HOWARD THURSTON'S

CARD TRICKS

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 PREFACE

In presenting to my magical confrères and the public in general this

contribution to the already extensive literature on Conjuring and Card
Tricks, I would point out that I can make no excuse for the raison d' etre
of this book beyond the fact that I have been led to believe that a
strictly O RI GI N A L T R E A T I S E , embracing the very latest sleights with
playing-cards, combined with descriptions of many new and hitherto
unknown non-sleight-of-hand card tricks, would meet with approbation
from amateurs and professionals alike, taking into consideration the
ever-increasing popularity of the Magician ' s Art.

HOWARD THURSTON.
PALACE THEATRE, LONDON,

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
A FEW INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF HOWARD THURSTON, PREMIER CARD
MANIPULATOR OF THE WORLD

CHAPTER II.
INDISPENSABLE SLEIGHTS

CHAPTER III.
THE CONTINUOUS FRONT- AND BACK-HAND PALM, WITH CARDS AND
TRICKS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
CHAPTER IV.
THE “THURSTON” SYSTEM OF EXPERT CARD MANIPULATION (NOW
PUBLISHED FOR THE FIRST TIME)

CHAPTER V.
AN ENTIRELY NEW AND ORIGINAL COLLECTION OF MISCELLANEOUS CARD
TRICKS, INCLUDING THE CORRECT METHOD OF PERFORMING THURSTON’S
NEW RISING CARDS
 CHAPTER I.

A Few Incidents in the Life of Howard

Thurston.

HOWARD THURSTON, the Premier Card Manipulator of the World, and known
throughout America as "The Man who Mystified Hermann," was born at Columbus,
Ohio, on the l0th of July, 1869, and is therefore now in his thirty-first year.
Originally intended by his father—a gentleman of firm Christian principles—for the
ministry, he entered the D. L. Moody College, in Northfield, Mass., and completed a
course of five years' training. During this period he came to the conclusion that
Providence had never intended him to go through life as a parson, and his natural
love of Magic always predominated over his liking for the more serious subject he
was studying.
Upon graduating with honors from the College, very much against his father's wish
he decided to adopt Magic as his profession. (How many other well-meaning
enthusiasts have adopted this procedure, and with what result?) He did so, but
found that there were already too many "all-round" Conjurers in the business. This
some-what damped his ardor at first; but, after cogitating for some considerable
time, he decided to adopt a single branch of the Magician's Art, viz., Card Tricks.
Then came many weary months of assiduous practice, the greater part of the time
being occupied in a strict adherence to a special system of strengthening and giving
additional flexibility to the muscles of the hands (a system which, much as I should
like, I am not in a position to divulge), and after five years' traveling in America, pre-
senting a Magical Entertainment of two hours in length in the smaller cities, Mr.
Thurston first made his bow to a public audience as a Card Manipulator at the
Fountain Square Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio, in January, 1895. Since then his career
has been one of unprecedented success and brilliancy.
One of the chief characteristics of Mr. Thurston's act is his graceful stage deportment.
No other living artiste, in my opinion (and I have witnessed the performances of the
best Prestidigitateurs of the past quarter of a century) can compare with him in the
incomparable manner in which he presents his tricks.
There is nothing automatic about this Past Master of the Art. During the whole of his
performance he is thinking, and always on the alert, watching for new ideas to occur
to his energetic brain. Magic, like Literature is a double Art: Mechanical Magic is the
Prose, while Sleight-of-Hand is the Poetry, and it is in this latter branch that this
great artiste excels.
Mr. Thurton's pièce de resistance is his celebrated Rising-Card Trick, with
which he absolutely mystified that guardian of an honored name in the world
of deception—HERMANN THE GREAT.
With regard to this trick I think it will be of interest to the readers of this book,
to reproduce at this point the following extract from the Denver Sunday Post,
of October 23d, 1898:
 "HERMANN, THE GREAT, MYSTIFIED BY
THURSTON.
"Hermann, the magician, and his entire company, including Mme. Hermann,
were nonplussed last night on the Tabor Grand stage by another magician. The
scene occurred about 7:3o o'clock, before the prestidigitateur had dressed for
his performance, and while Mme. Hermann was yet in street costume. Both
had come in with the under-standing that they were to witness a performance
before commencing their own.
"The chief actor in the scene was Howard Thurston, who has been filling a two
weeks' engagement at the Orpheum Theatre.
"Hermann, having heard of Thurston's act, or trick, called at the theatre one
evening to witness it, and was so pleased with it that he requested the young
man to call. In response, Thurston called on Hermann, and they discussed the
act.
Hermann told Thurston that he would be delighted to have him give the trick
before his entire company, and, if its members were as favorably impressed
with it as he himself, he would purchase it.
"Thurston set last evening as the time of the trial exhibition. The drop curtain
was lowered and Thurston told all the company to line up be-fore him on the
stage. In the group of auditors, besides Mr. and Mrs. Hermann, were W. E.
Robinson, chief illusionist of the company, also a representative of the Denver
Post, the numerous stage hands and carpenters attached to the company and
the theatre.
"Thurston occupied a position in the centre of the stage. Four of the witnesses
drew a card from a pack which had been shuffled, looked at it, noted the
denomination silently, and replaced it in Thurston's hands. Then he withdrew
to a position further in the rear, and asked one of the spectators what card he
had taken out of the pack.
"It was the ten of diamonds,” was the answer.
" ' T e n of diamonds, come forth!' commanded Thurston, who held the pack.
Instantly the ten of diamonds arose from his left hand and ascended two feet
to the right hand. Addressing the next man, he said: `What card did you
draw?'
"The jack of hearts.”
"Thurston ordered the jack of hearts to ascend, and it instantly obeyed.
" T o the next man Thurston propounded a similar question, with like results.
He then asked the next man, Hermann himself, to name his card, which
happened to be the ten of clubs.
"Let the ten of clubs appear !' said Thurston, and the familiar ten-spot
silently arose as if propelled by an unseen power. Hermann smiled with
wonder at the performance, and was completely mystified. Afterward
Hermann acknowledged the trick was a winner, and offered to purchase
it.
"Thurston was especially gratified at the fact that his trick was not seen
through by the Hermann party. He had mystified the mystifier. "
When this episode became known, there was a great rush on the part of
the public to witness this trick, and since then Mr. Thurston has never
passed a single week out of an engagement.
In addition to his being otherwise highly connected socially, Mr. Thurston
is the nephew of United States Senator John M. Thurston, of Nebraska.
I include the following opinions of well-known newspapers, taken from a
large, well-filled scrap-book now before me, of flattering Press notices,
clipped from leading newspapers of the world, as I am of opinion that
everything appertaining to Conjuring is of interest to students of books
of this description.
San Francisco Examiner, March 27th, I899.
"Howard Thurston has accomplished the seemingly impossible in
presenting a sleight-of-hand performance in a gentlemanly manner. The
charm of his act is quite as much in the way he does it as in what he does.
Some of his tricks are astounding."
New York World, August 21st, 1890.
"Admirable as is the work of all these, the act of Mr. Thurston provokes the
keenest interest, owing to its novelty and to his remarkable expertness.
"As a manipulator of cards, he must be the envy of every slick and smooth
card-sharp in the country. He is more adroit in his tricks than Kellar,
Hermann, or any of the other great necromancers who have juggled the
pasteboards among other feats of legerdemain.
"His tricks are worth studying by all who think they know a thing or two about
shuffling cards."
In the United States Mr. Thurston always concluded his entertainment by
producing numerous packs of cards from different parts of a spectator's
clothing, finishing up by taking a live duck from under the gentleman's coat-
collar.
With regard to the duck for this latter trick which Mr. Thurston carried with
him in America, his trusted and intelligent colored assistant, Keno, who has
been with him for three years, tells rather a humorous story, which, in
addition to proving the shrewdness and sharpness of the lad, is distinctly
interesting.
In Los Angeles, Cal., where Mr. Thurston was playing, his assistant was
boarding with a colored family. One day, when a wedding was about to be
celebrated in the house, they told him he had better go out in the yard and
look for his duck, as they had missed it, and were afraid it had got away. He
did so, but could find no duck. Poor Keno was in a fix; but being aware of a
certain weakness for appropriating other people's poultry displayed by some
classes of colored folk, he came to the conclusion that Mister Duck was
intended to form part of the wedding repast. He thereupon concocted a story
to the effect that it did not matter about the duck being lost, as the day
previously it had eaten, by accident, at the theatre a large quantity of poison
which Mr. Thurston used for cleaning his diamonds, and the doctor had told
Mr. Thurston he had better buy another one, as it would certainly die from
the effects of the poison within two or three days. Keno then went off to the
theatre, and on his return at night was informed that his duck had in some
mysterious manner found its way back into the yard, which, upon
investigation, he found to be true!
After being the recipient of many flattering proposals to appear in Europe, Mr.
Thurston decided to cross the Atlantic, and opened at the Palace Theatre,
London, on November 12th, 1900, his success being instantaneous. His
original engagement was for four weeks, but he went serenely on his way,
the applause increasing at each performance, for twenty-six consecutive
weeks at this theatre, which is conceded by all to be the most fashionable and
beautiful vaudeville house in Europe.
The following extract from the London Mail is of interest, and I include it:

