DIVISIONS OF MODERN MAGIC

Modern Magic has evolved until now it may be classified into three major divisions with regard to its effect on the audience:

1--Effects which are accomplished by mere physical means. Tricks with cards, coins, handkerchiefs, etc. - things usually employed in a magical performance. In this division are effects which people believe they could do themselves if they could discover the "Modus Operandi." But you know, of course, that they seldom discover the clever magical principles. You have already learned many puzzling experiments which come under this division.

2--Experiments based on Super-Mentality. In this division are included mind reading, mental telepathy, and all effects apparently based on remarkable mentality. To Magicians these effects are no more mysterious than a simple card trick, but to the audience they are manifestations of unusual mental power on the part of the performer. The spectators think that they could not possibly accomplish these results. I am making two classifications of Mental and Psychic effects, although in some cases they really overlap. I place the effects in today's lesson in the second division. Some of them, however, really border on the psychic.

3--Effects which seem to be accomplished only by supernatural psychic power. Reading sealed messages, slate writing, table tipping, invisible communication, ghostly materialization, trumpet talking, bell ringing, jangling of tambourines -- all come under this division. To the audience these effects and illusions seem like miracles, and a great mass of people really believe the performer is in communication with the spirit world and is aided by spirits in accomplishing his effects.

Marvellous effects which come under this division are taught to you later in the Course.

UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITIES IN MAGIC

The field of Magic is so varied and so broad that its opportunities are limitless. In the three great divisions of the art, described above, there is no end to effects, experiments, illusions of all sorts. You can keep on developing and growing with Magic indefinitely. And your progress is, of course, commensurate with the earnestness which you put into your study and work. There are performers who do general magic, and there are those who specialize. Both have a wide scope, and for both there is BIG MONEY to be made.

SPECIALIZATION

Specialize if you will after you have gained a knowledge of the general field of Magic. Each performer has his own likes and dislikes. Certain types of performers are better adapted to work along certain lines than others. Some take to comedy magic, some to mental feats, and others to psychic effects. Some specialize in manipulation until they are master Sleight of Hand artists, others become Illusionists. So, you see, there is no end to what you can do in Magic.

You can capitalize on your own likes and special abilities. But be sure that you make yourself an artist in your specialization. Don't think that merely because you have an act that is a little different and composed of wonderful effects that you can sit back and let the act do itself.

PRESENTATION

The important thing is presentation. Any really great Magician will tell you that it isn't so much what you do as how you do it. You may have $50,000 worth of magical apparatus and be a failure financially as a Magician. Then again you may have a few dollars' worth of paraphernalia and be a HUGE SUCCESS, financially and every other way.

Remember, an effect is only as good as its presentation. That is why I lay such stress on the Scientific aspect of Magic --on the Principles, the Psychology, Showmanship. While the actual trick is important, the little things that put it over are just as important. The trick is as nothing without the proper Presentation. Take an elaborate illusion—present it in a slipshod, uninteresting manner -- and you make it ridiculous. But inversely, take the simplest impromptu trick -- present it with finished Showmanship -- and you make of it a classic.

I want you to realize the close connection between Psychology and Magic. The more you study Psychology, the better will your Magic be. The discussions which I have given you on it are invaluable to you. Give them a great deal of thought. Not only will this study make you a better performer, but it will also make you a bigger public attraction. Study the reactions and impressions of your audience. Study the things that make them talk about you afterward. Study the creating of interest in them. Your reward will be packed houses when you play. Managers will come to know you as a big "box office attraction." And, of course, with this will come real money.

CREATING OF EFFECTS

At this stage, you should be able to begin creating effects. I have no doubt but that you are getting ideas right along on which to build new experiments. Work on these ideas. Perfect them. You will find it tremendously fascinating. Then just think how wonderful it will be for you to come out and present absolutely new and original effects which you have created yourself.

Experiments of Super-Mentality

Today, as always in the past, effects accomplished by super-mentality, super-natural, or psychic power have a tremendous fascination for an audience. People flock to the performances of those who "see all and know all." They bring their troubles, their problems to be solved by the magician, so great is his power. As an example of this, the story is told of the Davenport Brothers, magicians of days gone by. It is said that when they performed as ordinary tricksters, their pocketbooks were thin; but when they claimed that their effects were produced by super-natural power, people began to be interested in them.

Fraudulent Mediums Fleece the Public

So great is the psychic appeal that fortune tellers, spiritualists, mind readers, clairvoyants, have all thrived on a deluded public. A smooth tongue, salesmanship, showmanship, work on the imaginative mind; and all these have served to fill the pocketbooks of many who have deceived the people with a pretense of psychic power.

The modern magician stands opposed to serious deception through the claim of supernatural power. The late Houdini fought hard against the "fraudulent mediums" preying on the people. His quarrel was with those who fleeced the public of thousands of dollars under the pretext of having psychic power. He brought out into the open their dark and secret means for deception and showed these to be nothing but mere magical tricks.

Magician Does His Psychic Tricks in the Spirit of an Entertainer

The magician of today mystifies the public, plays tricks on them, and fools them; but he does it in the spirit of an entertainer, not as a serious spiritualist. Because of his seemingly miraculous feats and his clever presentation, the public often believes that he has unusual intellectual and mental power and is a master of difficult and unusual situations. The imaginations of the people build this power around him and that is what makes him the "box office attraction."

In the case of Houdini, for instance, in spite of the fact that he lectured against and exposed the fraudulent spiritualists, and in spite of the fact that he stated expressly that he possessed no supernatural power, he could not convince many people that he was not aided by psychic forces in the marvellous experiments which he performed. There are thousands of people also who after seeing Thurston's wonderful spirit cabinet presentation, swear that Thurston must be aided by spirit forms. They cannot account for such peculiar happenings in any other way.

Through the cleverness of the magician, he produces effects which seem to be based on supernatural and psychic power. The important point, however, is that his presentation is such as to make his deception legitimate for it is done merely in the spirit of entertaining the public.

