y
shuffle, during which time the performer turns his back so as not to
see which heap the card is placed in. It is now an easy matter to tell
the name of the card, which should be done with hesitation and plenty
of dramatic gesture. Try this trick, and remember to work it at rather
a high rate of speed, and watch the effect on your audience.

A SPECTACULAR HANDKERCHIEF COMBINATION.

_Effect._--Three white handkerchiefs are borrowed, a coloured one being
added to them (this being performer's own), and placed in a box; an
umbrella is shown, replaced in its case, and a change is commanded to
take place. The box is opened, and in place of the four handkerchiefs
is the umbrella cover, and upon opening the umbrella case the umbrella
is found minus the cover and the four handkerchiefs attached to its
ribs. The handkerchiefs are removed and laid on a table, the umbrella
being returned to the case, which is then placed aside.

[Illustration]

One of the white handkerchiefs and a pair of sharp scissors are taken
to a spectator who is asked to mark the same, which he does, the result
being (to the consternation of the performer) a large piece cut out of
the centre. The performer apologises for the accident, and mentions
that by a similar misunderstanding one of his own handkerchiefs was
similarly treated the previous evening, in proof of which he shows a
coloured handkerchief with a piece cut out of the centre. He says he
will endeavour to restore the white handkerchief, and at the same time
he will restore the coloured one. He places the two handkerchiefs with
their respective loose centres in another piece of apparatus, and upon
removing them discovers to his horror that the white handkerchief has
the coloured centre and _vice versa_. He makes a frantic endeavour to
unpick the stitches, finally giving it up in despair. Another piece of
apparatus is now introduced into which he places the two handkerchiefs,
and thinking that it would be more interesting if he used all the
borrowed handkerchiefs, he picks up the remaining handkerchiefs from
the table and places them along with the two unfortunates. The
performer announces that he is about to cut them all up, but before
commencing to do so bethinks himself of his own good handkerchief which
he removes and places in his pocket. After some by-play the
handkerchiefs are shown in dozens of strips, which are offered to the
respective owners to sort out, but this not meeting