"THE KING OF CARDS.

" A t the Palace Theatre there is just now appearing Mr. H. Thurston, who with some
justice calls himself the ‘King of Cards.’ Mr. Thurston has developed quite a new form
of card entertainment, one which not only amuses, but absolutely mystifies, the
audience. He has brought to a pitch of perfection the art of palming a pack of cards,
with results which can be readily imagined by any one acquainted with card tricks. He
has wonderful digital strength, and his latest feat of distributing a pack of cards singly
throughout the audience quite brings down the house. Not only does he throw single
cards into the gallery of what is one of the largest theatres in town, but with such
accuracy that he can almost throw to any particular individual in the audience."
His success was all the more gratifying, inasmuch as he was preceded in London by
many ex-pert card manipulators.
Being a polished gentleman both on and off the stage, Mr. Thurston made, during his
stay in the great Metropolis, a host of friends; but this does not seem at all strange to
any one personally acquainted with this genial and affable artiste. In addition to
highly salaried engagements booked in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, St. Petersburg,
etc., etc., Mr. Thurston holds contracts which will keep him busy for the next
four years. A gentleman and a born artiste to his finger-tips, Howard
Thurston—Premier Card Manipulator of the World—will undoubtedly cause his
name to be a household word among conjurers for very many years to come.
BERNARD EUSTACE LENNOX.
Piccadilly, London, January, 1901.
 C HAPT ER II
Indispensable Sleights.
I AM of course aware that the "pass," " force," and "change" have often been
explained in the numerous excellent treatises on Card Tricks in existence, but
I feel it my duty to include descriptions of them herein, inasmuch as many of
the most brilliant illusions with cards would be impossible but for a thorough
knowledge of these. So as not to tax the patience of my readers who are
advanced in the Art, I will make my descriptions as terse as possible, first of
all explaining what is acknowledged to be the foundation of card ma-
nipulation, viz.:

THE PASS.

For the accomplishment of this sleight, the pack is held as in Fig. i, with the
little finger of the left hand inserted over the card to be brought to the top.
Now cover the pack with the right hand. Grasp the lower portion of the pack
lengthways between the second finger at the upper, and the thumb at the
lower end, the left thumb lying slightly bent across the pack.

FIG. 1.
Press the upper edge of the lower packet into the fork of the left thumb so
that the two packets will be in the position depicted in Fig. 2.
 Fig. 2

The fingers of the left hand are now extended, causing the upper portion of
the pack to be drawn away, at the same time raising (with the right hand)
the lower edge of the under pack till the edges of the packets just clear each
other (see Fig. 3), when, by the mere act of closing the left hand, they will
be brought together

Fig. 3

as at first, save that they will have changed places, and the desired card will
now be on the top. The letters A and B in the illustrations will make this
clear.
The "pass” will appear exceedingly difficult of execution at the outset; but
with careful practice, aiming more at neatness than rapidity, the different
movements which I have described will melt, as it were, into one, and the
sleight can then be accomplished in an absolutely indetectable manner.
There are numerous other methods of making the pass, some with the aid of
only one hand; but as the above is conceded to be the most perfect, I have
thought it necessary for me to explain merely this one.

THE FORCE.

The sleight with the above title consists of compelling a spectator to select a
certain card, and is indispensable in certain tricks.
It is next to impossible in writing to teach the novice to force a card; but the
idea will very soon become apparent after the learner has made a few
experiments. The card which you desire selected is, in the first place, either at
the top or bottom of the pack, the pass is now made (bringing the particular
card to the middle) and the pack spread out fanwise, the second finger of the
right hand mean-while pressing on the bottom of the necessary card, as in
Fig. 4. A spectator is now asked to select a card from the pack, the performer
meantime running the cards quickly from hand to hand, and, as the drawer's
fingers approach the pack, the second finger of the right hand literally pushes
the desired card into his hand, as in Fig. 5, which represents the card being
pushed forward. The card to be forced should be a little more exposed than
the rest. This, however, is only the A B C of the "force," the successful
operation of which can only be accomplished after innumerable trials. Above
all, don't be in a great hurry to get it over.

FIG. 4

FIG. 5

Endeavor to appear to be absolutely indifferent as to where the card is taken,

even going so far as to say: "Have your choice, sir; take any card you wish."
If by any chance the force fails, and another card is chosen, the performer
need not fear a contretemps, but with a "Thank you, sir; kindly re-place
your card anywhere you like in the pack," put the little finger on it, make the
pass bringing it to the top, from which position it can be palmed off, or the
trick finished as fancy dictates. The first card is now "forced" on some more
accommodating person.
 T H E CHANGE.
A card held in the hand mysteriously changes to an entirely different one.
There are several methods of performing the above sleight; but I shall
describe one only, which I consider to be the best.
The card to be changed is held between the first and second finger of the
right hand, the pack being held in the left, with the card for which the first is
to be changed slightly projecting from the top. The right hand now makes a
sweeping motion, and, as it passes the pack, leaves the card at the bottom
and brings away, with the thumb and first finger (see Fig. 6), the top one.
This may appear to the neophyte to be impossible of indetectable execution,
but with even a little practice it will be found that a perfect illusion can be
created.

