handkerchiefs. A number being offered, he accepts three, which he
throws over a chair back while he calls attention to the empty
condition of the drawer box. The performer now takes the borrowed
handkerchiefs one by one and places them in the box. After placing the
third handkerchief in the drawer box, he looks round as if for another
handkerchief, and remarks, "I should have borrowed _four_
handkerchiefs, but I will not trouble you again, I will use my own."
Drawing this (the coloured one) from his pocket and placing it in the
box with the three white ones, he closes the drawer. The drawer box is
now placed on a table or chair near the footlights. The performer next
introduces the umbrella tube, being careful to remove the lid from the
end containing the unprepared parasol, which he withdraws, opens, and
passes for inspection to prove its unpreparedness. The parasol being
returned is placed back into the tube, the lid put on, and in turning
to place the tube on the table, it (the tube) is reversed, which brings
the lid covering the division containing the skeleton umbrella towards
audience when laid on the table. The performer now commands a change to
take place, and picking up the box he pulls out the drawer containing
the parasol cover, which he removes and shows to audience. On opening
the umbrella tube, he withdraws the skeleton parasol with the four
duplicate handkerchiefs attached to the ribs; the four handkerchiefs
are unfastened and laid on the table, the audience believing them to be
those originally borrowed. The performer now selects one of the white
handkerchiefs, takes up the pair of scissors and asks one of the
spectators to mark the handkerchief so that he will know it again--the
conjurer holding the handkerchief in such a manner that the spectator
is compelled to cut a circular piece out of the centre. While the
gentleman is cutting the handkerchief, the assistant enters and removes
the drawer box and umbrella tube, as having been finished with, and
when behind the scenes he opens the box and removes the three borrowed
handkerchiefs and the performer's coloured one, all of which he folds
neatly and places in the inner lining of the dove-pan, finally putting
in the two doves and locking lid to lining by the usual bayonet catch.
During this time the performer has been apologising for the damage done
to the white handkerchief, and the owner not caring to accept his
property in its present condition, the pe