Mental and Psychic Effects Based on Imagination of Public

The magician accomplishes his apparently marvellous feats of a super-mental and psychic nature merely by playing on the imagination of the public which attributes such powers to him. The human imagination is such an elastic thing. It adjusts itself to almost any situation. The magician then can work on this imagination. He can answer questions in a broad and general way and let the people carry them out in their own minds to a satisfactory conclusion. Actually, the mind reader gives very little information of importance. What he says is information is really imparted to him by the people themselves or something that covers any case in a general way. The people then interpret this to suit their individual needs.

When you are behind the scenes, everything has a different aspect. You learn that the mind-reading, the slate-writing, the message-reading, and the so-called psychic phenomena are based only on a scientific foundation which is a regular part of your training as a Magician. You see that everything is based on natural law and that you give things their seemingly supernatural power only by the proper clothing with Suggestion, Showmanship, Dramatic Atmosphere, and Patter.

All this you do to bring in the box office receipts and to create a lasting impression of your ability as a performer with the audience. Your supposed psychic power lies only in the imagination of the public. And you use it only for temporary effect and not for illegitimate gain.

In your programs it is wise to maintain a good proportion between physical, mental, and psychic effects. It gives enough variety and interest to keep the audience in your power. The proportion depends on the characteristics and personality of the performer and on the requirements of the occasion.

LESSON 29

In this lesson I give you interesting material that you can use in putting on acts that demonstrate your seemingly marvellous mental and psychic powers.

1. THE CHESS KNIGHT'S TOUR

While few people in the average audience know how to play chess, most people know enough about it to get the impression that it is complicated. It is not necessary that your audience know anything about the game to appreciate this effect. You sell them the idea of the difficulty of accomplishing the experiment in your Patter.

EFFECT:

Performer has a blackboard on which are chalked off 64 small squares, each numbered. A spectator is asked to select any one of the numbers. The Magician then starts with that number to make his Chess Knight's Tour of the board. The problem which he solves is this: to move the Knight, starting at any point on the board, two squares at a time -- and thus to cover every square in 64 moves, ending up at the starting point.

PARAPHERNALIA:

1--A large blackboard ruled off into 64 squares. It is well to make the lines and the numbers with white paint so that they will not wash or rub off and board can be used permanently. If desired, this board can be made to fold up. It can be made of three or four pieces hinged together which fold down flat like a folding parlor screen. You can also secure a blackboard made of prepared cloth, and this can be rolled up. Some school supply companies sell these. The size of the board must be governed by the conditions under which you are performing. Be sure that it is large enough and that the numbers are plain enough to be seen by everyone in the audience, Figure 1.

2--Chalk.

3--Folding easel to support board.

4--Special card for routine of numbers.

SECRET AND PATTER:

To Prepare:

Some performers accomplish this effect from memory, and you can do the same if you take the time to memorize the number routine. Many of you, however, will want to add the effect to your programs at times and will not want to bother to memorize the numbers.

One method of doing it is to have the numbers written in order on a card. This card is placed in the chalk tray at the bottom of blackboard on easel. It can be read at a glance when you look down at it quickly.

This card may also be placed in vest pocket. Under cover of body, it can be removed and palmed in left hand.

If you do not have an easel and tray, you may place chalk and card on a chair or small table nearby.

Another method to use is to write the number of the next move in the corner of each square — very small so that it can be read only at close quarters. Do this with a lead pencil. A code system of lines and dots may be used to represent the numbers. By this method, even close scrutiny of the board may be permitted. Ordinarily, however, the board is not examined and regular numbers may be used. Here is a good code to use, Figure 2.

Figure 3 shows the application of the code. To make numbers of two figures, merely combine the signs for each of the individual figures. Thus, the code for 17 would be the sign for 1 with the sign for 7 right next to it.

THE NUMBER ROUTINE:

1, 11, 5, 20, 37, 27, 44, 29, 35, 50, 33, 43, 58, 41, 26, 9, 3, 13, 23, 8, 14, 4, 10, 25, 19, 2, 17, 34, 49, 59, 53, 47, 64, 54, 60, 45, 28, 38, 21, 36, 30, 15, 32, 22, 7, 24, 39, 56, 62, 52, 42, 57, 51, 61, 55, 40, 46, 63, 48, 31, 16, 6, 12, 18,--

Then after 18, comes the number 1 to make the 64th move. Regardless of what number you start with, you continue from that number in the order of the routine given here -- then you go back to number 1 and continue through the routine until you reach the number you started with. For instance, if you start with 50 -- you move to 33, then 43, and so on through 18, then back to 1 and through 35 to 50 again.

To Perform:

Have blackboard with numbered squares and little cue numbers in the corners ready.

"Ladies and gentlemen: In presenting the Chess Knight's Tour, I am bringing to you a feat coming under the classification of super-mental problems. You who play chess and know the peculiar move of the Chess Knight (which is the piece with the horse's head) can appreciate the difficulty of the Tour which I am about to present. To those of my audience who do not understand the game of chess, let me offer a few words of explanation.

"On this blackboard I have 64 squares drawn to represent the squares on the chess board. The chess board and checker board are the same with red and black squares and no visible numbers. For convenience in demonstrating the Tour, however, I have had these squares numbered from one to sixty-four.

"In chess, the Chess Knight does most of the capturing of the opponent's men. This Knight has a peculiar move which it is difficult to explain in words. Wherever on the board the Knight happens to be, it can be moved into any square which is removed from it by two squares not in the same direction. For instance, he could not be moved from number 2 (point to board) over to number 4 or 18 -- but he could be moved through 3 to 12 or through 10 to 19. The final square which he alights on cannot be in the same direction as he is moving, but must be on a slant. Thus, supposing you have moved from 19. The next move would be either back to 2 or to 9, 25, 34, 36, 29, 13, or 4."