FIG. 6
If the body makes a half turn from right to left, it will greatly facilitate the
deception, or if done in the act of ad-dressing a spectator, and slightly bending
forward at the same time.

THE ORDINARY PALM.

It is often necessary to palm or conceal a card the palm of the hand. Suppose,
for instance, a card is chosen from the pack and replaced. The "pass “is then
made and the card brought to the top. The pack is now held in the left hand,
the right hand approaches the same, and with the second finger pushes
forward the top card an eighth of an inch or more, at the same time exerting a
slight pressure upon it. This causes the card to be tilted into the palm of the
right hand, which forthwith grasps the pack between the first finger and
thumb. (See Fig. 7.)
The pack can now safely be handed to another spectator to thoroughly shuffle,
and, when returned, the performer has no difficulty in secretly replacing the
palmed card on top.
 FIG. 7

While the card is palmed, allow the hand to hang down in a careless position,
and never, under any circumstances, even glance at it.

The beginner should devote as much time as possible to the practice of the
foregoing sleights, as when he is proficient innumerable new tricks and
combinations will suggest themselves to his mind.

CHAPTER III

The Continuous Front and Back Hand-Palm and Tricks in Connection

Therewith.
THE novel sleight with the above title is of comparatively recent invention,
the idea it embodies being to enable the performer to conceal one or more
cards in his hand, although at any moment showing back and front of the
hand to be perfectly empty.
To successfully accomplish this feat, great digital dexterity is essential, but
this, of course, can be attained by assiduous practice.
I will first of all describe the method of working this sleight with one card.
To begin with, the card is held between the tips of the middle finger and
thumb, as in Fig. 8.
The first and little fingers now grip the card, as in Fig. 9.
The two middle fingers are next bent and brought down under the card and
round to the front of same, thereby causing the card to revolve

FIG. 8

between the first and fourth fingers, as though on an axis, and assume the

FIG. 9

position on the back of the hand clipped between the first and second and third
and fourth fingers, depicted in Fig. 10.
After considerable practice it will be found that all the movements I have just
described will become practically one, and the card will apparently vanish from
the hand without the most astute spectator having the faintest idea where,
especially if the manipulation is accomplished with a sweeping motion, as
though the card were thrown in the air.
 FIG. 10

Now to reverse the card to the front of the hand again, so as to enable the
back of the hand to be shown to the audience.
To accomplish this, the fingers bend forward so that the thumb can press on
the middle of the face of the card (see Fig. 11), and pull it sharply round to
the front of the hand, where it is held between the fingers, as shown in Fig.
12.
The principal difficulty encountered by students when learning this sleight, is
to prevent the audience from catching a glimpse of the cards as they

FIG. 11

are brought from the back to the front of the hand, or vice versa. This can,
however, be surmounted by practising before a mirror, as you will then be
able to ascertain the exact angle at which the movement can be indetectably
accomplished.
To further heighten the effect of the sleight, when the card is in the position
(as in Fig. 12), with the back of the hand, of course, facing the audience, I
push the card down into the palm, as shown in Fig. 13. This movement, which
is absolutely impossible to describe in writing, will become apparent to the
learner after a few trials.
With the card in this position, of course the fingers and thumb can be spread
wide apart. When manipulating more than one card, the above movements
all hold good, with the exception of bringing the cards from the back of the
hand to the front.
 FIG. 12

Instead of the thumb pulling the cards round to the front, which would
practically be impossible, it simply presses upon them, while the first finger
moves to the other end of the cards, and pushes them down into the attitude
illustrated in Fig. 12.
The foregoing is the correct method of executing the continuous front and
back hand palm.
There are, of course, innumerable additions to the original idea, a few of
which, used by me in my act, I will now describe.

FIG. I3.

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF FIVE CARDS

ONE AT A TIME.
FIRST METHOD.
In this trick the performer takes one card, as in Fig. 8, and back-palms it.
He then takes another one between the middle finger and thumb, and
slides it on to the back of the hand on top of the first one, the first and fourth
fingers slightly opening to receive it. The other three cards are treated in the
same manner.
This sleight will be found somewhat difficult at first, but, being so effective, it
will amply repay the performer for any time he may spend on its acquirement,
as I consider it one of the best tricks in my act.

SECOND METHOD.
In this method of performing the foregoing trick, after the artiste has back-
palmed one card, in the act of placing the second card in position, he palms
off with his left hand from the back of the right the first card vanished.

FIG. 14

(See Fig. 14 which represents the first card being removed). This is, of
course, repeated with the remainder. Each card vanished is palmed off into
the left hand in the act of placing the next one in position between the finger
and thumb of the right, thus enabling the performer to show that he only
holds one card in his right hand. The remaining four can then, if desired, be
produced from the side of the left leg.
The sleight is, I believe, unknown to conjurers, and, if neatly executed, will
cause great astonishment.

T H E PRODUCTION OF CARDS ONE AT A TIME AT THE FINGER-TIPS FROM

THE BACK-HAND PALM.
This is one of the prettiest effects in connection with the Back-hand Palm.
After the performer has vanished by means of the back-hand palm, say, five
cards, and shown both sides of the hands to be empty, he proceeds to
reproduce the cards one by one at the finger-tips, as in Fig. 15

.
FIG. 15

This is accomplished in the following manner: When it is desired to produce

one card from the back of the hand, the thumb bends round to the

FIG. 16

middle of the nearest end of the outside card and literally pulls it away from
the rest, the first and fourth fingers aiding in its release by slightly relaxing
their pressure (see Fig. 16) Once quite free from the back of the hand, the
card is pushed by the thumb into the position depicted in Fig. 15. This must be
done very slowly at first, but, of course, in the actual performance all the
above movements must be made simultaneously. If this is done with a slight
wave of the hand, it will appear to the audience that the performer actually
caught the card from the air.
The effect of this trick can be further heightened by the performer, after
having caught, say, three cards, showing his right hand to he absolutely
empty, back and front, and the fingers spread wide apart. The following is the
procedure:
As each card is produced at the right-hand finger-tips, it is placed in the left
hand. (Fig. 17 shows the exact positions of both hands.) When the performer
has caught the third card, in the act of placing it in the left hand, he secretly
leaves the cards, still back-palmed, behind the three cards now in the left
hand, gripped by the second finger. (See Fig. 18 which represents a back view
showing the position of the hand and cards.)
The right hand is now shown empty, and the performer makes the remark: "
No; certainly not. Nothing between the fingers. All we have here is three
cards," meanwhile counting with the thumb of the right hand those in the
hand. Under cover of this movement the two hidden cards are again back-
palmed in the right hand (see Fig. 19), and reproduced at the will of the
artist.

FIG. 17

FIG. 18
 FIG. 19

THE PRODUCTION OF CARDS AT THE FINGER-TIPS FROM THE O R D I N A R Y

PALM.
My original method of producing the cards singly at the finger-tips, with the
back of the hand toward the audience having met with such a great amount
of success, I am pleased to acquaint my readers with the correct method
of its execution.

FIG. 20

From the ordinary palm the cards are transferred to the finger palm, as in Fig.
20. The little finger now very slightly relaxes its pressure on the cards, when it
will be found upon practice that one card will be released (see Fig. 21).
 FIG. 21

The thumb now comes down under the end of the card and pushes it up into
the position depicted in Fig. 22 the back of the hand, of course, facing the
audience.

