIFTING.</h2>

+</div>

+

+

+<div>

+  <img class="drop-cap" src="images/drop-m.jpg" width="42" height="50" alt="drop-cap">

+</div>

+

+<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">Most</span> spiritualistic performers usually perform a test

+of table lifting or of floating tables. Small, light

+tables are lifted by the mere “laying on of hands.”

+The arms are raised in the air and the table is seen

+to cling to the hands and follow every motion. This is

+accomplished by a pin driven well into the table, projecting

+above the table about a quarter of an inch. There is a good-sized

+head to this pin. The performer wears a ring with a

+slot in it. The body of the pin easily enters the slot in the

+ring, but the head of the pin being of good size prevents the

+table from falling away from the hand. After the table has

+been floated successfully an extra strong upward pressure of

+the hand pulls the pin out and the table can be examined.

+This trick may be performed when the table is covered with

+a borrowed silk handkerchief, as the handkerchief, being of

+fine, soft texture, does not prevent the pin slipping into the

+slot cut into the ring. This addition makes the trick a little

+more effective.</p>

+

+<p>There is also another method employed of raising a table

+which has been examined beforehand by a committee, who

+also examine the performer’s hands to see that there is no

+sticky substance on them. In this method, instead of having<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span>

+a slot cut into the ring, a strong needle point is soldered to

+the outside of the ring and at a slight angle to it. This ring

+is placed upon the performer’s hand so that the point is sticking

+toward the tips of his fingers. The ring may be turned

+upon his finger so that the point can be concealed between

+the fingers when his hands are being examined. When he

+performs this trick he merely turns the point around to the

+inside of his hand, and the top of the table being of some

+soft texture, such as cardboard or wood covered with felt,

+he is able to push this needle point well into the top of the

+table, and is thus able to raise it without trouble.</p>

+

+<p>Small, light tables are sometimes floated in the air with

+the performer holding his hand well above the table and not

+touching it at all. This is easily accomplished by having two

+strings running from one side of the stage to the other

+worked by assistants. They merely raise these strings from

+the floor so they come underneath the table, when by a little

+effort they are able to raise the table completely off the floor.</p>

+

+

+<h3>THE OBEDIENT HANDKERCHIEF.</h3>

+

+<p>This little trick is usually performed in connection with

+some other handkerchief trick or with some act in hypnotism.</p>

+

+<p>The performer having borrowed a handkerchief from

+some one in the audience for some trick, before returning

+same to the owner states that he is going to try and make

+the handkerchief stand alone. He ties a knot in one corner

+of the handkerchief, rubs it between his hands, “to endow it

+with magnetism,” and then places same on the floor. At his<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span>

+command the handkerchief rises or falls, it dances to music,

+and altogether acts in a very strange manner. He now picks

+the handkerchief up and carries it forward to its owner.</p>

+

+<p>There are several methods of performing this little experiment,

+and, while not much of a trick in itself, if well presented

+it is very interesting. The old method used to be of

+having a string extending from the floor to the ceiling and

+thence passing over a small pulley to the back or side of the

+stage. On the end of the string on the stage was a small

+bent pin or a pellet of wax. The performer when tying the

+knot in the handkerchief stuck the pin in the corner of same

+or stuck the wax to the handkerchief, whichever method was

+used. His assistant from the side of the stage was now able

+to operate the handkerchief. This was somewhat of a clumsy

+method, as it took a little dexterity to release the handkerchief

+from the string after the performance. The method

+now usually employed, and on which the details are worked

+out with care, is to have a fine black string passing from

+one side of the stage to the other. The performer has an

+assistant at both sides. When he is to perform this trick

+they raise the string to the height of his hands, and in tying

+the knot in the handkerchief he ties it loosely around the

+string. He now drops it to the floor, and at his command the

+assistants are able to raise the handkerchief and make it

+move forward and backward in a very mystifying manner.

+To heighten the effect the performer passes a chair or a tambourine

+over the handkerchief, thus showing that there is no

+connection made from above, which is the method usually

+supposed to be employed. Now, when he returns the handkerchief

+one assistant drops his end of the string and the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span>

+other holds his firmly, and the performer walking down to

+the front of the stage with the handkerchief, the string is

+drawn through the knot.</p>

+

+<p>Another method of fastening the string to the handkerchief

+may be employed where the performer is able to carry

+the handkerchief to the side of the stage before performing

+the experiment. In this case he passes a needle to which is

+attached a thread through a corner of the handkerchief, and

+then walks to the other side of the stage, where he gives one

+assistant an end of the string, the other end being held by

+the assistant on the first side.</p>

+

+<p>There is also another method of performing this, in

+which the performer passes a solid hoop completely over and

+around the handkerchief while it is suspended in the air

+This little contrivance, being one of my own, consists of a

+fine piece of wire made on the same plan as the apparatus

+used in suspending a woman in mid-air, which I will explain

+in the next chapter.</p>

+

+

+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span></p>

+

+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.<br>

+THE FLOATING GIRL.</h2>

+</div>

+

+<div>

+  <img class="drop-cap" src="images/drop-t.jpg" width="42" height="50" alt="drop-cap">

+</div>

+

+<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">The</span> following illusion is usually performed in connection

+with an act of hypnotism, and is very sensational

+and mystifying. The effect is as follows:—On

+the stage is a long, narrow couch with back

+and ends, usually upholstered in some dark material. The

+legs of the couch are about twelve inches high, and the

+audience are able to see plainly underneath the couch. The

+performer introduces a young lady, and apparently hypnotizes

+her. She then lies down upon this couch and the performer

+continues to make more passes over her, arranges

+the draperies of her dress, and sometimes covers her with a

+small shawl. He then takes a position in back of the couch

+directly over her and continues his hypnotic passes. To the

+wonderment of all, she is seen to rise slowly from the couch

+to a considerable height. The couch is now removed by two

+assistants, and she is apparently suspended in mid-air. To

+disprove the agency of any mechanical appliance the performer

+now has brought to him a solid wooden hoop, which

+he passes completely over, in back, and again over the suspended

+girl. His two assistants then bring back the couch,

+and she slowly sinks back upon the seat of same. The performer

+now rouses her from her hypnotic sleep, she rises,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span>

+bows to the audience and retires.</p>

+

+<p>I will now explain how this illusion is usually performed.