As you explain these moves, point to each square with your chalk so that audience will understand them. If you can easily erase them, demonstrate by actually drawing lines through each square as you show moves. Otherwise, just point out squares.

"You will note that the first square into which a move is made is immediately above, below or to the right or left of the starting place. For convenience, let us call the starting square A, the next square passed through B, and the square on which the Knight alights C.

"If we start at number 36, that would be square A. 35, 37, 28, or 44 would be square B. Any number diagonally off these four numbers would be square C. Let us assume that we moved to 37 as square B. Then either 30 or 46 would be square C for Knight to alight on.

"The problem I am going to present is to start the Knight from any square on the board and by a continuous series of sixty-four moves to cause the Knight to alight on each square ONCE and on NO square more than ONCE and to END UP AT THE SQUARE STARTED FROM.

"When you appreciate the peculiar move of the Knight and realize that you have sixty-four places to choose from for his start, you can understand the perplexing problem I have to contend with and the many moves I have to consider.

"Now, I shall ask someone to select one of the 64 numbers from which to start the Chess Knight on his journey.

"The gentlemen here says 29. All right. Here is square 29, just about in the center of the board, Figure 4.

Point to number 29 and draw a diagonal line through it from the upper left corner to the lower right corner. Look at the cue number which you have marked on this square for your next move -- or if using a card, look at that, but don't allow the audience to see you do it.

"Now I can start by moving through 28, 30, 21, or 37. I shall move through 28 and light on 35."

Point to 28 but do not cross through it. Draw a diagonal line through 35. Then look at cue number in this square. It is 50.

"Then through 43 to 50."

Continue this now through the numbers, one after the other, crossing off the square on which the Knight alights each time. Finally, you will have crossed off number 44, the one before 29.

"And finally, the Knight jumps from number 44 up through 36 and back to the STARTING PLACE -- 29. The Knight has alighted on every number once as you see by the cross lines -- and only once -- and now he is back to 29."

Give a slight bow to bring forth applause.

2. A MIND READING ACT

This act requires the use of an assistant. In some cases, he is used behind the stage; in other cases, he is used to go through the audience with paper and pencils. Then again when a lady assistant is used, she is often placed on the stage to answer questions while performer goes down through the audience to check up on people wanting information. This act can, however, be presented by the performer alone if he has a few minutes' time between acts.

EFFECT:

Pads of paper and pencils are passed out through the audience, and spectators are requested to write anything they choose on the paper. They may write telephone numbers, addresses, names, questions, or make drawings. Then they are told to tear off the paper, fold it, and place it in their pockets. Performer or assistants at no time touch this paper on which is written the information or question. In spite of this, Magician is able to sit on the stage and tell what spectators have written and to go about answering questions. If a drawing has been made, Magician takes a pad of paper or goes to a blackboard and draws a duplicate.

PARAPHERNALIA:

1--Pads of paper. Get 2 or 3 dozen at a stationery store. A handy one is 3x5 ins. in size and has perforated upper edges so paper can be easily torn off. Upper part of pad above perforation is stapled together, which facilitates working, Figure 5.

The number of pads you require you can best determine for yourself by the size of your audience and your speed of working.

2--Hard lead pencils—Number 4 is suitable.

3--White wax, paraffin, or a white candle.

4--A small box of lamp-black. This can be purchased at a paint store or drug store.

5--Some cotton, or a powder puff.

6--A tablet of paper—8-1/2 x 11 inches.

SECRET AND PATTER:

To Prepare:

Take the tablets of white paper and on the under side of the third sheet down from top, rub over it the white wax or paraffin. Be careful to cover all parts of the sheet except near the edges. It is easiest done by opening pad between third and fourth sheet and placing pad at edge of table with first three sheets on table. Sheet can be easily waxed without mussing, Fig. 5A.

Do not remove the paper from tablet or pad to do this. If you do it properly, a spectator can run through the pad without detecting any special preparation. The surface of the under side of the third sheet is slightly waxy in texture, but not enough to make it noticeable to spectator. This waxed surface acts as a carbon paper—a white carbon paper.

If you take a hard lead pencil and write something on the first or second sheet of the pad, you will find that the wax will cause an imprint on the upper side of the fourth sheet of what was written. You cannot see it, but it can be brought out by a developing process. Take a bit of cotton, or a powder puff, dip it in the powdered lamp-black and daub lightly on the paper. The lamp-black will adhere to the waxy part on the fourth page. It is then easy to read what has been written.

So you see, you need not have the actual slips on which spectators wrote. You merely collect pads and pencils and then BEHIND THE SCENES develop the fourth pages of the pads. Thus you bring out what was written.

The audience is so much interested in holding on to their written slips that they are not suspicious of the pads. These are casually collected to get them out of the way and then taken back stage.

Hard pencils are used and are furnished to spectators so that they will have to bear down harder in order to write and thus will make the imprint clearer.

To Perform:

Have pads and pencils on table at side of stage or come forward with them in your hands.

You have this writing done early in the performance so that you will have plenty of time to do the developing. Some performers do this at the beginning of their evening's performance, others at the beginning of their mind reading act. Then they do special stunts, like the Chess Knight's Tour, the Yogi's Prediction, X-Ray Cards, or some other stunts to give assistant time to develop the writing.

As you do not have to answer all the questions or tell what everyone wrote, it is sufficient to develop fifteen or twenty slips of paper. Of course, if there is extra time and you think you might get something especially good to answer, more than this may be developed.

Start your work in this way:

"Ladies and gentlemen: Perhaps never in the history of the world have people been so interested in mental communication. telepathic problems, and the occult and psychic as they are today. Recent discoveries and experiences are bringing forth phenomena that have invited careful investigation. With the development of radio and the traveling of vibrations over such great distances—things which have been developed mechanically—one wonders what could be accomplished by such a wonderfully attuned organism as the human brain with its marvellous mental power.