FIG. 22

I am usually in the habit of performing this sleight with from twenty-five to

thirty ordinary cards, but three or four will be quite enough for the beginner
to commence with.

PASSING A CARD THROUGH THE

KNEES, ETC.
A card—`say the ace of spades,—is held in the left hand in the position shown
in Fig. 23. It now vanishes, immediately reappearing in the right hand (see
Fig. 24), having apparently passed through the knees. It is next passed back
to its original position, and then again into the right hand.
FIG. 23

FI G. 24

FIG. 25
 FIG. 26

Both hands now assume the attitude illustrated in Fig. 25. The card is caused
to apparently pass along the arm into the left hand (see Fig. 26), and

FIG. 27

then back into the right (see Fig. 27). It is then taken in the left hand and
vanished, both hands being shown empty, and the card is reproduced at the
finger-tips as though caught in the air.
This, to my mind, excellent trick is accomplished chiefly by the performer
being able to execute the front- and back-hand palm with both hands with
equal facility. There are, of course, two cards used, and as the method for
secretly obtaining possession of the duplicate card is some-what unique and
novel, I have come to the conclusion that I had better describe this trick in
detail, as it is the foundation for innumerable other sleights.
In the first place, the performer takes in reality two aces of spades, but held
closely together so that they appear to the audience as one card only. Both
cards are now back-palmed, and hands shown empty. One only of the cards
is "caught" at the finger-tips, and this is forthwith taken into the left hand
and held in the first position for passing through the knees. It is now (with a
swinging motion of the hand as if to throw the card behind the knee) back-
palmed, and the duplicate (which has remained on the back of the other
hand) produced in the right hand. This can be repeated at the wish of the
performer. A certain time must be spent in getting the hands to work
harmoniously together. If this is done, the illusion is perfect. The passing of
the card along the arm is, of course, accomplished in a similar manner.
The right hand now places the card which is visible to the audience between
the second finger and thumb of the left hand, which forthwith back-palms it
on top of the duplicate (by the method described on page 25). Both hands
are now shown empty, and as a finale the two cards are produced as one and
laid on the table, this being easily brought about by tightly holding them
together as in the first stage of the trick.

C H APT ER IV
The " T h u r s t o n " System of Expert Card
Manipulation.

In this chapter I propose describing a system of Card Manipulation

originated by myself a few years ago. I am, however, indebted to my friend,
Mr. Si Stebbens, of America, for many valuable suggestions and ideas with
regard to its conception.
The series of tricks about to be described are specially recommended to
professionals, amateurs, and novices alike, as they are all absolutely new.
The whole system can be thoroughly learned in an hour, and when once this
is done, the performer can exhibit tricks with cards which, to the uninitiated,
seem altogether to transcend human ability.
A few effects to be obtained with the aid of this system are as follows:
Seven or eight cards are selected (not forced) in a bunch from a previously
shuffled pack. The per-former can instantly name the chosen cards.
The artist first shuffling the pack, a spectator is then asked to name any
card, whereupon the per- former states its correct position in the pack, and,
to corroborate his assertion, immediately proceeds to cut the pack at the
desired card.
Three cards are selected by a member of the audience, and, without looking at
same, are placed by himself in his pocket. The performer now calls out the
name of a certain card, which we will suppose is the eight of diamonds, and
requests the spectator to take one of the three cards from his pocket, which,
upon examination, is shown to be the eight of diamonds. This is repeated with
the remaining two cards.
The foregoing are but a few of the many brilliant and bewildering tricks
possible of performance by the method I am about to describe.
I have for some time past been accustomed to present this series of tricks at
all my private engagements, and I can, without hesitation, emphatically state
that for parlor or drawing-room work there are no better card-tricks extant.
The principal secret of the whole of the tricks herein explained lies in a novel
prearrangement of the pack of cards used.
The cards should, in the first place, be laid out on the table in the order as
shown on following page.
The second card (the four of spades) should now be placed on the first one
(the ace of clubs), then the third one (the seven of hearts), and so on to the
end.
It will be observed that each card is three higher than the one immediately
behind it, the arrangement of the suits being: Clubs, spades, hearts,
diamonds. The precise arrangement of the suits is practically immaterial, and
it would, perhaps, be as well for the student to adopt a system of his own.
The arrangement of the Court cards is: jack—11, queen-12, king—13, so
that supposing the bottom card of the pack was the jack of clubs, the
performer would instantly know that the next card beginning at the top of the
pack is the ace of spades.
The performer should, by means of his pocket or otherwise, exchange the
pack he has been previously using, for a similar pack, prepared as just
described.
For stage or drawing-room purposes, a very ingenious little piece of
apparatus has recently been devised to enable the artiste to indetectably
change one pack for another, and as it would be most useful in this case, I
think I cannot do better than give my readers a description of it.

The principal part of this piece of apparatus consists of a metal ring, 6in. or
8in. in diameter, to which is attached a black cloth bag. To the ring is
soldered a flat strip of metal, having riveted to it a spring clip. By means of a
sharp point protruding from the rear, the apparatus can be easily and quickly
attached to the back of a chair by pushing the point into the woodwork (see
Fig. 28). In the clip is inserted a pack of cards arranged in the order I have
explained, which the performer must substitute for an ordinary pack by
means of the following ruse:
With the pack in the right hand, he takes hold of the chair in such a manner
that the thumb only is visible to the audience, the pack and the fingers being
hidden by the back of the chair.

FIG. 28

The left hand now takes hold of the seat of the chair, which is set on one side,
as if it were in the way. During this operation the pack of cards is dropped
from the right hand into the bag, and the duplicate pack removed from the
clip. If this is done neatly and without undue haste, the audience will never
suspect that a change has been accomplished.
A more simple change, but which will answer the purpose quite as well,
especially for an impromptu performance, is to simply place the pack which
you have been using in your coat pocket, and an instant later take out from the
same pocket the prepared pack.
The performer next proceeds to make what is known as a false shuffle with
the prepared pack. As this is a most useful adjunct to many beautiful
experiments with cards, I will describe two of the methods employed in its
execution.

FIRST METHOD.

This is one of the very many deceptive sleights originated by the celebrated
Professor Charlier, and is undoubtedly the best false shuffle in existence, but
owing to the great amount of practice required for its successful
accomplishment, it is rarely made use of except by professionals, but if
thoroughly mastered the performer can deceive experts.
The pack is held in the left hand, and throe or four of the top cards are passed
into the right. Now pass the remaining cards in small parcels alternately above
and below these, but the cards that are passed below are taken from the top
of the left-hand packet, and the cards that are placed above are passed from
the bottom of the left-hand packet, this being exactly the reverse of the
ordinary movement.
To pass the cards from the top of the left-hand packet to the bottom of the
right-hand packet is fairly easy, they being pushed forward with the left
thumb, but it is the reverse movement that is difficult.
I recommend this style of false shuffle to the lover of deceptive sleights, but
for those who do not care to devote sufficient time for its indetectable
execution I herewith describe a very easy, but at the same time effective,
false shuffle originated by myself.

SECOND METHOD.