+It can only be performed on a theatre stage or where there is

+plenty of room underneath, as this is where the working of

+the trick takes place. There is a false seat to the

+couch, which consists of a board from four and a half to

+five feet long and from six to eight inches wide. This board

+is upholstered in the same material as the couch, and when

+laying on the seat of the couch cannot be noticed. There is

+a small slot cut in the back of the couch in the very center,

+from the top down to the seat. This slot is hidden by the

+upholstery so it cannot be noticed by the audience.</p>

+

+<figure class="figcenter illowp85" id="i_19" style="max-width: 62.5em;">

+  <img class="w100" src="images/i_19.jpg" alt="floating girl platform">

+</figure>

+

+<p>I will now call attention to the accompanying cut, by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span>

+the aid of which I can better explain this illusion. “A-B” is

+the board or false seat which I have described. In this diagram

+we are supposed to be looking directly down upon it.

+At “G” there is firmly connected to this board a heavy metal

+coil, as illustrated in the cut. This coil consists of three

+metal bars, numbered, respectively, “1, 2 and 3.” This entire

+apparatus is in the same horizontal plane as the board “A-B.”

+The connection “G” is made through the slot in the back of

+the couch of which I spoke, and the back of the couch extends

+between rod “No. 1” and the board “A-B,” running out considerably

+beyond the ends of this board. It will now be seen

+if this metal coil is raised upward it will carry with it the

+board “A-B.” At “F” there is a small stud, connected to metal

+coil either by welding or having the bar bent over. This

+little stud is of triangular shape and several inches long, and

+is at right angles to the metal coil and perpendicular to the

+floor. The smaller cut “F” at the right will make this plain to

+the reader.</p>

+

+<p>This stud “F” fits firmly into a bar having a triangular opening

+at its end. This bar is pushed up through a small trap

+in the stage from underneath same. This bar is free to move

+up and down, but otherwise is firmly secured underneath

+stage. Underneath it is a strong screw-jack, which is capable

+of raising the complete apparatus above, even with the additional

+weight of the young lady reclining on the board “A-B.”

+The performer, after the young lady lies down on the seat

+of the couch, in reality on the board “A-B,” walks around in

+back of the couch and stands close up to bar “No. 3” with

+his right leg in the space “H.” The stud “F” is thus in back<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span>

+of his right leg. The small trap in the floor is now opened

+and the bar is pushed up in back of the performer’s leg and

+connected with the stud “F.” The bar being painted black

+would not be noticeable against the performer’s black trousers

+and shoes should it come into view. It is, in fact, hidden

+from view by the performer’s right leg. All the performer

+has now to do is to remain in this position, and heighten the

+effect by his spectacular play, such as hypnotic passes directed

+toward the young lady. His assistants underneath the stage

+merely raise the young lady by screwing up the jack, or

+raising her by whatever appliance may be used. When she

+comes to a position above the top of the couch the couch

+may be removed by two assistants of the performer. Of

+course, it will be understood that the dress and draperies of

+the girl will completely hide the board and the apparatus in

+back of same.</p>

+

+<p>Now, for passing the solid wooden hoop over the suspended

+girl. To do this the performer takes the hoop in his

+left hand, passes it over the end marked “A” of the board

+and down between rods “No. 1” and “No. 2,” the hoop assuming

+the position of that in the diagram marked “D.” It

+is now carried forward by the performer’s right hand and off

+at the end of board “B.” The hoop is now turned around

+and assumes the position “C.” The whole hoop is now

+passed in back of the girl, running between rods “No. 2” and

+“No. 3.” When it reaches the end of the board “A” it is

+again passed over the girl and board and assumes the position

+marked “E.” It may now be completely withdrawn from

+off of the end marked “B.” The performer may now reverse

+the motion of the hoop by starting it at “B” if he chooses.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span></p>

+

+<p>The foregoing is somewhat difficult to explain, but if

+the reader will bend a piece of wire into the shape as above

+and take a small ring and follow these directions he will see

+how this is accomplished.</p>

+

+<p>The position which the legs of the couch occupy are

+marked off on the floor, so that when the couch is returned

+it will be in the same position as at first, and thus the little

+bar “G” slips through the slot in back of couch when the

+girl is again lowered. This slot may be cut diagonally

+through back and then cannot be seen. When the board

+“A-B” comes to rest on the seat of couch the bar which

+passes up through the hole in the floor is now withdrawn

+through the floor and the trap closed. The performer then

+walks around to the front of the couch and apparently

+awakens his subject.</p>

+

+<p>Some performers have a different connection with the

+rod from under the floor, having a thread cut on the end

+which screws into the coil at “F.” This may be a more secure

+fastening, but it takes longer to insert and remove.</p>

+

+<p>I wish to call attention to the fact that this little diagram,

+which is made very roughly, is not drawn to scale, being more

+to illustrate the course of the hoop than for any other purpose.

+The small semi-circular space “H” has a diameter of

+about a foot, and the performer stands in this, the semi-circular

+hoop encircling his leg. The apparatus may be raised

+up as high as performer’s waist or even higher, and the hoop

+will then be encircling his body, while the rod connected to

+“F” running through the floor will be hidden by the performer.</p>

+

+<p>This illusion was first performed by having the girl lie<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span>

+on a couch or upon a board supported by two wooden

+horses, quite close to the rear curtain of the stage, and instead

+of having the connection made underneath the floor a rod

+was passed through a slot in the back curtain which connected

+to the metal coil. The end of the rod in back of the curtain

+was firmly fitted into a heavy block which slid up and down

+in a perpendicular frame. This block, by means of ropes

+and pulleys, could be raised or lowered by the assistants in

+back of stage. Without a doubt, however, the method of performing

+this illusion now, where the performer stands over

+the girl in the center or even in the front part of stage, is

+very much better and more mystifying in every way.</p>

+

+

+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span></p>

+

+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.<br>

+SECOND SIGHT AND KINDRED PHENOMENA.</h2>

+</div>

+

+<div>

+  <img class="drop-cap" src="images/drop-a.jpg" width="42" height="50" alt="drop-cap">

+</div>

+

+<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">As</span> far back in history as one cares to go he will find

+mention of magicians and the works of magic which

+they performed. Even before the building of the

+Pyramids in Egypt magic was a reputed art.</p>

+

+<p>We read in the Bible of Aaron casting down his rod

+before Pharaoh and his servants and its becoming a serpent.