"If people had been told a hundred years ago that without any visible speaking connection it would be possible to listen to a program of music in New York City while in Chicago, they would have regarded the idea as the conception of a crazy man. Just so it is with everything new that is brought forth. What is difficult today, we will understand easily tomorrow. Many of us have had presentiments and hunches that amaze us when we learn how accurate they were. We may sit in Chicago and suddenly feel that there is a big fire in St. Louis, and then pick up a paper the next day and find it to be true.

"How far human thought vibrations travel, we do not know. But if radio vibrations travel, why shouldn't thought? What I am about to present is not due to supernatural power. It is but the working of scientific law. I have developed certain senses in such a way as to understand certain conditions that the ordinary person misses. All of us have this power but all do not know the proper way to use it. As I stand here now, I can sense a number of thoughts—some stronger than others. Some people's thoughts are easy to get vibrations from, others are difficult. And with so many vibrations coming from an audience at the same time, there is often a confusion like you get from a number of stations together on the radio.

"In order that you may concentrate on certain thoughts, I am going to have you write those thoughts on a piece of paper. The writing itself is not important, but seeing a thing written or drawn impresses it on your mind and so makes the vibrations from your mind stronger.

"For your convenience, I shall pass paper and pencils out to you. You may write anything you would like to have me tell you. Perhaps you have some problem you would like to have me help you with. Write any question you choose—but not foolish questions, of course. Or write your telephone number, a date on a coin, a number on a bill, name of a watch your name and address, or draw a picture—any kind of picture or symbol, perhaps a square or a star. Just write anything that comes into your mind. If you prefer you may use your own paper and pencils. The main idea is to write. Now each one of you take your slip of paper, fold it, and place it in your pocket or hold it hidden in your hand. I do not collect any of the papers. You write your own messages and keep the paper on which you have written them. I never see them. By the way, write your name on the bottom of your slip of paper so that it will help me to locate you. Please return pad and pencil, for use in my next performance, but keep the slip of paper on which you write your question.

Pass down through the audience and distribute pads and pencils, impressing the audience with the idea that they should write telephone numbers, questions, numbers of bills, etc. Explain to them again to tear off the slip they have written on and keep it. Pass pads and pencils around quickly and keep up a line of Patter.

"One woman said to me, 'What you really do is to watch the top of everybody's pencil as they write and see what they have written that way.' Another lady said, "You slip the papers out of people's hands when they are not looking and read all the papers.' Well, I haven't figured out the pencil method yet by looking at the tops, and you certainly hold those papers too tight for me to get them. Telepathic vibration is easier."

After a number of people have written their questions, collect the pads and pencils and take them back to the stage with you and place them back of the scenes.

If you work with an assistant or two, have them collect the pads and pencils and either come up to the stage with them or go out through the entrance of the theater and return to the stage the back way. The assistant immediately develops the sheets under the white wax carbons by means of the lamp-black or powdered charcoal. Then he takes the tablet, 8-1/2 x 11 ins., and writes on the second, third and fourth sheets of it as many of the questions as possible. He should use a hard pencil. He should copy the information or questions exactly. As a rule, not over twenty slips need be copied.

This tablet is now ready for the performer, and as he begins his mental work on his program, he can readily refer to this writing.

If you collect the pads and pencils yourself, as I told you before, it is well to do this in the early part of the show. You can then step back of the scenes with the pads and leave them with an assistant to develop. You then proceed to entertain the audience with Magic until you are ready for your mental work. Just before beginning the mental work, as you leave the stage for preparation, say,

"Do not forget what you want me to tell you. You have the papers you wrote in your own hands or in your pockets so that you can easily refer to them when I enter into mental work."

If you have the writing done and the pads collected at the beginning of your mental work, you must do something to give assistant time to develop the pads and prepare the special tablet with the information. With two assistants, one can develop and one can write.

NOW, BEFORE WE PROCEED WITH THE MIND READING ACT, I shall give you some interesting experiments to use to fill in the time while assistants are preparing information.

3. THE YOGI'S PREDICTION

EFFECT:

Performer shows an envelope and a blank card. He says that though he is not a fortune teller, he can often tell how the human mind will think before it does. For instance, he will write a prediction on the card, place it in the envelope, seal the envelope, and have a spectator initial it so that there will be no exchange of envelopes. Magician then asks one spectator to give him a number between one and one hundred thousand, another to name a city, another to call out a color, and still another to name any day of the week. He tears open the envelope, removes the card—and to everyone's amazement, there written on the card are the number, the city, the color, and the day which spectators called out.

PARAPHERNALIA:

1— An ordinary envelope.

2— A piece of red carbon paper. Get the kind of carbon adapted to pencil work.

3— A plain card of a size easy to slip into envelope, preferably with soft surface that takes a carbon mark readily.

4— A sheet of white or yellow paper smaller than the envelope.

5— A pencil.

6— A red pencil.

SECRET AND PATTER:

To prepare:

Cut carbon paper down so that it fits into envelope as shown in Figure 6. Have it come to within about one inch from both ends and just below opening of envelope so that when flap is raised it will not be seen. Paste this carbon paper by the corners inside of the front of the envelope. Have the carbon side facing back of envelope so that when card is placed under it in envelope anything written outside will be transferred to card, Figure 6.

To Perform:

Come forward with envelope thus prepared, with blank card, the piece of white or yellow paper, and pencil. Stand on stairs leading down from stage to audience. "I am not a fortune teller nor a clairvoyant. I do not see far into the future for you and tell you that you will marry a dark-haired gentleman or a widow with six children. But there are times when I can predict things that a human mind will do in the very next moment. I will work preferably with strangers. First, on this card I am going to write a few words. You will note that it is just a blank card. I will write them in red."