The pack is held in both hands, as in Fig. 29. The lower half of the pack is
now removed with the right hand, but in doing so a few of the hinder-most
cards of the pack in the left hand are left slightly protruding, as in Fig. 30.
The parcel in the right hand is now replaced on the front of the pack. If this
is repeated with rapidity, the effect to the audience will be that the cards are
thoroughly mixed, whereas in reality they are only cut. Armed with the
prearranged pack, and the ability to execute one of the false shuffles, the

FIG. 29.

performer is now ready to present the following series of tricks :

 TO I N S T A N T L Y NAME A N Y CARD
CHOSEN.
The pack is spread out fanwise to a spectator, with a request for him to
select a card. When this is done, the performer, in a casual manner, cuts
the cards at the point where the chosen card was removed, thereby

FIG. 30

bringing the card that was next above the selected one to the bottom of the
pack, and the artiste has simply to catch a glimpse of the bottom card, which
tells him the name of the chosen one. For instance, suppose the bottom card
was the six of spades, the performer knows that the selected card must be
the nine of hearts, because hearts follow spades, and, therefore, the next
card (the one drawn) is a heart, and it will be remembered in the
arrangement of the pack that each card is three higher than the preceding
one. Therefore, if the bottom card is the six of spades, the selected card will
be the nine of hearts,

TO TELL THE NAMES OF ANY NUMBER

OF CARDS CHOSEN.

A spectator is asked to take out a few cards in a bunch—eight or nine, or in

fact as many as he likes. The cut is now made, and the bottom card noted,
and the performer is able to instantly name the chosen cards. When this has
been done, if the cards are replaced on the bottom of the pack one by one in
the order as chosen, the pack will still be in the correct condition for further
tricks.
When naming the cards selected, so as not to give any astute member of the
audience a chance to observe that each card is three spots higher than the
preceding one, it is advisable not to call them out in their exact order.
Supposing the cards selected were the jack of spades, ace of hearts, four of
diamonds, seven of clubs, ten of spades, king of hearts, three of diamonds,
and six of clubs, the performer could name them in the following manner,
thereby eliminating all suspicion of prearrangement:
Jack of spades, ace of hearts, then pass the four of diamonds and call the
seven of clubs, then call the four of diamonds. But in placing the four of
diamonds on the bottom of the pack, be sure to get it under the seven of clubs
so as not to upset the order of arrangement. The performer will now have the
seven of clubs on the bottom, so will instantly know that the ten of spades is
the next card to be called.
In performing this trick I generally ask three or four members of the audience
to each select a number of cards—all in bunches—from the top of the portion
of cards held in the left hand.
It is well to ask those who have selected cards to mix them before starting to
call out their names, as this disarranges the order of the cards they hold,
otherwise they might note that the cards in their possession were called in the
order they held them.

TO TELL THE EXACT POSITION IN THE PACK OF ANY CARD NAMED BY THE
AUDIENCE.
The following explanation will require a little study, but if the rules are followed
just as stated below, the student will soon comprehend the idea

FIG. 31
I intend to present, and I dare say will be greatly pleased with the result. In my
mind it is the key to the greatest combination of card tricks in existence.
To begin with, the card is named by the audience, the artiste so holding the pack
as to see at a glance, and note the last four cards, as seen in Fig. 31. These last
four cards are: Ten of hearts, king of diamonds, three of clubs, and six of
spades.
Say the card named is the three of spades. Now, according to table No. 1,
you subtract the given card (three of spades) from the first card of the suit
(six of spades), which leaves three. Next multiply by four—twelve; therefore,
the three of spades is the twelfth card from the top. Now cut the cards as
near as possible to what you think is twelve. Should you cut at the eleventh
card—which would be the king of clubs--you immediately know the card
following a club is a spade, and if you cut at the king of clubs, the next card
is three spots higher—the three of spades—so you open at the next card. Or,
should you cut the pack at the thirteenth card, which in this case would be
the six of hearts, you know a heart is preceded by a spade, and if you have
the six of hearts, the card before it is the three of spades.

TABLE NO. 1

The following table should be thoroughly learned and memorized.

We will suppose the performer has effected the change of packs and is ready
to find any given card in the pack, therefore he proceeds as follows:
Subtract the given card from first card of suit from the bottom of pack. Now
multiply it by four, and deduct the number of cards following the first card of
suit.

We will refer again to Fig. 31.

Say the given card is the five of hearts, subtract five from first card of suit
(which is ten of hearts) —five.
Now multiply by four—twenty, less the number of cards before the first card
of suit from the bottom, which is three, which, deducted from twenty leaves
seventeen. Therefore, the five of hearts is the seventeenth card from the top.

TABLE No. 2.

If the card named is higher than the first card of suit from the bottom,
subtract the given card from thirteen.
Now add the number of first card of suit, then multiply by four, less the
number of cards following the first card of suit, and you will have the exact
number of the given card from the top of the pack. In Fig. 31 the last four
cards are the ten of hearts, king of diamonds, three of clubs, and six of
spades.
We will say the five of clubs is named, the three of clubs being the first card
of suit.
As it is impossible to subtract five from three, you deduct it from thirteen (as
explained in table No. 2), which leaves eight. Now add the number of first
card of suit, which is three—eleven; multiply by four — forty-four, less the
number of cards following the first card of suit (which is one)—forty-three.
You will upon examination sow find that the forty-third card is the five of
clubs.
With a little careful practice the student will soon become familiar with the
arrangement, and that which now appears somewhat difficult will be-tome
very simple and easy.
I can, within the space of three seconds, cut the pack to any given card.

MIND OVER MIND, OR THE MARVELLOUS WILL POWER.