+The magicians of Egypt then being summoned by Pharaoh

+did likewise with their enchantments, turning their rods into

+serpents. (Exodus, Chapter seven, Verses ten and eleven.)</p>

+

+<p>Magic was greatly in vogue in the middle ages, and we

+read weird tales of ghosts and gnomes in literature of that

+time.</p>

+

+<p>One of the earliest of the necromancers of whom we

+read was Joseph Balsamo, known as Count Cagliostro. He

+married a very beautiful girl at Rome, who proved of great

+assistance to him in his impostures, and with her and a

+retinue of servants traveled all over Europe and scattered

+money right and left. He, however, reaped an abundant

+harvest by his impostures. He was very cordially received

+wherever he went, and was believed in by serious-minded

+and educated men. In Paris he became involved in some

+affair and was thrown into Bastille. Though eventually

+liberated, he was compelled to leave Paris. Cagliostro was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span>

+the last to win any great fame as a pretender to occultism,

+although there was a feeble attempt to revive thaumaturgy

+in the nineteenth century by Madame Blavatsky. Science,

+however, has laughed away sorcery and witchcraft.</p>

+

+<p>In London, 1784, we read of Chevalier and Madame

+Pinetti, and his wonderful experiments of new discovery.

+We read of Madame Pinetti being seated in one of the front

+boxes of the theatre, blind-folded, and guessing at everything

+imagined and proposed to her by any person in the company.

+Here we have the first mention of the second sight trick

+which, in the hands of latter-day artists, has become so

+popular. Houdin rediscovered it, passed it on to Robert

+Heller, who improved it, and at the present day Keller and

+others make it a feature of their performances.</p>

+

+<p>Heller’s performance was very remarkable and mystified

+the people for years, even after his death; in fact, until Mr.

+Fred Hunt, Jr., who was Heller’s assistant for many years,

+made an <em>exposé</em> for the “London Times.”</p>

+

+<p>Heller used to perform with his sister, Haidee Heller.

+She was introduced to the audience blind-folded and seated

+upon the stage. Heller would then go among the audience

+and receive from them various articles, which Miss Heller

+accurately described. Heller’s method consisted of a very

+elaborate code of words, which system he so simplified as to

+embrace every variety of article, classified in sets. One

+question with a word or two added sufficed to give the desired

+information to his sister, who had a thorough knowledge of

+the code, and she could at once describe any desired article.</p>

+

+<p>Heller also had a silent method of performing these

+tricks, in which he did not speak a word, and this effect<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span>

+puzzled every one. It was accomplished by means of electricity.

+A confederate sat among the spectators, near the

+center aisle of the theatre, and the wires of an electric battery

+connected with his chair, a small push button being

+under front part of seat. The wires ran from the confederate’s

+chair to the floor and under the carpet and underneath

+the stage, then up to the floor of the stage, and connected to

+a small metal plate. The chair on which Miss Heller sat had

+two little pins in one leg, and these were placed upon the

+metal plate in the floor. In the chair was a little mechanical

+contrivance connected with wires which ran through the

+woodwork and down through the leg of the chair, and connected

+to the two little pins before mentioned. When the

+chair was placed on the plate the connection was made, and

+when the button was pressed by the confederate the little

+contrivance used made a slight tapping upon the chair which

+could be heard or easily felt by Miss Heller. In this manner

+the code used by them could be telegraphed by the assistant.

+Heller would bring the article to be described down near

+where the assistant sat so that he could see it, and he would

+then telegraph in their code a description of what the article

+might be to Miss Heller, who sat blind-folded on the stage,

+and she, to the wonderment of all, would accurately describe

+the article.</p>

+

+<p>This method of telegraphing information to an assistant

+has been used by later performers in a slightly different

+manner. The assistant is concealed at the side of stage

+where he can see the audience and performer. The medium

+is blind-folded, and a committee of gentlemen come upon

+the stage and write numbers on a blackboard. The blind-folded<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span>

+medium adds or subtracts, and tells whatever figure

+is pointed to by any one in the committee; also tells the

+value of cards, and gives other tests in numbers.</p>

+

+<p>The assistant at side of the stage can see all numbers on

+the blackboard and can also see the cards. He communicates

+the answer to the blind-folded medium by pulling a

+little string which runs under the stage and which causes a

+little metal rod to come up through a small hole in the stage

+floor. The medium sits with her foot directly over this small

+hole, and also has a hole about one inch in diameter cut in

+the sole of her shoe. Now, when the string is pulled the

+small rod presses against the medium’s foot, and when the

+string is released the rod, which is fastened to a spring or

+stout elastic band, again recedes into the floor.</p>

+

+<p>Suppose the sum of several columns of figures on the

+blackboard is 5037. The assistant at the side of stage quickly

+adds them up himself, and then pulls the string seven times,

+and the medium calls out in slow tones, as if under great

+mental pressure, (not foot pressure) “Put down number

+seven.” The assistant now pulls the cord three times and

+pauses. “The next figure is number three,” says the medium.

+To telegraph the cipher the assistant now gives a long steady

+pull. The medium now calls for cipher, and then on receiving

+five pulls calls out the last number five. She is thus able

+to tell any number pointed to by any one. When vacant

+space is pointed to the assistant does not pull the string, and,

+there being a long pause, the medium knows that no figure

+is being pointed to, and says: “You are not pointing to any

+figure.” The signal to stop is a series of two pulls in rapid

+succession.</p>

+

+<p>It sometimes happens that the assistant cannot see what<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span>

+number is required, say, for instance, the number on a watch

+or the date on a coin. In this case the performer communicates

+with the assistant by sign language, and the assistant

+now telegraphs the desired number or numbers to the medium.

+The signs may be gotten up as in the following table:</p>

+

+<div class="poetry-container">

+<div class="poetry">

+  <div class="stanza">

+    <div class="verse indent0">Closing right hand, sign for number 1.</div>

+    <div class="verse indent0">Frowning, sign for number 2.</div>

+    <div class="verse indent0">Smiling, sign for number 3.</div>

+    <div class="verse indent0">Right hand on hip, sign for number 4.</div>

+    <div class="verse indent0">Raising eyebrows, sign for number 5.</div>

+    <div class="verse indent0">Rubbing chin, sign for number 6.</div>

+    <div class="verse indent0">Drawing mouth to right, sign for number 7.</div>

+    <div class="verse indent0">Rubbing ear, sign for number 8.</div>

+    <div class="verse indent0">Hand to brow, sign for number 9.</div>

+    <div class="verse indent0">Looking to floor, sign for 0.</div>

+  </div>

+  </div>

+</div>

+

+<p>A great many signs can be used, and most performers

+have their own. The telegraphic method is very good for

+tests in numbers, but for the communication of words or

+questions is too slow, and it is also difficult for medium to

+get the question, if it be a long one, as she cannot write it

+down, and, therefore, this method is not often used in anything

+but number tests.</p>

+

+<p>Some of the performers in magic around the country

+are now giving very mysterious exhibitions in thought transmission.