Show both sides of card. Using envelope and yellow paper as a rest, pretend to write down four things on card with the RED pencil. Scan audience as you do so and look straight at four people you will use later on. If you desire, you can have four people stand up for experiment. In reality, you do not make a mark, but you make audience believe that you write a prediction. Be careful of your ANGLE OF VISIBILITY here so that audience cannot see that you are not actually writing. Place red pencil in pocket.

"I have written a prediction. I will now place it in the envelope and seal it."

Open envelope, being careful not to expose carbon. Place the card inside between carbon and back of envelope. Seal envelope.

"Will you, sir, just place your initials on the envelope so that you can identify the envelope later on?"

Give spectator the regular lead pencil and have him initial envelope, then take pencil and envelope from him.

"I want some good spectator to help me. You will do fine, sir. I am a stranger to you, am I not? You have never seen me before. (If playing before a strange audience.) I am going to ask you to give me the first number that comes into your head after I say one--two--three. Any number between one and a hundred thousand. Make it as big as you like or as Complicated as you choose—whether you say 742 or 4, 040 makes no difference. Are you ready? One--two--three. What is the number?"

Let us suppose that spectator says 6,792. He may call out almost anything.

Hold envelope in left hand with face up. On this place the yellow paper. Take pencil in right hand.

"Just by way of checking up, I'll just write down the number on this piece of paper Six thousand, seven hundred, and ninety-two."

Write this number on the yellow paper. It is transferred through the carbon on to the card inside of the envelope.

"Will you, madam, give me the name of any city that comes to your mind? Any city in the world." Assume that she says Paris.

"Paris? You must have been thinking of styles for a new dress."

Write down the name, Paris, under the number. This also is transferred to the card. "Now, sir, how are you on colors? Name any color you happen to think of. Red?" When a spectator names a color, write it down under the city.

"Now--we have seven days in the week. Which day appeals to you most? Thursday?"

A fourth spectator names a day of the week, and you write this down under the color.

You now have the four things written on the piece of paper as shown in Figure 7. Inside of the envelope is the white card with the same things written on it, having been transferred through the carbon paper.

"I shall ask the gentleman here to take the piece of paper and hold it so that we can check up. (Read from paper while in spectator's hands.) The gentleman's number— 6,792, the city was Paris, the color—red, and the day--Thursday. (To gentleman who initialed envelope.) Do you recognise your initials and writing, sir?"

Show him the envelope. Now tear off end of envelope, being careful to keep above carbon paper so as not to expose it.

Remove the card and show.

"You see that the prediction was correct. I wrote on this card just what the four people called out. Let us check it up. (To gentleman with yellow paper.) The number—6,792, the city--Paris, the color--red and the day-Thursday."

Take paper from gentleman and return to stage. Place card, envelope, and paper on table or in an inner pocket.

NOTE:

Show card freely but do not let spectators scrutinize card too closely and they will not discover that it is a carbon copy of what was written on the paper. Writing with a red pencil and using red carbon is a good stunt. Experiment with it.

4. THE X-RAY CARDS

EFFECT:

Performer removes deck of cards from case and fans it. He divides it into two equal packets and gives spectator his choice of one. Magician and spectator each hold half of the cards now. Magician holds his cards behind his back, and spectator selects a card from his packet and places it among cards in Magician's hands. Performer turns to audience, holds his packet against his forehead, and tells what card spectator placed in packet. The Magician's packet is kept squared up all the time, and is not fanned.

PARAPHERNALIA:

1--A deck of playing cards.

SECRET AND PATTER:

To Prepare:

Remove the King and Queen of Hearts and the Jack of Diamonds from the deck. Shuffle the deck well and count off 23 cards.

These 23 cards must be specially prepared. Take one card and place it on a board. With a sharp pen-knife, cut out the index number and figure in one corner of the card. Figure 8.

Prepare the other 22 cards in the same way, making all the holes as nearly the same size as possible. Prepare the Queen of Hearts in the same way also.

Place the 23 prepared cards together in a packet with the holes all in line. Then place the Queen of Hearts on the "Bottom" of the packet and the Jack of Diamonds on the "Top."

If any card from the other half of the deck is placed in this packet, except on the top or bottom, it can easily be detected. The index shows plainly through the holes cut in the other cards, Figure 9.

The prepared part of the cards can easily be hidden by the right thumb as you hold cards in your hand. Figure 10.

Place the King of Hearts under the Queen at the "Bottom" of the deck. Then put this prepared half of the

cards on the other half. By fanning cards out, faces up, you can easily find the King of Hearts. You know then to divide the cards into two packets at this point.

In handling the deck, use moderate care not to expose the index holes. Place deck in card case.

To Perform:

Remove case from pocket and take cards out.

"An interesting experiment in thought transference is performed with a deck of cards." Fan cards and show faces.

"A deck of fifty-two cards including the Joker. I will separate the deck into two equal halves."

As you fan cards, locate the King of Hearts and remove the cards above it. Hold prepared cards in left hand and others in right. Say to spectator nearby:

"Will you please select one of these packets?"

Hold them out for him to select, holding the right one a little closer to him. If he selects the right one, say: "Thank you, will you please take the cards now in your own hands?" Give him the chosen cards. If he selects the left packet, say:

"Thank you, I shall use the ones you selected. The other half of the deck I shall give to the gentleman over here."

Give regular cards to another nearby spectator. Regardless of which packet spectator selects, you keep the prepared one. Now proceed.

"I am going to ask you to select any card from the ones that you hold. Look at it, but do not let me see what the card is. While I hold my half of the deck behind my back, place your card anywhere you choose among mine."

As you are talking, slip the King from the "Bottom" of the deck to the "Top" over the Jack of Diamonds there. Protect index opening of cards with thumb. Hold cards in back of you, either squared up or slightly fanned to your left. Have spectator insert selected card into packet.

"Just square up the cards, please."

Spectator squares up cards in your hands. Now turn to face audience. Keep index opening well covered with first two fingers of right hand. With faces of cards toward you, remove fingers from index holes and cover with thumb. Now hold cards so that audience can see face of Queen of Hearts on "Bottom" of packet.