A spectator draws three cards from the pack, not forced, and without looking
at them, or the performer touching them, places them in his breast pocket,
from which he has previously removed the contents. The performer now calls
out the name of a card, and requests the spectator to hand him one of the
three cards from his pocket. Upon this being done, the card is found to
correspond with the one previously named by the performer. This is repeated
with the other two cards.
This is a vast improvement on the old method of performing a very similar
trick, and is highly commended.
The performer asks a spectator to select three cards (making sure that the
three cards are selected in a bunch). He then cuts the cards as usual,
bringing the card just above the three chosen to the bottom.
The three cards chosen must now be placed in the pocket with the faces
toward the person, which is the natural way of doing it. The performer now
notes the bottom card of the pack, which enables him to know the names of
the chosen cards. Sup-pose the bottom card was the five of hearts, the first
of the three cards would be the eight of diamonds. Therefore, the performer
asks the gentle-man to place his hand, as quickly as possible, into his pocket
and hand him the eight of diamonds, which nine times out of ten will be
correct, for this reason: In the act of the spectator placing his left hand in his
right inside breast-pocket, owing to it being done quickly, he will seldom, if
ever, place more than his four fingers in the pocket, the thumb remaining on
the outside. For this reason the only card possible for him to take from the
pocket in this condition is the top one, which is the eight of diamonds. If the
reader will try this experiment with himself, he will readily catch the idea.
After the first card is produced, the performer calls for the next, which is
the jack of clubs, and as there is but one remaining card there can be no
mistake, as the performer asks for the ace of spades.
I find this trick always has a great effect on tilt audience, and causes a
considerable amount of excitement and interest.
 TO CAUSE A CARD SELECTED BY A SPECTATOR TO BE NAMED BY THE
AUDIENCE.
A card is selected by a spectator and laid on the table without its face being
seen. The performer now states that it is impossible for any one to know the
name of the card, but that he will cause the audience themselves to name
it.
The modus operandi employed for this experiment is not absolutely new,
but fits in well with the series of tricks in my system, and I, therefore,
include it.
Supposing the card selected was the eight of hearts, the performer secretly
ascertains its name in the same manner as explained on page 53, and
forthwith addresses the audience as follows:
"Ladies and gentlemen, there are four suits in the pack : hearts, spades,
diamonds, and clubs. I shall ask some gentleman to name either two of them.
Thank you, sir. The gentleman says hearts and spades, therefore it must be a
heart or a spade. Now, will some one kindly name one of these. A spade!
Thank you, sir; that leaves a heart, therefore it must be a heart."
To explain the above. The artiste knows, in the first place, that the card is a
heart, and he interprets the ,answers from the audience to suit his own
purpose, in the following manner: Had the audience said diamonds and clubs in
place of spades and hearts, the performer would have said: "Very well, sir;
that leaves hearts and spades." Now, with regard to the heart and the spade,
had the audience said hearts instead of spades, the reply would have been:
"Very well; it must be a heart."
Example: There are two cards left—hearts and spades. The performer wants
the audience to name hearts. Suppose the audience names spades, the reply
is: "Very well; that leaves a heart."
Should they have named a heart, the reply is: "Thank you; we will make it a
heart," and thus the performer practically forces the card on the audience.
Now, to continue the trick and cause the exact name of the card to be called,
which is carried out on the same principle, the performer continues:" The
suit is a heart, there are thirteen cards in a suit, and it must be one of the
thirteen. We will divide the thirteen into odd and even numbers. Will some
one kindly say either odd or even? Odd! Thank you; that leaves even. The
even numbers are two, four, six, eight, ten, queen. We will divide them into
two parts, above or below seven. Will some one kindly name above or be-
low seven? Above seven! Thank you, sir. It, therefore, must be either the
eight, ten, or queen. Will some gentleman kindly name two of these three?
Eight and queen! Thank you. Now, will some one select either the eight or
the queen? Queen! Thank you. That leaves the eight of hearts. Will the
gentleman kindly turn up this card? "
A suggestion as to the tone of voice in naming these cards will be of great
advantage. For in-stance, suppose the queen and eight are left, the
performer, wishing the audience to name the eight, says : "Will some one
name the eight or the queen? "with a strong accent on the eight, and nine
times out of ten, if the words are properly spoken, the desired card will be
selected.
 A NEW MIND-READING F E A T WITH
CARDS.

I wish to tender my sincere thanks to my friend, Mrs. Hartley Milburn, of

London, for the idea of this splendid trick.
One or more cards should be selected by a spectator, and the pack laid on
the table.
A lady or gentleman sitting on the opposite side of the room (without even as
much as a look from the performer) immediately informs the drawer the
number and the names of the cards chosen.
This trick, which can, if desired, be presented as an exhibition of genuine
mind-reading, will create a profound sensation.
The medium, or second party, to this experiment must be thoroughly
acquainted with the order in which the pack is arranged, and should be seated
on one side of the performer.
After the card or cards have been selected, the pack is cut, and the card that
was above those selected brought to the bottom. In the act of laying the
cards on the table, the bottom card is momentarily exposed to the view of
the assistant, thus enabling him or her to name the selected card, this, of
course, being easily accomplished when one thoroughly understands the
arrangement of the pack as set out on page 40.
With a judicious addition of one of the false shuffles described in this present
chapter, two clever people can perform tricks on the above principle that not
so many years ago would have caused them to meet the fate of a sorcerer.
 CHAPTER V

An Incomprehensible Divination.

An Entirely New and Original Collection of

Miscellaneous Card Tricks, Including the
Correct Method of Performing Thurston's
New Rising Cards.

UNDER this title I have pleasure in describing what is, in my opinion, a very
clever non-sleight-of-hand trick. It has never yet been published, and is, in
fact, absolutely unknown. It is so simple that a child can learn it in five
minutes, yet it can be exhibited to experts for hours without the slightest
fear of detection. It is one of the very few tricks that can be repeated ad
lib.
In effect it is as follows:
Eleven cards are placed face downward on the table in a heap. The
performer is now securely blindfolded, and, if desired, can be led into
another room. In his absence a spectator cuts the cards, and after counting
the lower portion replaces them on what was originally the upper portion.
The performer now enters the room, still blind- folded, waves his hands over
the cards, and immediately picks one of them out of the packet, which upon
examination proves to have the number of pips or spots that corresponds
with the number of cards counted.
For instance, suppose four cards were removed, the performer would
unhesitatingly turn up, say, the four of clubs. Supposing that no cards were
re-moved, and the packet was left in its original state, the knave would be
turned up by the artiste. Not only can the performer be blindfolded, but a
thick cloth or handkerchief can be covered over the packet, and yet the card
with the proper number of pips is produced. This trick can be repeated as
often as desired without any rearrangement of the pack, and it is this part of
the experiment that mystifies conjurers unacquainted with the modus
operandi.
For the performance of this excellent drawing-room trick, the performer must
previously arrange eleven cards as follows:
Place a knave face downward, and on the top an ace, then a deuce, then a
tray, and so on to the ten, and the cards must be kept in this order
throughout the trick. They can, however, be cut as often as desired before
you start the experiment; but as the packet is placed on the table the
performer must manage to catch a glimpse of the bottom card, as this forms
the key to the whole mystery.
Supposing the bottom card is the four spot, the cards will be arranged one on
the top of the other, as in first table:
Now, no matter how many cards the spectator moves, all that the performer
has to do is to show the fourth card down from the top, and this will have the
number of spots that corresponds with the number of cards removed.
We will suppose a spectator moved seven cards, which would leave the cards
as in second table:
The performer now shows the fourth card from the top, which is a seven-spot.
Now, without rearranging the cards, or even looking at the bottom one, the
trick can be repeated.
The artiste remembers that the card just shown —a seven-spot - was fourth
from the top, and he, therefore, knows that the third card from the top must
be the eight-spot, the second the nine-spot, and the top card the ten-spot,
leaving the jack at the bottom.
A certain number of cards are again moved, and, as in all cases when the
knave is at the bottom

Table 1 Table 2
of the packet, all the performer has to do is to turn the cards over, and on
the bottom card will be found the correct number of spots.
Should the ace be at the bottom of the pack, then the top card will always
denote the answer.
If the two-spot be at the bottom, the second card from the top will denote
the answer, and so on all through.
If no cards are moved, say, when the cards are in the position shown in the
first table, it is apparent that the performer would turn up the knave, this
being fourth from the top, so that if no cards are shifted the knave always
turns up.
After five minutes' study, this trick will be found quite easy of
accomplishment.

A MECHANICAL CARD FOR THE BACK—

HAND PALM.