+Notably among these are the Baldwins, known as

+the “White Mahatmas,” and the Fays in their act called

+“Thaumaturgy.” Their performances are remarkable, and I

+will now describe the effect, and offer some solutions to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>

+mystery. I do not say that the methods I suggest are the

+only ones used, for there are so many methods that it would

+be impossible to describe them all. I will merely tell the

+principal methods employed for producing these effects by

+purely mechanical means. Now, for a description of the

+tricks performed by some of the present conjurors.</p>

+

+<p>The performer announces that his assistant, who is usually

+a woman, and whom I choose to call a medium in the

+following description, will read and answer questions written

+by the people in the audience, which they may have written

+at home on their own paper or at the theatre. He instructs

+them to write a short question and sign their name if they

+wish an answer, then to fold the question up and place same

+in their pocket or pocketbook. For the convenience of those

+who have not written their questions at home the performer

+and the ushers distribute slips of paper and pencils among

+the audience. They also pass out pieces of millboard to act

+as a rest on which to write the question. They (the performer

+and ushers) disclaim any preparation of these millboards

+and they are only passed out to obviate the inconvenience

+of writing on the knee. A number of these boards

+are torn in two and given to the audience to examine, and

+keep as souvenirs, if they so wish. This is done to show that

+there is no preparation about the boards. After the questions

+are written the boards are brought back by the ushers

+and laid upon the stage in view of all. A little vaudeville show

+now usually takes place, which occupies a half-hour or so, the

+star performance or that of thought transmission or telepathy

+being held until last.</p>

+

+<p>Before commencing this last part the performer makes<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span>

+a few remarks and impresses it upon the audience that if they

+wish their questions answered they must concentrate their

+minds upon them, for if they oppose “the one with attributes

+not usually utilized by man” or think that the medium cannot

+read their questions then she cannot, and they will not be

+answered. He instructs the audience that if any person’s

+name be called, whether he or she has written a question or

+not, to promptly respond by raising his hand so as to put

+himself in direct communication with the medium. Why

+the raising of the hand, which is somewhat embarrassing to

+a person, places him into closer or more direct communication

+with the medium the performer fails to explain. To

+assist the audience to concentrate their thoughts on the questions

+he bids them take out their questions from their pockets

+or purses or wherever they may be concealed, and occasionally

+read them over. At this point a rustle of paper is usually

+heard all over the house, showing what faith the audience

+have in the performance.</p>

+

+<p>The performer now presents the medium. She is very

+carefully blind-folded, and then mesmerized by the performer.

+A large sheet is now usually thrown over the medium,

+ostensibly to shut out material vision and to retain the personal

+magnetism, which cannot escape through the white

+sheet, provided it be a very white one. The performer and

+ushers now distribute themselves about the theatre, and the

+medium now starts in something after the following:—</p>

+

+<p>“Sitting down stairs and to my right there comes to me

+the name of Smith. I believe it is Clarence R. Smith.”</p>

+

+<p>Now the performer requests Mr. Smith to raise his hand,

+which he does, and the medium continues:—</p>

+

+<p>“He is sending me a thought about himself. Now,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span>

+concentrate your thoughts, Mr. Smith, and think very hard,

+and I will see if I can get your question. Yes! He says:

+‘Will I be successful?’”</p>

+

+<p>Mr. Smith now states that this is the question which he

+has written, and the medium now proceeds to answer him in

+something of this manner:—</p>

+

+<p>“I see no reason, Mr. Smith, why you will not be successful,

+and I think you will. However, you will make a

+change in a short time and will leave your present position as

+bookkeeper for Brown &amp; Jones.</p>

+

+<p>“You wrote that question out at home, Mr. Smith, and

+on a card, didn’t you?</p>

+

+<p>“Yes,—I thought so. It is written in ink, and you wrote

+it at your home, No. 734 Main Street. Am I not right?”</p>

+

+<p>Mr. Smith now states that everything the medium has

+told him is correct as far as he knows.</p>

+

+<p>The performer now collects the card from Mr. Smith

+and brings it down to the front of the house, and calls attention

+to the fact that it is not written on his paper. If there

+is some printed matter on the card he may ask the medium

+to read what is there, and she, after a little hesitation, does

+so.</p>

+

+<p>This test which I have described would be known as a

+star test, as the question was written outside of the theatre

+and besides reading and answering the question she describes

+the card on which it is written.</p>

+

+<p>I will now enter into an explanation of a variety of

+methods used, or that may be used, to perform these seemingly

+remarkable experiments, by the pure aid of science and

+trickery.</p>

+

+<p>The very innocent-looking little millboards play a very<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span>

+important part in performances of this character. Out of a

+lot of about fifty boards there are twelve to fifteen that are

+“faked” in a manner which I will presently describe. The

+rest of the boards are, however, without any preparation,

+and can be broken open and examined by any one. The

+“fake” boards are prepared by inserting under the top thin

+layer of the board a piece of white paper and over this a sheet

+of carbon paper. The thin layer or face of the board, really

+a piece of brown paper, is now pasted down around the edges,

+which, when sandpapered off, bears casual inspection without

+disclosing the secret. Both sides of the board may be prepared

+if desired, but one side is usually deemed sufficient, for

+the ushers who pass out the boards know which is the “fake”

+side. They place a piece of paper on this side and pass it to

+the person to write on, and not one person in a hundred will

+turn the board over to write on the other side. Any question

+written on the paper, using this board as a rest, will be transferred

+by means of the carbon paper to the sheet of white

+paper underneath. The ushers armed with a handful of good

+solid boards and four or five “fake” boards now pass among

+the audience. By a little practice they are able to pick out a

+skeptic or any one whom they think may cause trouble by

+stealing a board or tearing it open for the purpose of discovering

+the secret in the board. To those they give the

+genuine boards, and if that person should now break it open

+for the purpose of exposing the performer he feels very cheap

+on finding no preparation about it. As before stated, to all

+of those of whom the ushers are suspicious they pass genuine

+boards, and to others they pass the “fake” boards with paper

+and pencil, and they are very careful to get all of these boards<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span>

+back. They may occasionally break open a good board to

+show that there is no preparation. Several questions can be

+written on each prepared board, as the questions, being brief,

+are not apt to be written on the same part of the board, and

+even if they are can easily be read.</p>

+

+<p>The ushers, after they have collected all the boards, retire

+to the back of the house, where they slip the “fake” boards

+under their coats or vests, and then bring down the genuine

+ones with some little show, holding them above their heads

+and throwing them carelessly down upon the stage, where

+they remain during the entire performance.</p>

+

+<p>The performer also passes out some boards to be written

+on, but as all eyes are on him he has no opportunity to slip

+any of these boards under his vest, so he uses only genuine

+boards, and is not very particular whether they are returned

+or not. Questions written on these boards are not answered,

+that is, not by any assistance of the boards, but they may be

+answered by some of the other methods, which I will describe

+later.</p>

+

+<p>The ushers now carry their boards around to the back

+of the stage to the medium, where they are arranged in piles.