Now bring pack back to horizontal position as you talk with spectator assisting you.

"Now, sir, if you will just touch the back of my left hand with your right hand and at the same time think hard of the card you placed in the deck....."

Spectator places his right hand on your left. Raise cards to your forehead and, as you do so, lift thumb and read index of inserted card through index holes. Let us suppose the 10 of Hearts is the selected card.

"Are you thinking of your card? Think hard. It was a red card -- a heart. The - (hesitate) - Ten of Hearts. Is that correct, sir?"

Hesitate as you name color and suit and number—then come out suddenly with the name of card.

Work this up with Showmanship.

Fan the cards with right hand and remove the 10 of Hearts. Return to spectator.

"Will you, madam, also please help me with this experiment? While the cards are behind my back, just remove any card from your packet and place it among mine. Remember your card."

Spectator removes card from her packet and places it in in yours. Go through the same routine of having her touch your left hand and raising cards to forehead, in the meantime getting a look at the index of selected card by lifting thumb from holes. Cover index holes with thumb again.

Suppose the selected card this time is the Ace of Spades.

"It is a (hesitate)—black card. It has writing on the face. --- The Ace of Spades." This may be continued if you desire, having a few more spectators select cards.

"I find your minds very nicely attuned so let us see whether we cannot catch the further vibrations in the audience."

Now you may proceed with your mind reading act.

PRESENTING THE MIND READING ACT

If working with an assistant, have him bring out a small table with the prepared tablet on it. If working alone, come out on stage with the tablet.

Have a nice-looking easy chair nearby in which you can sit when you start to do your mind reading. Start with this Patter:

"Let me emphasize again the fact that I am not a fortune teller, a clairvoyant, or spirit medium. It is not my purpose to tell you who will be president of the United States next time or who will win the Derby Race in Kentucky next year. Even if I could predict such things I would not be allowed to tell them because of the betting that might result from such a disclosure. I have no Big Chief Indian spirit guide, nor do I go into any trance and exude ectoplasm.

"My work is to present a form of mental radio — to catch your vibrations here and there. I cannot always tell from where these vibrations come — whether from the left or right side of the house. Sometimes I catch a vibration stronger from the rear of the room than from up here in front. And when you realize the number of thoughts projected at once, you can readily understand that I must attune myself closely. It is a great deal like tuning in on a radio. A distant station may come in louder than a nearer station, and if there are too many within a small radius, it is difficult to separate them at times. And, of course, you know that some stations are practically impossible for you to get.

"I use this pad of paper to help me get impressions. I find I am of a temperament that makes it easier to get impressions when I sketch or write them down as they come into my mind Some people find that a crystal

ball helps them to concentrate, others use a silver urn or just a round piece of metal." Scribble on the tablet to demonstrate how you get impressions.

"When I call out your question or name, or give you an indication that I have caught your vibration, raise your hand. Then I can work directly toward you."

Sit down in the easy chair somewhat relaxed with the tablet on your lap and pencil in hand. Lift up the first page a little and get a glimpse of the information copied from a slip or two.

You are now ready to get impressions. You must act as though you are concentrating and then scribble on the pad a little.

YOUR SUCCESS WITH AN ACT OF THIS KIND DEPENDS ON HOW YOU PUT IT OVER. IT MUST BE SLOWED DOWN IN PLACES AND SNAPPED UP QUICKLY IN OTHERS. YOU MUST KEEP YOUR AUDIENCE ENTERTAINED AND THEIR INTEREST AT A HIGH PITCH.

ANSWERING THE SLIPS:

There is a trick in answering the slips that spectators wrote, and a good performer can make the merest bit of information sound like a great deal. You must remember that you are playing to the whole house and not just to the person whose slip you are answering. In an audience of a thousand, only one person knows what he wrote on his slip. The other 999 do not know, and it is from the standpoint of these 999 that you can apparently work miracles. They take it for granted that you are saying the right thing to this one person, and they marvel at your power.

If you were merely to read the slips, it would be puzzling as to how you do it; but when you tell people what they wrote and give them extra information which they think is not on the slip, they marvel at you.

You can readily understand that merely to read from a slip: "Mr. William Jones has written — Sleeper Berth 9, 207B," it would be lifeless and certainly not impressive.

Remember, that you are not supposed to be reading slips, but reading minds. You must not be too accurate, but must feel your way along just as though you were actually catching mental vibrations.

Here is the way to handle the information given:

"I catch a vibration from someone who has the initials --W. J.--W. J.—W. J.--Where are you? It is a male vibration. Oh, there you are. That's it, raise your hand when I call your name. We are strangers to each other, are we not? Have you ever seen me before? No. W. J. Just a minute, I shall tell you your name. It is—it begins with J.--Jones. That's it—William Jones. I catch that you are thinking of a journey. Is that right, sir? Yes—a journey by train. I see you sleeping—or rather trying to sleep on that train. About the middle of the car—you have a lower berth-- Berth Number 9. Is that correct, sir? What's that?—You want me to tell you the number of the car? Let me see. Concentrate real hard, sir. Now, I get the vibration. Two-O-Seven. (Hesitate, then come out suddenly)--B. Is that right?"

Answering in that manner, takes the audience away from the thought of slip writing. They think that the man only signed his initials, and yet you could tell him his name. They do not know that he gave you the information about his berth and car number. They believe you told him about the journey he was thinking of through your mental powers.

You told your audience to begin with that you are not a fortune teller, clairvoyant, or spirit medium; but they begin to feel that you have PSYCHIC power anyhow, otherwise you could not tell a perfect stranger his name and his thoughts about traveling.

The POWER OF SUGGESTION is a wonderful thing. It is amazing to think of what you can do by playing upon the imagination with Suggestion.

Perhaps the next question is this: "Will I be successful in business next year? David G. Bradley."