Having received so many inquiries from amateur magicians as to whether it

was possible to obtain a mechanical card for performing the continuous front-
and back-hand palm, some time ago I devoted considerable labor and time to
devising a card by which this otherwise exceedingly difficult sleight can be
accomplished with ease; and as Many readers of this book may not be inclined

FIG. 32
to spend sufficient time to learn the sleight-of-hand method hereinbefore
described, I will explain the easier plan.
Fig. 32 shows the manner of preparing the card; A A are slits cut one on each
side of the card, as near the edge as possible; B B are tiny rings soldered to
the clips C C (all painted flesh-color). The rings are of the familiar split-ring
pattern, thereby enabling them to be attached to

FIG. 33

the card, as shown in the illustration. The two clips fit the top joints of the
first and fourth fingers, and in this position the card is ready for the trick
(see Fig. 33).
The thumb now pushes the card toward the finger-tips (the slits allowing it to
slide along the rings), and it will then be found quite easy for the two middle
fingers to bend round under the card, which forthwith assumes the position
depicted in Fig. 34.
For the reverse movement the thumb pulls the card round into the first
position. In a word, practically all the movements necessary for executing
the sleight with this card are identical with those described in the sleight-of-
hand method, with the exception that in the method now explained it is
impossible for the card to fall or become visible between the fingers.
Five minutes' practice with a card of this description suffices to enable the
student to execute this trick in an indetectable manner.
With two similar cards, of course, the effects of passing a card through the
knees, from hand to

F I G . 34
hand, etc., can be accomplished by having a card attached to each hand.

I may mention that this card may be obtained from Martinka & Co., 493
Sixth Avenue, New York.

A CARD CAUGHT ON THE CORNER OF

A BORROWED H A N D K E R C H I E F .
The above trick is a variation of a much older feat of catching chosen cards
on a sword, and is to

FIG. 35

be recommended, inasmuch as no special apparatus is necessary.

A card is selected, not forced, replaced, and the pack shuffled and held by a
spectator.
The performer now requests the loan of a gentleman's handkerchief, which
he shows to be an ordinary one. The gentleman holding the pack is now
requested to throw the same in the air, and, as the cards descend, the
performer waves the handkerchief amongst them, whereupon the chosen
card is caught on the corner of same (see Fig. 35), both being immediately
passed for inspection.

FIG. 36
 FIG. 37

The following is the explanation of this effective little trick:

On the top vest-button the performer has a small portion of soft adhesive
wax. When the chosen card is returned, the pass is made and the card is
palmed off, the pack being immediately handed to a spectator to thoroughly
shuffle. While this is being done the artiste removes the wax and sticks it to
one corner of the palmed card. A handkerchief is now borrowed and held, as
in Fig. 36, the back of the hands, of course, facing the audience (in the
illustration they are drawn as they appear to the performer).
The left hand now places the corner A of the handkerchief in the right hand,
as in Fig. 37, at the same time pressing corner B on to the wax.
In this position the handkerchief can be waved in the air to still show it is
unprepared, but when the spectator throws the cards, the performer slips
the end between his fingers, and, again waving the handkerchief among the
falling cards, releases the card from the palm, which thereupon becomes
visible on the end of the handkerchief (see Fig. 35), the effect being that the
performer has actually caught one of the falling cards.

The above trick does not require much practice when once the reader is
proficient in the "pass" and "palm," but is, in my opinion, a very pretty and
effective experiment.

THE "THURSTON" METHOD OF

THROWING CARDS.
I am acquainted with the fact that many per-formers of note (in particular, Felicien
Trewey) have made a specialty of throwing cards among the audience to a great
distance. As I usually conclude my act with an exhibition of card-throwing, and as
my method varies somewhat from the orthodox one, I venture to think it will prove
of interest to my readers.

In the first place, the cards used should be of fairly stiff pasteboard, with as smooth
a surface as possible (preferably the Angel back, No. 35 cards, manufactured by the
New York Consolidated Card Company.
 FIG. 38
The card is held lightly between the second and third fingers (as shown in
Fig. 38), the back of the hand facing the audience. The hand now moves to
the shoulder, and, with a short, quick jerk, lets the cards go. This movement
imparts a terrific velocity to the card, and with practice, it will be found that
the performer can throw the same into the back of any theatre or hall.
I can always manage in the course of my performance to get several cards
into the gallery of any theatre where I may appear.

TRICKS FOR THE NOVICE.

I here take the liberty of presenting the following four simple tricks—not
intended for the professional or advanced amateur, but for the beginner:

A PACK OF CARDS CHANGED TO TWO

LARGE BALLS.
A pack of cards shown from all sides is held in the left hand, but upon being
stroked changes to two parti-colored balls.
An ordinary pack must be secretly exchanged for a dummy—in reality, a case
opening in the centre (as shown in Fig. 39).
In each end place a spring ball (to be obtained cheap from any magical
store), and close the "pack." It is then exhibited as an ordinary pack, and,
under cover of stroking it, first one ball is removed, and then the other, the
false pack being doubled and palmed.
 FIG. 39

NEW CARD AND EGG MYSTERY.

Many of my readers are doubtless acquainted with the trick wherein a chosen
card, after being mutilated, is discovered whole in the centre of ii previously
examined egg.
Under the above heading I will explain a trick somewhat similar to the
foregoing, except that the mystery in connection with it is much deeper.
A hard-boiled egg is passed for examination to prove that the shell has never
been broken or tampered with in any way, and the same egg is placed in full
view of the audience.
A card is now selected by a member of the audience, noted, and replaced in
the pack, which is then shuffled. The egg, which has never been out of sight
of the audience, is now handed to a spectator with a request to crack and
remove the shell. Upon this being done, the name of the selected card is
found to be written on the white of the egg.
This trick will cause a profound sensation wherever presented, as the egg will
bear the strictest examination. The secret is as follows:
Dissolve an ounce of alum in a quarter of a pint of vinegar. Now dip a
camel's-hair brush in the solution, and inscribe on the outside of the shell of
an egg the name of the card you intend to force. Now let it dry, whereupon
all traces of the writing will vanish. The egg must now be boiled for ten
minutes, and it is then ready for use. When the shell is removed, whatever
you have written or name will be found on the white of the egg.
 D I S A P P E A R A N C E OF A CARD THOUGHT
OF BY A SPECTATOR.
The performer passes a number of cards from hand to hand, with faces toward
the audience. A spectator is now asked to remember any card he sees. Upon
this being done, the performer again passes the cards from hand to hand, one
at a time, when it is discovered that the card thought of has disappeared.
A second card is similarly treated.
To produce the above effect, the performer must obtain a pack of cards
consisting only of twenty-six, but with no backs, each side being a face. On
one side are pictures of twenty-six cards, and on the other side the remaining
twenty-six. The cards should be arranged in a haphazard manner. When the
spectator has mentally noted a certain card, the performer, under cover of his
hand, turns the pack round, so that the other twenty-six cards are visible to
the audience. Upon their being passed slowly from hand to hand, it is found,
of course, that the chosen card has vanished.
This can naturally be repeated. If desired, two or three spectators can note
cards at the same time.

THE ELECTRIC CARDS.

