Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 June 1887 — SLEIGHT-OF-HAND. [ARTICLE]

SLEIGHT-OF-HAND.

WVay • Prestidigitator F<ri!e<l a Party of Loungers—Something Yerjr Mach Like Mind-Read ing. “How much can you influence any one?” “I will show you the whole extent of my power, or any other man’s, in tliis respect,” said the professor, taking a pencil from his pocket. He borrowed a. visiting card from one of the party, held it under the table and wrote a figure on it. Then he folded it up until it was like a ball and tossed it across the table to the writer. “Put that piece of paper in your pocket, please, and button your coat over it. Now Pll tell you what J propose to do. Give me another card. Observe, I write on this card a series of numbers. It doesn’t make much difference how many. Thev are: 5,1, 3, (5, 2,4, 7,9, 8. “Now, I propose, by an effort of my mind, to make you select the number from this list which is written on the folded card in your pocket, and which you have not seen. Take the pencil and card,” tossing them across the table, “and cross out one of those numbers. Look me in the eye for a moment. Now I” The writer deliberately chose the figure 4, and was about to cross it on* when he suddenly resolved to take .-he 7. He changed his mind again, end abruptly drew the pencil through 'die figure 2. “Take the card out of your pocket, please, and open it.” When the card was unfolded the figure 2 was written in the middle. “I don’t claim that I can do that every time,” said the professor, taking no notice of the amazement of the others, “but it seldom fails. Sometimes 1 have the subject cross out three figures at a time. This done twice, and leaves three more if nine are written. Then let him cross out two more, and the one left standing is the one in his pocket There is small trickery about it.” He then, at their request, tried the experiment on the other five members of the party. He was successful in every instance. “That is all there is of spiritualism or mind-reading,” said he; *khe rest is simple trickery like this.” As he spoke he stretched one hand across the table, gently took as 2 bill from the hand of a waiter who was handing it in change to one of the party, and crumpled it up in his hand, which he still held over the table. Then he showed it to the man, and it was changed to a S2O bill. Goldberg tossed it to him, and he at once thrust it into his pocket with the remark that he was $lB winner. “Are you sure?” asked the professor. ‘Of course. I know when I put a S2O bill in my pocket” “It's a $1 bill,” said the professor, quietly. “The original $2 bill is in the celery glass.” ‘ The. man pulled out the bill, found it was SI, threw it across to the professor, pulled the $2 out of the celery glass, and gasped: “Where* that twenty?” “Here in my hand.” “Well, morion is quicker than sight” “Wrong ugain. Motion cannot be quicker than sight The reason you don't «ee me substitute one of those bills Lot ano li. r is because I distracted your ntteivion at the instant I made the change. Show us a poker haruYif you’ve got cards with you.” “I haven t a y. I left mine at the club.” A pack was procured by the waiter, who regarded the magician with awe, as he Siiid: “Very raury poker players, men of the world at tha', <*o not believe that one expert enrd s ■<•!•]> could go into a party of four <>. live honest players and cheat t em without i.iscovery. Now I’ll deal four hands.” He shuffled the cards in a number of ways, but al avs, so far as appearance went, very hocest’y. lie dien asked the men on l;i-. r.gir to cut them, and had them rut once more ‘f.r parity’s sake” by another p ayer Then he dealt them around, one at a time, to four players, including himse.f, and the other players picked ftp their cards. “Gad 11<{ like to play this hand,” muttered the first man. ‘ I could down you,” said the second man, with an important scowl. The third was the expression of a man who looks down upon his fellows, as he remarked: “I’d bet everythi. g I could win on this.” Meanwhile the professor had slipped into his top coat and was drawing on his gloves. The firns had three king.-? and a pair of queens, the second four aces and a king, and a third a straight flush, nine high, an almost invincible hand. “What’s yours, professor ?” The magisian turned up the (.and * ten high straight iluah.