+The usher who distributes the boards on the right side of the

+house places his in one pile; a pile is also made by the usher

+from the left of the house, another by the usher from the

+center of the house, and still another by the usher from the

+gallery. In this way it is known in what part of the house the

+questioner sits.</p>

+

+<p>A paper knife is now inserted under the top sheet of

+board and the top sheet removed and the white sheet with the

+copy of the questions on it is taken out. The medium and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span>

+her assistants now either cut these questions out, making little

+slips of them, or copy them into a little book, making

+notes regarding the answers under each question where it is

+necessary. Of course, the sensational part of the performance

+is in the answers the medium gives, and the quicker and

+cleverer she is in her answers determines the success of the

+performance.</p>

+

+<p>The medium and assistants now, while the vaudeville

+show is taking place on the stage, work up the answers. They

+are provided with recent issues of local papers from which

+they can get information about local affairs, and also are

+able to post themselves on the latest stock quotations, if any

+question is asked about them, and there usually are a number.

+They also have a directory of the town they are in, which

+contains a great deal of useful information for their business.

+Suppose the medium only has the name of some man in

+the audience. She can look that person up in the directory,

+find out his business and his home address, and, by consulting

+the street directory, can find out his next-door neighbors.

+If, in her performance, she calls out this man’s name, telling

+him she cannot seem to catch his question, as he does not

+concentrate his thoughts upon it, she may bring in, in a very

+clever manner, the information which she has obtained from

+the directory, telling him where he lives and naming his

+neighbors, also telling him where he is employed. This makes

+a very good impression on the audience, especially if the

+man is well-known in the town and one who all would know

+was not in collusion with the performer. The directory also

+gives a list of all city and town officials, names of all physicians,

+clergymen and lawyers, names of men in the different<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span>

+departments, such as the police and fire departments, besides

+giving a list of all stores and manufactories in the town, their

+owners and officers, and it is all in a very convenient form for

+reference.</p>

+

+<p>I will now describe a similar method of gaining possession

+of questions by the aid of the boards, but in this case the

+boards are free of preparation, but not so with the small slips

+of paper distributed, on which the questions are written. One

+side of these slips of paper is prepared by rubbing it over

+with a piece of hard soap of good quality. Nothing will be

+noticed about the paper except that one side seems to be

+glazed. The cardboards used have a hard smooth face. In

+passing out the slips of paper and boards the soaped side of

+the paper is placed down upon the face of the board and

+passed to members of the audience. They write their questions

+upon these papers, naturally using the side uppermost.

+The pencils provided have a rather blunt point.</p>

+

+<p>These boards being collected they are carried back of

+stage as in the former method. Here the boards are dusted

+over with some pigment, such as bronze powder or lamp

+black. This is now shaken off, and the questions written will

+now show up plainly on the boards, the particles of lamp

+black or whatever is used sticking to the outline of the

+soap, which adhered to the board in the act of writing the

+question, and which was not visible until dusted with this fine

+powdered pigment.</p>

+

+<p>The medium now having a list of questions on which she

+has made up suitable answers conceals these in her dress and

+comes forward onto the stage, where she is blind-folded. As

+soon as the large sheet is thrown over her, however, she<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span>

+pushes this bandage up from her eyes, and the sheet being of

+thin material or having a number of threads drawn out in that

+portion which covers her face, she is enabled to read her questions

+and answers under the sheet.</p>

+

+<p>I think this will fully describe the methods employed

+where the questions are written upon the performer’s boards.</p>

+

+<p>I will now describe a number of methods by which she

+obtains questions which are written outside of the theatre,

+and upon the people’s own paper.</p>

+

+<p>Besides the ushers and assistants we see with the performer

+at his exhibition he also employs a number of men

+and women of whom the audience know nothing. They act

+as assistants to the performer in many ways. Usually one

+or two of them make a systematic canvass of the town to be

+played in a week or so in advance of the performer in the

+ostensible occupation of book-agent or peddler of some sort.

+Their real mission is, however, to keep their eyes and ears

+open and gain all the knowledge possible that may be of

+assistance to their employer. They mail a list made up with

+index to the performer before they leave the town for the

+next. On this list they have described subjects of local interest

+in the town which they have canvassed. The list may

+contain a description of some local mystery, such as a robbery,

+murder, fire or wreck, together with a list of names of

+those persons who are, or are thought to be, implicated in

+any way. If an election of any sort is soon to take place

+they send the performer a list of the candidates, with the

+probable successful candidates, and about how many votes

+each is expected to carry. If some race or athletic event is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span>

+soon to occur the favorites are mentioned.</p>

+

+<p>This information the performer’s “advance guard” find

+out from local papers and by overhearing conversations in

+the hotels, on the streets, and at the houses and offices at

+which they call. By using a little diplomacy, they can “pump”

+a whole lot of local gossip and useful information from the

+unsuspecting citizens whom they run across, all of which is

+sent to the performer, who follows along a week or two

+afterwards. This preliminary work is known by professionals

+as “planting a town,” and the performer usually reaps the

+harvest.</p>

+

+<p>Another use of the confederates is to have them scattered

+through the audience at the performances. They make

+it their business to see and learn what questions those around

+them write or have written. They can often overhear one

+person telling another what question he has written. The

+confederates or “cappers,” as they are known, make copies

+of these questions they learn of by spying on those around

+them and by hearing them talked of. Sometimes they cannot

+get the person’s name, and in this case they give the number

+of the seat the person is sitting in or a description of the

+person. In other cases a person’s name is all they can see

+or overhear. They write this down, however, for all information,

+no matter how trivial, can be made use of in the performance.

