The evening world. Newspaper, February 11, 1922, Page 20

‘ ; 3 maaneaatl THE RVENING WORLD'S FICTION SECTION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1929, 00"? Terre ——@——— ‘ First of a Series of Articles in Which Familiar Stage Tricks of the Magician Are Explained. NB of the most gensational tricks of the day is one in which an assistant of the magician vanishes under conditions which make his unobserved escape apparently impossible, Here is the effect: Several piece of canvas ten or twelve feet square and place it tn the middle of the stage. This makes impossible the use of a trapdoor in the floor. On the canvas they place two “horses” and on these two or three boards, making a rough table or platform, An assistant dressed as a Hindu, comes forward, bows to the audience and steps onto the platform. An tron framework four feet square is lowered until it is about two feet over the Hindu’s head. The assistants pring forward four pieces of cloth, and, at- taching them to the frame (which they reach by means of a stepladder) hide him with this improvised canopy. The magician fires a pistol. The canopy falls. The Hindu is gone. A moment later there is a yell in the back of the theatre and the Hindu appears running down the aisle. This is how it is done: Four assistants bring forth the big cloth. They spread it on the floor. Two of them run off and get the horses. When they are in position, two run off and get the boards. When the boards are in place two more come on to help get the canopy frame directly over the table. There is a constant coming and going of assistants bring forth a — assistants, If the audience gives the presence of so many assistants a thought it is merely to think that the magician is trying to make the trick impressive. When the Hindu is on the table he waits until the canopy hides him from the audience. Then he quickly, strips off the Hindu costume and hides it in a pocket in the canopy. Underneath the Hindu costume is a uniform just like ‘that worn by the other assistants. Out of a pocket he takes a hat (made to collapse for easy, pocketing) like those worn by the other assistants. The ladder is back of the table and two or three - assistants carry it off, followed by the other assistants. As they pass behind the table the magician steps in front of it. The audience expects the trick The Diamond Puzzle, %- O00 > 090° 32 DIAMONDS 99 Q9 °8 0990 009 0 O90 24 DIAMONDS OO 0 0 0) OO 99 FiIcurmee 3 UST for a few minutes try to keep J sour eyes off Figures 2, 3 and 4 and listen to the story of the dia- mond dealer. This diamond dealer had a peculiar method of ‘keeping track of his stock—a method thit he explained to his new assistant. “IT have on this tray,’’ quoth he, “thirty-two diamonds, I ranged them so that, starting from any corner, there will always be nine diamonds in a row."’ Figure 1 shows how the diamonds were arranged. ** ‘Always’ is right,’’ said the new assistant, ‘‘because, if I take four away, leaving twenty-eight, I can etill have nine in a row. If I take four more away, leaving twenty-four I ean still have nine in a row. If I have ar-* 0° ve ) 00 28 09 DIAMONDS Nd 00 09 00 0% oo FicuRE 2 OOo 9 ore) 2090 > DIAMONDS © 9° O09 9 FiaguRE + take four more away, leaving twenty, ! can still have nine in a row.” To see how he did it, examine Fig- ures 2, 3 and 4, Xe) 09% 1—BLACK Ne. 1 mevee te king row and crowns. WHITE king Ne. 2 pe BLACK man. Ebhe Evening Worlds “TRICKS*»PUZZLES GOARD PLATFORM ON HORSES and all eyes are on the magician, The erstwhile Hindu steps out of thé back of the canopy and, in full view but unnoticed, walks off the stage with his fellow-assistants. As soon as ho is off the stage he dons a duplicate of the Hindu costume and runs post Nd OS ETE AEE ral — \ ASSISTANTS CARRYING TAE LADOER haste out of the stage door and around to the front of the theatre, there to make his dramatic appear- ance. Another familiar stage ifusion will be explained next Saturday on this page. The Magnetic Wand. magician does this trick with his magic wand and tries to make you believe that it is nec- essary to have a real magic wand in order to do it. He is, however, only jollying you, because it may be done with any stick or even a table knife. The stick is placed on the table so that part of it extends over the edge. The magician grasps his right wrist with his left hand, holding it firmly. Then he lowers his right hand so that the palm rests on the stick. When he lifts the right hand, the stick rises also, seeming to be held to the right palm by some mysterious power. The mysterious power is not nearly so mysterious once the secret is known. It is, in fact, merely the fore- finger of the left-hand. The illustra- tion (figure 1) shows just how it op- erates. Of course, it is important that the mystified spectators do not get a glimpse of the front of the right hand. If any spectator suspects that the forefinger has something to do with the trick, the magician is prepared to show him that he is mistaken. Before presenting the trick he pushed up his sleeve a light stick about eight inches in length. He repeats the trick, hold- ing his left hand so far up the right arm that it would be manifestly im- possible for the forefinger to have anything to do with the illusion. The illustration (figure 2) shows how the stick takes the place of the forefinger. Another Trick With Dice. N amusing trick with dice was explained in a recent issue of The Evening World. Here ts another trick that may puzzle your friends. Ask a spectator to throw three dice and to add the spots he has thrown. Ask him to turn each dice over and to add the spots which were. on the bottom. He is to add this sum to the sum of the dice which was thrown. Ask him to think intently of the number. Pretend to read his mind and tell him the sum of the tops and bottoms of the dice. If you tell him that the number is 21 you will be correct. This is because the spots on opposite sides of a dice ANSWER TO LAST SATURDAY’S CHECKER PROBLEM. HITE 2—BLACK king meves as shown. WHITE No. 3 makes only possible meve, being in danger elsewhere. always total seven, If every one knew this, it wouldn't be much of a trick— but few people do know it. Think of a Number. SK a friend to think of a num- ber. Then ask him to do this: 1.—Multiply it by 3 2.—Add 1. 3.—Multiply by 3. 4.—Add the number thought of. 5.—Tell you the result of ull of this figuring. Without a moment's hesitation you will tell him tht number of which he thought. When he tells you the result, strike off the 3 which will invariably be the right hand figure. The number re- maining will be the number thought of. 3—WHITE No. 3 moves, BLACK Ne. 4 moving to head it off antil WHITE is caught,