The Whole Secret.
The whole secret is in the fact that if a person is intently thinking of some object in a certain place, his head will generally unconsciously lean toward the spot in question. If he is walking with a mind reader, who declares that he is about to go to the certain spot, the person will involuntarily aid him in doing so, as has been indicated. Some performers do not adopt the first position of hands, and then change them when probably near the object, as described, but instead, use the last named position entirely, thus leaving the left hand of the operator free at all times.
The secret of picking out certain notes or keys on a piano is similar. In this case move your left hand quickly from one end to the other, at the same time moving your right hand. Your accompanist will involuntarily hesitate somewhere, then you may stop and move your left hand over a very limited space until you finally settle upon the exact spot.
To write a name thought of, is the most difficult of all. This is done on a large blackboard. With chalk in your left hand, mark out lines in shape of letters. The person whose thought you are reading will assist you without knowing he is doing so.
Other feats are done on the same principle.
If the person whom you are operating with, does not keep his mind intently upon what you require you will not be as likely to succeed. If you fail, you can ascribe this as the reason. The late Foster, a celebrated “spiritualist” used to tell names by picking out letters on children’s toy alphabet blocks. This he did in a similar way to that described for finding certain keys on a piano.