Ten cards are handed to a spectator on a tray with a request for him to take
two. These are duly noted and placed among the remaining eight. The
performer now takes the cards, two at a time, and passes one in front of the
other. This is repeated until, when in the act of passing the cards, flashes of

FIG. 40
fire shoot forth from the two cards, which, upon being turned with their faces
to the audience, are found to be the two cards selected.
This somewhat startling effect is brought about by preparing ten cards as
follows:
The front top corner of each card is coated with potash and sugar, and the
corresponding back corner is covered with sulphuric acid (see Fig. 40). These
are laid out on a tray with the prepared ends toward the performer. The
spectator selects two. Meanwhile, the performer changes the tray from the
right to the left hand, thereby reversing the position of the cards, so that
when the chosen ones are returned the artiste knows that the only cards with
the prepared corners toward himself are the two selected. In passing the
cards he is careful only to rub the tops, not the bottoms, so that when he
comes to the chosen ones and rubs them, they emit flashes of fire, and upon
being turned to the audience are found to be the correct ones.

THE " T H U R S T O N " RISING CARDS.

The Rising Card trick is, of course, very old; but owing to the method I
employ, and the manner in which I present the same, it is, in my opinion, the
feature of my act. It is the trick which I had the honor of performing before
that peer of modern prestidigitateurs, the great Hermann, who graciously
acknowledged that I had completely mystified him.
I feel that this little volume would be incomplete were I not to include this
experiment, and I, therefore, take great pleasure in acquainting my readers
with the full modus operandi of the Rising Card trick, as I have presented it
in the principal theatres of the world, including six consecutive months at the
Palace Theatre, London.

FIG. 41

The effect of this illusion to the audience is as follows:

Five cards are selected haphazard (not forced) from an ordinary pack. The
five cards are then handed to an independent member of the audience, with
the request that he will replace the same and shuffle them into the pack
thoroughly.
The performer now returns to the stage and holds the pack in the left hand,
with the faces of the cards toward the audience. He passes the right hand
completely round the cards to prove there are no threads, etc., used. The
hands and cards are now left in the position depicted in Fig. 41, being about
three feet apart. The performer text inquires the name of the first card
selected, whereupon it immediately leaves the pack and soars as gracefully as
a bird up to the right hand, where it is held between the fingers and thumb,
the beauty of the experiment lying in the fact that the performer does not
move a muscle during the rising of the card. The card is now placed on the
front of the pack, and the second card called for, when it immediately ascends
in the same manner as the first one. This is repeated until the five chosen
cards have made their appearance.
The performer is not compelled to stand in any particular part of the stage; in
fact, the trick can be just as successfully presented in any drawing-room,
without the aid of assistants, etc.
As I desire to explain the secret of my Rising Cards in as thorough and
comprehensive a manner as possible, I will describe each little detail from
start to finish, so that no difficulty may arise in the mind of the conjurer who
desires to add this trick to his repertoire.
The principal secret of the illusion depends upon the ingenious piece of
apparatus depicted is Fig. 42. It resembles in principle the well known self-
coiling measuring tape. A piece of very thin, but strong silk thread, say, about
three to four feet long, is coiled on a drum within a cylindrical box or case. The
thread can be drawn out to its full extent, but upon slight pressure being
brought to

FIG. 42

bear on a little stud not visible in the illustration) on the face of the box it is
gradually withdrawn, the slow action of the drum being brought about by an
exceedingly weak internal spring. A in the diagram is a safety pin soldered to
one side of the case, thus enabling the performer to attach the same to the
top of his trousers between the suspender buttons on the left side. The thread
is now pulled out about 2 feet 6 inches, a small pellet of soft wax being
attached to the end. The wax is then affixed to the top vest button, the slack
portion of the cord being tucked into the vest.
The performer now invites five members of the audience to select cards. He
collects them himself, and, in the act of turning round to ask an-other
spectator to shuffle the cards, changes the chosen five for five other cards by
means of the right hand profonde. If this is done neatly, the spectator never
imagines but what he saw, shuffling the selected cards into the pack.
On the return journey to the stage there is ample time and opportunity to
regain possession of the chosen cards, which are palmed and replaced on the
top of the pack, care being taken that they are in the correct order. Now, as
the performer turns round to face the audience, he very adroitly removes the
wax, together with the thread, from the vest button and presses it on the back
of the hindermost card. The right hand now passes round the cards and
secures the thread between the first and second fingers, so that when the
hands assume the attitude shown in Fig. 41 the thread is in the position
illustrated in Fig. 43.
This thread, if of the correct thickness, is absolutely invisible, even at close
quarters.
When the name of the card is called out, the performer, with the elbow of the
left arm, presses on the vest at the place where he knows the drum to be,
thus causing the thread to recoil and the card to rise to the right hand. The
card is now replaced on the front of the pack, and, under cover of asking the
name of the next card, the wax is fastened to the back card, and the same
movements

FIG. 43

repeated. The rest of the cards are similarly dealt with.

I have performed this trick now for five years, but have never heard or read a
correct solution of it; and I hope my readers will appreciate what is my
favorite card illusion. I have hitherto very carefully guarded the modus
operandi of this trick, although having been the recipient of many tempting
proposals for its secret. There are several other ways by which this trick may
be performed and used by those who have copied it. It has been amusing to
me to read the many different theories as to how the trick is performed
published by newspapers, etc., in giving descriptions of my act. Some
suggest a magnet held in my hands. Others explain how it could be
performed by electricity. Some suggest threads hanging from the flies, or
stretched across the stage, or fastened to my shoulder, with a weight
hanging down my back to draw the card up, and numerous other methods.
The apparatus used in the above trick can be had from Martinka & Co., 493
Sixth Avenue, New York, or any other reliable dealer in magical goods.

F I N A L REMARKS.
I trust that the tricks and ideas embodied in the foregoing pages will meet
with appreciation from all interested in magic.
Conjuring, and particularly sleight-of-hand, is undoubtedly becoming a great
pastime. In the course of my travels I have met thousands of people (among
them a large percentage of ladies) deeply interested in this unquestionably
fascinating art. The ambitious amateur, however, must not imagine because
he can do a few tricks in his own drawing-room, and is told by his friends he
is wonderfully clever, that he can step on to the stage and immediately
become famous. My advice to the amateur who has serious thoughts of
adopting conjuring as his mode of livelihood is that he should, in the first
place, obtain an engagement—letting the question of salary be of secondary
importance—with some small show or concert company. This will help
considerably to give him an idea of how to present his tricks to the audience.
The best trick in the world would lose nine-tenths of its effect unless
exhibited in the proper manner. Above all, never copy another performer.
Witness all the magical performances possible, and then go home and try to
improve on what you have seen; or, if you see through any particular trick,
try to work out a new trick on the same principle. This book, of course, has
only to do with cards; but should the reader be desirous of obtaining a com-
prehensive knowledge of all-round magic, I recommend him to first of all
purchase Professor Hoff-man's celebrated work, "Modern Magic," and T.
Nelson Downs' (King of Koins) book, entitled "Modern Coin Manipulation,” both
published by George Routledge & Sons, New York. To the conjurer who would
be up-to-date, this latter book is invaluable, the great feature of the work
being that it is written by a conjurer with the reputation possessed by Mr.
Downs. I also advise the student to subscribe to the conjurer's newspaper,
Mahatma, as this is an excellent journal, and contains new sleights and ideas
which make it absolutely indispensable to magicians.
In this book I have endeavored to make my descriptions as lucid and plain as
possible: but I suggest that the student should obtain lessons from some
expert should he desire to excel; and then who knows but what at some not
far-distant date he may invent original tricks which will put into the shade
"HOWARD THURSTON'S CARD TRICKS."

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