Sign up for our monthly newsletter
THE VALUE OF CARD TRICKS-THE CARDS-WHERE TO PROCURE THEM-THE DOUBLE-HANDED PASS-SINGLE-HANDED PASSES - THE DIAGONAL PASS - THE FALSE SHUFFLETRICKS WITH PASS AND FALSE SHUFFLE- TO CAUSE A CARD TO SHOW ITSELF - THE ATTACHED CARD - THE CONGENIAL ACES-THE REYERSED CARD- THE TRAVELLING CARD-THE LADY'S OWN TRICK-A RAPID CHANGE PASS -METHODS FOR USING SAME-THE CHANGE- ITS USESTHE PALMI-ON PALMING A SINGLE CARD-ON PALMING MANY CARDS-ON VANISHING A PACK- METHODS FOR USING THE PALM-TRICKS COMBINING PALM AND CHANGE PASS - THE SLIDE- ITS USES-THE FORCE- ON FORCING PACKS-LA CARTE GENERALE-SYMPATHETIC CARDS, OR "HOLD THEM TIGHT!"- HOW TO PASS A CARD THROUGH A PERSON-TO DIVINE A CARD THOUGHT OF- METHOD OF MAKING A CHOOSER THINK OF A CERTAIN CARD-A CARD MADE TO APPEAR ANYWHERE IN THE PACK- CARD BOXES-TRICKS WITH SAME-HOW TO THROW CARDS-THE REVOLUTlON-PREPARED CARDS-CUT PACKS- LONG AND BROAD CARDS PRICKED CARDS-CHAMELEON CARDS-METHODS AFFECTED BY BUATIER AND HOUDIN-HOUDIN'S SUPERIORITY- THE TRAVELLING CARDS-THE ASSEMBLY: METHODS FOR PALM, PASS AND CHANGE- THOUGHT-READING EXTRAORDINARY-GAME AT NAPOLEON-LIGHTNING CHANGE-CONCLUSION
The Travelling Cards.-This is a pretty trick, and one that is always much commented upon by spectators who have seen it neatly performed. The performer has a couple of cards chosen, which he brings to the top of the pack; then, addressing the company, he refers to the notion that the sleeve of the coat is employed by conjurors for their concealment. He deprecates the attempt, made by many performers, to deny the immense aid afforded by this portion of the attire, especially for the effective concealment of eggs, pigeons, cannonballs, and other articles equally easy of manipulation (this as sarcastically as he pleases), and says he will now proceed to demonstrate, conclusively, in what way the sleeve is employed. "So far from there being any difficulty, ladies and gentlemen, in concealing cards, in the sleeve, for instance, it is a very easy matter to cause them to travel up or down with great rapidity, and invisibly. My waistcoat, as you see, contains nothing." The performer cannot very well unbutton and open his waistcoat before the company, so, to show it is empty, he places his hand inside, and perform the action of emptying sufficiently vigorously to dislodge anything that might be there. He next palms a dozen or more cards from the top of the pack, and then, extending the left arm, ruffles the edges of the remaining cards. This act, he explains, has had the effect of sending a card up his sleeve, and he affects to watch its progress. A jerk of the arm is made, the contraction being caused, the performer says, by the passage, by the card, of the elbow. Plunging the right hand into the vest, the cards palmed are dropped there, one card only, taken from the bottom, being slowly extracted. A second card is made to pass in the same way, and another indifferent card extracted. The performer now asks the choosers of the two cards on the top at what numbers they shall pass up the sleeve. This feat is easy of accomplishment, as the cards are taken from the bottom until the proper number has been reached. When the cards in the vest have been exhausted, more can he palmed, and the operation continued until all the pack has been employed; but this finish is by no means necessary to the success of the trick, which may be considered concluded when the two selected cards have been withdrawn, although it is as well to continue passing cards until no more are left in the vest.