+The “cappers” also write down a description of

+the question, whether written in ink or pencil and the color

+of same, and a description of what it is written on, whether a

+large, small or narrow piece of paper, card or envelope.</p>

+

+<p>When the boards and papers are passed around the “cappers”

+write down all the information they have gathered.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span>

+This writing by the “cappers” is not noticed by those sitting

+around them, for they write the questions on one of the

+boards distributed and at the same time all are writing. When

+the “cappers” return the boards and pencils to the ushers

+they pass the slips, containing the information which they

+have gathered, rolled up in little balls to the ushers, who

+take them in back of stage to the medium.</p>

+

+<p>A star test is usually worked up by aid of the “cappers,”

+the medium answering some question which they are supposed

+to have written, about the past or present, describing

+the details of what they inquire about in a very tragic manner,

+the “cappers” announcing that all she tells them is absolutely

+correct.</p>

+

+<p>The treasurer or ticket seller of the theatre or hall is

+usually taken into the confidence of the performer, and he can

+furnish additional information, as he knows the people in

+town well and by name, and is able to tell the performer what

+seats they are sitting in. He is also able to draw out from

+those buying tickets what questions they intend to ask, or

+they will often volunteer the information, telling the treasurer

+that they are coming to see the performance to find out

+who stole their watch or who will be the next mayor, or

+whatever they may wish to know. The treasurer makes a

+note of all this, and this information is used in the act. The

+person, however, who tells the treasurer what he would like

+to know may not write the question at all. In this case,

+the medium calling on him and being informed that he has

+written no question states that he is thinking of such or such

+a thing, and this adds greatly to the act and makes a number

+of converts to occultism.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span></p>

+

+<p>It will be seen now that if at every performance the four

+or five “cappers” sitting among the audience are all successful

+in finding out two or three questions which are written at

+home or outside of the theatre and a description of what they

+are written upon, together with what information is obtained

+from the treasurer of the house, and also the questions which

+the medium obtains from the “fake” boards, the medium has

+now obtained abundant ammunition of mystery to fire at the

+audience for about an hour, the solution of which passes

+over their heads.</p>

+

+<p>This method of employing confederates to find out questions

+written outside of the theatre is, of course, expensive,

+and some performers do not like to use it, not only on account

+of the expense, but because often-times “cappers” or

+“planters” leave the performers and start a show of their own

+or give away some of the secrets, so some resort to another

+method, which is simple and worked very openly, the working

+of which I will now describe.</p>

+

+<p>When the medium is covered with the sheet an assistant

+under the stage passes up through a small hole or trap in

+the floor either a rubber speaking-tube or a small telephone

+receiver connected by wires. This is either connected to the

+medium’s ear by a band which passes around her head or is

+held to her ear by her hand. The rubber speaking-tube or

+the wires from the telephone, whichever is used, run under

+the stage to an assistant. The arrangement of theatres

+being very different, there is no fixed place for the assistant

+to conceal him or herself, but it is always in the most advantageous

+position—sometimes at the side of the platform,

+sometimes in one of the lower boxes, but usually underneath<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span>

+the stage, directly under the footlights or under the runway

+which runs from the stage out to the auditorium. The sides

+of this runway being boarded up or covered with rugs or

+carpets, the assistant is concealed from view of the audience.

+In one of the steps leading from the runway down to the

+floor of the auditorium there is a secret opening, by means

+of which the performer is able to pass, unobserved, slips of

+paper containing questions and suggestions, which are read

+by assistant and telephoned to medium sitting under sheet.</p>

+

+<p>The performer usually stands near these steps and walks

+back and forth, while his assistants or ushers wander over

+the theatre locating the people whose names are called.</p>

+

+<p>As the performer has requested the audience to take out

+their questions and read them over, they are usually held in

+their hands. The ushers often on seeing a person

+holding a question ask to see it for the purpose of assisting

+him in thinking about it. The ushers experience very

+little difficulty in collecting these questions, as the majority of

+the people in the audience believe that the performance is one

+in pure thought reading, and think the reason their questions

+are not answered is due to their being unable to concentrate

+their thoughts upon them, and as they are usually anxious for

+an answer are very willing to accept the proffered assistance

+of the ushers and give them their questions outright. The usher

+usually makes a few inquiries about the question. The usher,

+if he does not retain the question or slip, on walking down

+the aisle makes a copy of it on a little slip of paper, either in

+longhand or in some code understood by the assistant, and

+furthermore adds what information he has obtained about it.</p>

+

+<p>Suppose the question be:—</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span></p>

+

+<p>“Where is my sister, Mary,” signed, “Annie Laurie.”

+The usher asks Miss Laurie when and where her sister was

+last heard from, and may be informed that it was a year ago,

+from Germany.</p>

+

+<p>On the questioner’s slip or copy of same he writes:

+“last heard from in Germany a year ago.”</p>

+

+<p>This slip and many others which he has obtained he

+rolls up into small balls, and on passing the performer, or

+under cover of talking to him, secretly passes him these slips.

+The performer in turn passes them through trap opening in

+the step to the assistant concealed under same, or possibly

+drops them over the railing of the lower box, if the assistant

+is concealed there, where they are gathered in from the floor

+of the box by the assistant and telephoned to medium.</p>

+

+<p>The medium is now able to answer the person’s inquiry

+about their missing sister. She utilizes as much dramatic

+power as possible in her answers and works them up cleverly,

+often-times giving information in her answers which she

+gains from the written question alone. For instance, she

+will probably answer the “lost sister” question as follows:—</p>

+

+<p>“Some one is sending me a thought from down stairs.

+It is a lady and I think her name is Annie Laurie.”</p>

+

+<p>“I see the lady right here!” exclaims an usher, and a

+connection being now established between the medium and

+Miss Laurie, she is able to read the question. She proceeds.</p>

+

+<p>“Miss Laurie is sending me a thought about her sister,

+and wants to know where she is.</p>

+

+<p>“I think I can tell you your sister’s name, Miss Laurie.

