face and chin, show the coin again in your right hand and
your left hand empty. You require two coins for this trick, one palmed
in your left hand. When you rub the coin against your face the second
time, drop it inside your collar and produce the palmed coin from your
elbow. When you "reverse the experiment," take the coin from your collar
as you are rubbing your face and chin and drop the other coin from your
left hand into your handkerchief spread over your knees.

TWO VANISHED HALF-CROWNS

This trick requires considerable practice, but is a very effective one.
Take the two coins in your right hand, and throw them repeatedly, one at
a time, into the other hand until the audience begin to think it is a
"sell." Then, offering your left hand (in which the coins are supposed
to be) to some one, say: "Well, you try to do it." Open your hand, and
the coins have disappeared.

EXPLANATION.--The last time you throw only one half-crown, and instead
of throwing the second, bring the right hand down quickly, and at the
same time jerk the coin in your left hand upwards into your right, and
it will strike the coin retained there. The clink will be heard, and by
closing your left hand quickly you will lead the company to suppose both
coins are in that hand. Half-crowns are the best coins for the trick
owing to their weight.

A DIVINATION

Request a member of the company (seated) to place a shilling or florin
upon each knee, and cover them with his hands with his fingers stretched
out. You then tell him, when you turn your back, to raise one of the
coins and tap his head with it twelve times just above his ear; then
replace it on his knee and cover it with his hands as before; and you
will tell him, on examining the coins, which one he raised.

The examination of the coins has really nothing to do with the trick.
All you have to do is to look at the person's hands; the blood leaves
the hand that has been raised, and when it is again placed beside the
other the difference in colour is most perceptible.

I have performed this trick hundreds of times in drawing-rooms, and it
has never been detected, but created great surprise.

AN EFFECTIVE BUT SIMPLE TRICK

Stick a halfpenny (or a shilling) under the edge of a table secretly
with a small piece of wax. Show another halfpenny to the company, and
when it is returned to you, place it in front of you on the table while
you turn up your sleeves. Then place the fingers of you