Magic, Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions, Including Trick Photography

ARTICLES IN SETS. “It will be seen that the different articles are arranged in sets, numbering no more than ten. Each set has at the head a different question, worded very nearly alike, so as to make the audience believe that the same question is being constantly asked. The question at the head of the set, which is always asked first, is the clue to the set which contains the article to be described. Each set is numbered, as in the cases of the colors and metals, and the word conveys each particular article. “For the first set the question is: “‘What article is this?’ “This gives the clue to ten distinct articles. The next demand may be: “‘Can you tell?’ “Which would be solution for ‘bag,’ it being the third in the list. “‘Say the fabric.’ “The reply would be, ‘Silk,’ that being the first in the line of fabrics, and, as I have before stated, ‘say’ representing No. 1. If a leather bag, it would be: ‘Will you tell the fabric?’ ‘will’ standing for No. 5. “A handkerchief is presented, and the question is: “‘What article is this? Say;’ which explains that it is a handkerchief, as that is the first article in the list. “‘Can you tell the fabric?’ “‘Cotton,’ cotton standing third in the list of fabrics. “Then, again, if you want the color--say it is blue-- “‘Can’t you tell the color?’ “‘Blue,’ which stands third on the list of colors. “A watch embodies a greater number of questions than almost any other article. If you want to describe it fully, it is first in the second set, the key of which is: “‘What is this?’ “We will say that it is a lady’s watch, gold, double case, three hands, made by Tobias, No. 9,725, the initials ‘From B. C. to C. H.’ engraved on the case, the year ‘1860,’ and blue enameled, set with five diamonds. This is a complex question, and must be put and answered as follows: “_Question._ ‘What is this? Say.’ “_Answer._ ‘A watch.’ “_Q._ ‘Say the metal.’ “_A._ ‘Gold.’ “_Q._ ‘Say to whom it belongs.’ “_A._ ‘A lady.’ “_Q._ ‘Yes.’ “_A._ ‘A double case.’ “_Q._ ‘Can you tell the number of hands?’ “_A._ ‘Three.’ “_Q._ ‘Will you tell the maker.’ “_A._ ‘Tobias.’ “_Q._ ‘Now the number. Please tell me. Be quick. Won’t you?’ “_A._ ‘9,725.’ “_Q._ ‘Can you tell me the color of this enamel?’ “_A._ ‘Blue.’ “_Q._ ‘Tell the initials. Say.’ “_A._ ‘B. C.’ “_Q._ ‘Say to whom. I want to know.’ “_A._ ‘C. H.’ “_Q._ ‘Say these stones.’ “_A._ ‘Diamonds.’ “_Q._ ‘Will you tell how many?’ “_A._ ‘Five.’ “If it is a double case, the simple word ‘yes’ conveys the intelligence after ‘to whom it belongs.’ If an open case, the word ‘well’ is used. PLAYING CARDS. “These will be found in the sixteenth set, and the order of suits in the eighteenth. We will take the nine of spades as having been presented. The question will be: “‘Say, what is this? Can you tell?’ “‘A playing card.’ “‘Do you know the suit? Now, then.’ “‘Do’ is four, which means spades, and ‘now’ is nine. The cards are told as follows: First, the ‘playing card;’ second, the suit; third, the number or picture. If, after the preliminary question is put and answered, it is an ace, the interlocutor says ‘Right;’ if a king, ‘That’s right;’ if a queen, ‘Good;’ if a jack, ‘Very good.’ MONEY. “This will be found classed in the eighth set, the key to which is, ‘Look at this.’ “No. 6 of the set is described as ‘a piece of money,’ and is always of a less value than a dollar. We will take a silver quarter of the date of