+It is Mary. Isn’t that right? Yes,—I thought so, and you

+have not heard from her for over a year.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span></p>

+

+<p>“It seems to me she is in a foreign land, and I seem to

+see the flag of Germany.</p>

+

+<p>“Your sister is well, Miss Laurie. She has written you

+a letter and it is now on its way, and you will receive it next

+Tuesday.”</p>

+

+<p>“Wonderful!” exclaim the audience, and Miss Laurie

+goes home a firm believer in the supernatural, wondering,

+possibly, if there will be money in “Mary’s” letter.</p>

+

+<p>The majority of questions written pertain to lost or

+stolen articles and questions regarding the future. This is

+natural, for most people are not interested in the past or

+present. It, of course, makes the answering of the questions

+very much easier for the medium, for where the questioner

+is in ignorance about the answer she can tell him anything,

+and the success of her answers is limited only by her skill

+and dramatic ability.</p>

+

+<p>There are, however, always a number of skeptics at the

+performances, who try and test the value of the medium’s

+answers by asking questions, the answers of which they know,

+such as:—“What is the number of my watch?” “What was

+the score of such and such a game?” “What is the date of

+the coin in my hand?” etc. The answers to these have to be

+worked out with more care, and is usually performed in this

+way. The medium has gained knowledge of the question in

+some of the preceding methods I have described, and when

+she answers this question she calls out the questioner’s name,

+and states that he or she is thinking about a watch, about a

+game, or coin, or whatever the question may be about. She

+states she cannot seem to see more, asking the person to

+think intently about it and she may get it.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span></p>

+

+<p>She now proceeds to answer some other questioner, but

+she has given the performer a cue that she desires more information

+about the question she left unanswered.</p>

+

+<p>The performer now goes to the person, asks for his question

+(we will in this case consider the questioner a man) and

+reads it. He also asks for the answer, which is usually told

+him. (If it is not the question will not be answered.) He now

+tells the person to think about it intently and he may be answered.</p>

+

+<p>The performer now leaves the person and walks down to

+the stage. On his way, secretly or openly, the latter is usually

+the better method of disarming the suspicious, he writes down

+the answer to the question, such as the number of the watch,

+score of the game or date of the coin, on a slip of paper. He

+now passes this through trap to assistant, who reads it off to

+medium, and she returns to the questioner, stating that she

+can now see his question, reads it and answers it. Questions

+of this kind always make a decided hit.</p>

+

+<p>Some performers, when they wish to convey a number

+to their assistant, do so by sign language, the assistant keeping

+his eye on the performer through a peep-hole from his

+place of concealment.</p>

+

+<p>By the aid of a verbal code the number may be conveyed

+directly to medium by a question or sentence spoken by performer.

+I will explain an example of this code. For instance,

+we will say</p>

+

+

+<table class="autotable" style="width: 40%">

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Please, means</td>

+<td class="tdr">1</td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Tell, means</td>

+<td class="tdr">2</td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Can, means</td>

+<td class="tdr">3<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">We, means</td>

+<td class="tdr">4</td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Hurry, means</td>

+<td class="tdr">5</td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Give, means</td>

+<td class="tdr">6</td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Quick, means</td>

+<td class="tdr">7</td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">I, means</td>

+<td class="tdr">8</td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">Speak, means</td>

+<td class="tdr">9</td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdl">What, means</td>

+<td class="tdr">0</td>

+</tr>

+</table>

+

+

+<p>Suppose the performer wishes to communicate the number

+68,401. He says to the medium:—</p>

+

+<p>“Give us an answer. I wish it. We all do. What is the

+number of so and so? Please tell me.”</p>

+

+<p>By making short sentences or questions, using the code

+word first in each sentence, the number is conveyed to medium.

+It may also be done by making up one sentence and

+slightly emphasizing the code word; for example:—</p>

+

+<p>“<em>Give</em> Mr. Blank an answer, for <em>I</em> wish it and <em>we</em> all do;

+<em>what</em> is it, <em>please</em>?”</p>

+

+<p>There is another clever way of getting questions directly

+to medium. On the medium’s first coming on the stage she

+takes a seat on a chair that is upon a table, and is then covered

+over with the sheet. This is done to show there is no connection

+from underneath the stage, as the audience can see

+under the table.</p>

+

+<p>She now calls off a number of questions and answers

+same. These are the questions, however, she has concealed

+on her person, which she obtained from the boards or from

+the “cappers” before going on.</p>

+

+<p>She becomes restless after a while, however, and requests

+to be taken down from the table. The performer and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span>

+one of the ushers go upon the stage and lift her, chair and all,

+on to the floor. The performer and usher have in their hands

+a quantity of questions they have collected from the audience,

+or copied, rolled up in little balls, and in lifting medium down

+from the table place their hands under the sheet in a perfectly

+natural way to take hold of the chair. Under cover of

+the sheet, however, the medium takes the questions from

+their hands, and now has ammunition for a lot more mystery.</p>

+

+<p>It will be seen that there are any quantity of ways to get

+questions to the medium.</p>

+

+<p>Regarding the part of performance where the medium

+describes a card or envelope which the performer holds in his

+hand on which some person has written his question, she is

+not only reading the question but the printed matter on the

+card or envelope as well. This is often done by holding the

+article to be described so that the concealed assistant at the

+side or under the stage or in a lower box can see it through

+a small peep-hole, either with his naked eye, or with the assistance

+of a powerful spy-glass, with which he is able to read

+fine print, the information being immediately telephoned to

+medium.</p>

+

+<p>Some performers do not cover the medium with a sheet.

+In this case one of the rear legs of the chair, in which she sits,

+comes directly over a small hole in the stage. The leg of the

+chair is hollow and this opening extends up the back of the

+chair, the chair being one of the bent-wood variety.</p>

+

+<p>The medium has a small rubber tube, one end connected

+to her ear, the other end running around her head and down

+the back of her neck. This tube is concealed by her hair and

+dress. The performer, in blind-folding the medium, slips the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span>

+free end of this tube into a small hole in the back of the chair

+which opens into the hollow back and leg. One end of another

+tube is passed up through the hole in the floor into the

+hollow chair leg; the other end of this tube is in the hands of

+the assistant where he has concealed himself. Anything

+whispered into this end, to which is attached a mouth-piece,

+is distinctly heard by medium.</p>

+

+<p>The rest is easy, for instead of medium having a list of

+questions to read they are in possession of assistant, who

+reads them to her through the speaking tube, together with

+notes regarding the answers and all other information passed

+into him by performer. In my opinion, this is a very

+much neater way of performing the trick, for there has never

+been a good reason advanced for covering the medium with

+a sheet.</p>

+

+

+<h3>CLOSING REMARKS.</h3>

+

+<div>

+  <img class="drop-cap" src="images/drop-i.jpg" width="42" height="50" alt="drop-cap">

+</div>

+

+<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">It</span> must be remembered that in this little volume the

+author has not been able to enumerate and discuss

+all the methods used by clairvoyants or mind-readers

+on the public stage, or suggest what methods they

+will next use, for they will surely plan and contrive new ones

+as soon as the old methods are discovered. But I think, however,

+by the aid of the preceding explanations and suggestions

+the reader will perceive how most of the performances

+of this kind are now accomplished, and by the knowledge of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span>