This requires resourcefulness for you do not know whether Mr. Bradley is an employee or an employer. Let us try it this way:

"I get a vibration from someone who is thinking, about the future and is wondering what the next year will bring forth. It seems to be coming from a man. Just a moment—and I will get the name—Bradley. Where are you, Mr. Bradley? There you are. Your first name is David, isn't it, Mr. Bradley? David G. You are interested in business. Business is more or less unsettled, and we are going through some rapid changes which demand close attention. You can make it a good year if you will. I see one or two months that are not quite so good, but do not worry about them—the others will counterbalance. Study every angle of your proposition, see where it is different from the other fellow's utilize your strongest assets, and if you see any leaks, stop them right away.

Studying character will help you."

Another slip may read this way: "Will mother get well? Mary Stanton." The answer may be given in this manner:

"I sense a person worrying about her mother. I get the initials of the person—M. S. M. S., where are you? That's it, raise your hand. It seems as though I see your mother sick—in fact, you seem quite worried about her. I cannot sense her true condition just now. But be sure she is in the hands of a modern, up-to-date physician who understands diet and the various methods of treatment. And do not let her worry. You will find that a kind word, a bouquet of flowers, and lots of appreciation will help her more than words can tell. She will improve." Another may have written: "My auto number is 15678. Kenneth Brown." Here is your answer:

"I catch the initials—K. B. K. B., where are you? I seem to see a vibration of your childhood and another boy calling you Kenneth. Think hard of what you want me to tell you. I get a picture of an automobile. Has it to do with an automobile? My mind is led to the back and the number on the back of the car. You want me to tell the number on your car. Think of the number. Three—no, that isn't right. Now I have it. One-five-six-seveneight. Is that right?"

The answering of questions just requires the use of common sense and judgment. Those questions which you cannot answer readily, you can just pass by. If someone wants to know the result of a certain race, campaign, or other public affair, say something on this order:

"I am sorry that I cannot answer that question. It affects the public in general and it would not be advisable for me to answer at this time."

You can always get out of private affairs gracefully by stating that you know what they want to know, but because of the private nature of the information, you will not divulge it in public.

If it involves law or medicine, you can always say that it is a question which a lawyer or doctor can best answer.

In some cases, you can say that the answer would be too long and you must hurry. You are not supposed anyway to get everyone's vibration.

In case anyone tries to force you to read their slip, do not let it worry you. Just say that you do not get the vibration at the moment but perhaps will later on as there seems at present to be an antagonistic vibration coming from some place. Get name of this person, then see whether it is on the sheet as you go on answering other questions. Perhaps the assistant can find it in the pads back of scenes and can write it on a large card and let you read from the wings.

As your answers progress you may turn over or tear off the front sheet and read directly from the second sheet, keeping it away from audience. Then tear off and crumple up second sheet, etc. If writing is with hard pencil, and you scribble a little with soft pencil, the audience cannot notice the writing already there from a distance.

You need never worry about any audience stumping you, for you have not claimed supernatural power. You can get only those vibrations which you are sensitive to, and if you are not attuned to a certain person, you are bound to make mistakes. You do not claim perfection, nor do you claim to answer all things. You merely sense mental conditions. And remember, that in an audience you can take your pick of the questions which you want to answer. If you cannot answer a question, say nothing about it.

Sometimes people ask you to locate lost articles, such as rings. You can say, "Are you sure that you did not leave it in the bathroom?" Many rings are mislaid when people remove them to wash their hands.

When the slips have names of articles, numbers of automobiles, birth dates, numbers on bills, or things of that nature, the answer is easy.

TYPES OF GENERAL QUESTIONS:

There is a great deal of sameness to questions asked in any audience. They can all be sifted down to a simple arrangement.

There are questions on HEALTH, WEALTH, AND LOVE. Those three classifications cover a multitude of things and have many angles.

There are those in your audience who have lost articles;

there are those who are merely curiosity seekers; and there are those who want to get something for nothing. There is the student who is wondering whether he will pass his examinations, the inventor who wants to know whether his patent will be a success. These questions come invariably: "Shall I make a change? Can I trust so and so? Who wrote the anonymous letter? Does so and so love me? Are we mated? How long am I going to live? (You can make this humorous by answering, 'I see that you will live until you die.') What about a certain real estate deal? Who stole something?" And so on.

In some cases, you need not give an answer. Merely state the question and then suddenly have the vibration drowned out by a stronger one and continue with the next bit of information.

Good humor rightly applied can be used at times without offending. It is good to put people in a laughing mood. However, NEVER MAKE FUN OF ANYONE.

Suppose someone makes a drawing instead of writing a question or information. This gives you a good opportunity for SHOWMANSHIP.

Assume that Frank Smith makes a drawing of a pig. You say: "I see a picture in someone's mind. Hold it, whoever it is. It is coming from a person with the initials—F. S. Where are you, F. S.? Are you thinking of the picture? Do not change the original picture you thought of. Keep it in mind. Have you a pencil and paper? Will you draw your original thought on a slip of paper? (This member of audience thinks you mean the picture which he drew before. Rest of audience thinks you caught a passing thought from someone. Be sure to see that this person gets a pencil and paper.) Draw the picture line for line the best you can. Have you finished? Now on this pad I shall try to draw the picture you have in mind. Think hard of it."

Tear off the sheets containing prepared information from tablet. Show blank pad.

Draw with soft black crayon so that it will show up well. Make the sketch as nearly like the original as possible. Then compare with sketch just made by spectator and show both to the audience.

You can get someone to draw a picture in the very beginning when all are writing on slips. Merely suggest it to several people in your patter and they will do it. This is a great finish for an act of this kind, and it is well worth while to work it up to perfection.

Later on in the Course, I shall discuss more angles of Mind Reading and Mental Magic. You will then be equipped to meet many occasions.

