VIII.—SIMPLE TRICKS WITH BOXES.
Fig. 42.
THE MAGIC TABLE AND SEALED CASKET.
The magician’s bottle is shown to the company, and a little wine poured from it to prove it is not empty. A handkerchief and ring are borrowed, and put into the bottle.
A borrowed casket is then held up in view, fastened with sealed thread, and Senor Don Hanquey y Panquey announces his intention to break it open to see the contents, but previously will return the borrowed articles. Out of the bottle, then, he pulls the handkerchief and ring, dripping with wine, and places them upon the sealed box, in plain view. The bottle is taken away.
The wine-soaked handkerchief is crammed into a pistol and fired at the box. On opening it there is found a second box within, which being also opened, discovers the handkerchief, ironed and perfumed, and the ring.
Explanation.—The table is made with a hollow leg as usual, but with a larger aperture, closed with a double trap, through which a piston rod may push up a box deposited at its base.
The borrowed ring and handkerchief are put into the secret compartment of the bottle (see The Secret Out, and The Magician’s Own Book), where they remain until the bottle is taken out of the room. The wine-saturated handkerchief and ring put upon the sealed box are duplicated. When the assistant receives the bottle, he takes out the real ring and handkerchief, which latter he places in a box going into the casket, which has no bottom, the better for the two to be pushed up within the gueridon. The table has the double in its base when it is brought on the stage, and the duplicate handkerchief is fired at it. Consequently, you are sure to find the borrowed articles in the casket when it is opened.
THE 100 RINGS OF SMOKE.
Take six playing cards and turn up half an inch of the ends of each, the same side. With them form a hollow cube or box by the arrangement here depicted:
Fig. 43.
In the centre of one side cut out a small circle.
After filling this box with tobacco smoke, you can make a ring of it issue from the aperture by giving a tap to the opposite side, just as the pressure of the flexible bottom of an oil-can makes the fluid spurt out.
TO INTRODUCE CIGAR SMOKE INTO AN AIR-TIGHT VASE.
Certain old dames of Mr. Panky’s acquaintance are prejudiced upon the subject of tobacco smoke. To believe them, you would become of the impression that cigar vapour penetrates the thickest curtain, wall, or any partition whatever.
I beg to show you that these estimable ladies are not so far wrong.
I have in my hand a glass cup with a cover of the same material, as transparent as possible.
I put on the lid, and let this volunteer hold it at a distance from me, whilst I puff towards it the smoke of this perfumed cigarette.
Keep your eyes on the covered cup, for you will see that the smoke enters it, though hermetically sealed. To convince you that there is no ocular illusion, let my obliging Ganymede lift off the cover.
There, away flies the smoke caught in it.
Again close it, while I again despatch more smoke to it. Shall I repeat the experiment, for I warn you I am prepared to continue till morning. Three or four times will suffice, eh? So much the better for your patience.
Explanation.—Into the cup put a few drops of alkali, and move the vessel about so that the inside is coated with the liquid; treat the cover with chloridric acid, in the same way. When these two are brought into contact by the junction of the cover and vase, a thick vapour is produced, which resembles tobacco smoke. Take care not to cover the cup until just when you wish the vapour to appear, as its formation is instantaneous.
Fig. 44.