+these secrets discover other methods and, possibly, those to

+come in the future.</p>

+

+<p>I hope I have been successful in removing my readers

+from the hazy clouds of occultism and bringing them to earth,

+where we are all predestined to remain, both body and soul,

+until death. The only mind that any of us can read is that

+of our own, and that, many times, not too well. If any of us

+could fathom the thoughts of others an interview with financiers

+of Wall Street would enable us to own the world in a

+short time, especially if we could also predict the future,

+which would be, in my opinion, an easier and shorter way of

+gaining earthly riches than two performances a day at popular

+prices.</p>

+

+

+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span></p>

+

+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.<br>

+PARLOR AMUSEMENTS.</h2>

+</div>

+

+<div>

+  <img class="drop-cap" src="images/drop-i.jpg" width="42" height="50" alt="drop-cap">

+</div>

+

+<p class="drop-cap"><span class="upper-case">I will</span> now explain a few simple little tricks in second

+sight which may be performed by any one in

+his own home, but which, if well done, will be very

+mystifying.</p>

+

+

+<h3>DISAPPEARANCE OF A CARD THOUGHT OF BY A

+SPECTATOR.</h3>

+

+<p>The performer brings forward a pack of cards which he

+shuffles well, and then passes the cards from one hand to the

+other with faces toward the audience. A spectator is now

+asked to remember any card he sees. Upon this being done

+the performer again shuffles the cards and passes them from

+hand to hand, one at a time, when it is discovered that the

+card thought of has disappeared. A second card is similarly

+treated.</p>

+

+<p>To produce the above effect the performer takes an ordinary

+pack of fifty-two cards, but pastes them back to back,

+so he really has twenty-six cards with a face on each side. It

+will thus be seen that on one side are pictures of twenty-six

+cards and on the other side the remaining twenty-six. After<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span>

+the spectator has thought of any card the performer in

+shuffling the pack merely turns them over and next exposes

+the other side. It will be readily seen that any card selected,

+in fact, all of the cards first exposed have now apparently disappeared.

+To any one with a pack of cards so arranged

+would be suggested a number of clever experiments, such as

+changing the colors of the cards from all red to all black, and

+by waving a single card in the air to change its suit and

+color, etc., etc.</p>

+

+

+<h3>DISCOVERING A SELECTED COIN.</h3>

+

+<p>In this experiment the performer has an assistant, usually

+a young lady as the effect is better, whom he blind-folds,

+and she takes a seat in the room. He next borrows a number

+of coins from those in the audience, and has some one

+person select a coin. The performer asks this person to

+notice the coin carefully so that he can identify it. He then

+asks the person to hold the coin tightly in his hand and think

+very intently about it. The rest of the coins are now placed

+in a hat, and after a short period the person who has selected

+a coin is asked to drop the coin into the hat with the others.

+The coins are now well shaken up, and the hat taken to the

+blind-folded assistant. She puts her hand into the hat and

+promptly withdraws the selected coin. This, while a very

+simple trick, is very effective. The coin which the person

+selects and holds in his hand becomes slightly warm from the

+heat of the hand, and the assistant is thus able to distinguish

+it from the other coins, which are cool.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span></p>

+

+

+<h3>TEST IN ADDITION.</h3>

+

+<p>In this experiment the performer brings forward an ordinary

+slate and piece of crayon and requests some person to

+write a column of figures on the slate. The performer now

+takes the slate, quickly draws a line underneath the column of

+figures, and places the slate, face downward, on a table, on

+the top of slate placing a small piece of crayon. His assistant,

+who has been out of the room during this part of the experiment,

+now enters, and on walking up to the slate picks up

+the crayon and marks down the total sum of figures on the

+other side of the slate, which are found to be absolutely correct

+on turning the slate over and adding the figures up.</p>

+

+<p>To perform this experiment the performer is armed with

+a small piece of crayon in addition to the crayon which he

+gives to the spectator. One side of the crayon which he retains

+is filed smooth. The performer also has a small lead

+pencil concealed in his hand along with the crayon. When

+the person in the audience is writing down the figures the

+performer mentally adds these up, and secretly writes the sum

+total on this small piece of chalk which he has in his hand.

+He now takes the slate, places it face downward upon the

+table, and on top of it places the prepared piece of chalk,

+flat side down, retaining the chalk which the spectator used.

+All that is now necessary is for his assistant to pick up the

+piece of chalk, secretly read the figures written on it, and

+mark them down upon the slate.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span></p>

+

+

+<h3>SECOND SIGHT TRICKS.</h3>

+

+<p>By the following method quite mysterious tricks may be

+performed in one’s own house. The performer’s assistant is

+blind-folded and sits in a remote part of the room. She has

+attached to her finger an end of a fine black silk thread. The

+other end of this thread the performer carries. He is now

+able by sharp twitches upon the cord to communicate with

+his assistant, telling her the dates of coins, the suit of a card,

+the number of a watch and many other experiments by using

+a little code which they have arranged between them. It is

+needless to say the performer must keep his hand hidden in

+making these twitches on the thread so as not to be observed

+by the audience. This little trick can be worked up with

+good effect, as the performer may stand quite some distance

+from his assistant, and no words are spoken.</p>

+

+

+<h3>ENVELOPE TRICK.</h3>

+

+<p>A person is requested to write a question with ink upon

+a card. The card is now placed in an envelope and sealed.

+The performer takes the envelope from the room for a few

+seconds. On coming back he returns the envelope to its

+owner and also another envelope, which on being opened

+will be found to contain a card, on which is written an answer

+to his question. The envelope, however, in which his question

+is sealed shows no evidence of having been tampered

+with in the slightest.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span></p>

+

+<p>When the performer leaves the room he immediately

+takes a sponge which is saturated with alcohol and rubs it

+over the surface of the envelope, which makes it transparent,

+and he is thus able to read what is written on the card

+inside. He then writes a suitable answer on another card,

+which he seals in another envelope. The alcohol evaporating

+very quickly there is no sign of it upon the envelope when

+returned to its owner.</p>

+

+

+<p class="center no-indent">The End.</p>

+

+

+

+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">

+

+<div class="transnote">

+<h2 class="nobreak bold fs150" id="Transcribers_Notes">Transcriber’s Notes</h2>

+

+<ul>

+<li>pg 12 Changed: loose ends are tied to-together<br>

+<span style="padding-left: 3.5em">to: loose ends are tied together</span></li>

+</ul>

+</div>

+

+<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75010 ***</div>

+</body>

+</html>

+

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