5. TELEPATHIC PICTURES

This effect is good for stage or club work. If you have any aptitude as an artist, it will work in very nicely as a super-mental feat and will help you create a sensation.

EFFECT:

Performer asks a spectator to draw any picture or symbol which he chooses on a piece of paper. He tells spectator to fold this paper and place it in his pocket so that performer cannot see it. This done, spectator is asked to concentrate on what he has drawn. Magician then takes a blackboard or large piece of cardboard or a pad of paper and draws a similar picture. Spectator unfolds his paper and checks up his drawing with that of the Magician. This may be varied by having the spectator write a sentence and keep it from the Magician. Performer then reproduces the sentence word for word on the cardboard or pad.

PARAPHERNALIA:

1--A book with paper jacket on it, such as most books have to advertise it and protect the cover. Use a book in a size that is convenient to handle.

2--A piece of black carbon paper for pencil transfer. Carbon comes in various qualities. You must have the kind which readily transfers pencil markings.

3--A fairly hard pencil. No. 3 is suitable.

4--A black marking crayon.

5--A sheet of white cardboard, about 11x15 inches, or a size convenient to carry.

SECRET AND PATTER:

To Prepare:

Cut out a piece of the carbon paper, making it about one-half inch smaller all around than the book. Paste it by the corners to the inside of paper jacket on front cover. Have carbon side toward outside so that when jacket is replaced on book, carbon side is next to book, Figure 11.

Place a sheet of white paper the same size as the carbon on the front cover of the book so that it is directly under the carbon when book is closed. If you desire, you may paste corners of this paper to book, Figure 12.

Place the jacket carefully around the book again. Trim it down so that it laps front cover only about one inch. If you do this properly, the book looks like an ordinary book and no one suspects that it has been tampered with.

Now—when a piece of paper is put on the front side of jacket and is written or drawn on, the pencil marks are immediately transferred to the paper underneath the carbon inside of the cover of the book.

Figure 13 shows how the drawing is made on a piece of paper on top of the book. This same drawing is now also on the piece of paper inside the book.

This prepared book is a valuable piece of apparatus and can be utilized in many ways. It is a common thing to use a book to write on, and therefore this book does not arouse suspicion. When you give it to spectator, he thinks you are merely giving him something handy to write on.

To Perform:

Have a gentleman come forward to help you and have him stand at your right as you face audience.

"To begin this experiment, I am going to ask you to take this piece of paper and this pencil—or if you prefer, just use your own paper and pencil—and draw anything you choose. It may be just something simple— a symbol of some kind, or an animal, like a pig or horse. Draw anything you want to— the main thing is to draw something. When you do it, however, hold your paper so that I cannot see it under any circumstances."

Give spectator the pencil and paper, then pick up book and place the paper on the front side of jacket, directly above concealed carbon.

"You do not have to make a fine oil painting—just any simple drawing that you can make quickly— anything that comes into your mind. While you do this, I shall turn my back." Go to other side of stage and turn your back as spectator makes picture.

"After you have drawn the picture, fold up the paper and hold it or place it in your pocket so that I cannot possibly see it."

When he is ready, turn around and pick up cardboard from table. Hold in right hand.

Take book from spectator with left hand, holding front cover upward. Place cardboard on top of book and hold both in left hand. Take pencil from spectator and place in upper coat pocket or vest pocket. Stand a little to left and back of assistant.

Now hold card and book up vertically in left hand with book concealed behind card. Neither assistant nor rest of audience should see book. Figure 14.

"Have you ever had any experience in mental telepathy, sir?"

As you say this, bring card and book farther toward right. Allow book to fall at right angles to cardboard, supporting it on fingers of left hand. With right hand reach under front cover of book and pull jacket free of cover. Let jacket just lie on top of front cover so that when proper time comes it will be easy to lift it and see the drawing reproduced through the carbon paper on the paper on front cover of book, Figure 15.

"Have you ever suddenly had a feeling that so and so was doing a certain thing and then found out that exactly what was in your mind has happened? Some people call these feelings presentiments, others just call them hunches. I have asked you to draw a picture of some sort for me. You still have the paper."

Eyes of audience go to spectator. As their attention is MISDIRECTED to assistant, you raise cardboard in front of body to within a few inches below your chin. With right hand lift upper flap of jacket. Glance quickly down and look at the picture transferred to paper above front cover of book.

It takes but a moment to do this. Do it in a flash and let jacket fall back into place. Now allow book to come up into vertical position against cardboard again.

Let cardboard drop toward rear so that book is exposed. Do this as you gesture with left hand toward spectator.

"Now, I want you to concentrate on what you placed on the paper. Keep it well in mind." Drop book on the table as you say this, and pick up black marking crayon.

"Sometimes it is almost impossible for me to catch certain mental vibrations, but I believe you are going to be a good subject and will concentrate so that I will have no trouble in performing the experiment.

"On this card I shall endeavor to follow your mental thought waves and vibrations so that I can duplicate as nearly as possible your thoughts. You think of the drawing you made and keep your thought moving on the lines of it."

With your right side turned to audience a little, hold card in left hand and pushed against chest for support. Begin to draw, making sure that audience can see you easily as you progress with drawing. Make the drawing as nearly like the spectator's as possible.

Figure 16.

"Now, sir, will you please unfold your slip of paper and let us all see whether I have caught your mental vibrations."

Take paper from spectator and show drawing to audience. "I have been pretty successful, have I not?" Spectator nods.

Pass drawing on paper and your cardboard down through audience so that all spectators can see that you have duplicated drawing.

TARBELL SYSTEM, INCORPORATED, Chicago.

LESSON 30

Your next lesson is no less than a whiz of a lesson. It takes you into the business side of Magic; it tells you how actually to get into the real money-making side of Magic; it explains how you can get dates and bookings; and it tells you about the effective ways of advertising yourself.

Furthermore, it gives you more valuable instruction on the Arranging of Programs. And with all this, you get the Chinese Production Box and many other effects.