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 A Fortune in Fortune Telling
The Secret of the Horoscope
by
Docc Hilford

Copyright © 2015 Docc Hilford

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 Dedicated to
Klipspringer

Who would have been a terrific mentalist

had he only owned a switchblade

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CHAPTER 1

I must admit my love of performing mentalism at

swank parties and thereby being treated like a celebrity.
As a result of demonstrating some strong mind reading
feats, I have repeatedly been lavished in luxury by
wealthy hostesses.
On the Texas Gulf Coast, in the resort town of
Corpus Christy, I was invited to a particular party
where the hosts would not let me leave and move into
to a hotel! They insisted I stay as a guest for the week.
Every night guests filled the wealthy rancher’s elegant
home. Night after night his wife made certain I was well
fed and shown lots of Texas hospitality.
After seven days I began to feel I’d outstayed my
welcome. After all, the only thing I’d done all week was
eat, drink, sleep and perform a single, simple
mentalistic trick at the parties. Never more than the
one trick. I repeated it over and over with different

4
guests, but always the same demonstration of pseudo
parapsychology.
After breakfast on the seventh morning, I
thanked my host and his wife and told them I felt it was
the right time to leave. In pure Texas fashion, they were
incensed! Perhaps a more accurate description would
be they were hurt. “Is there something you want that we
don’t have here?” the wife asked me. I answered, “No,
you’ve been perfect hosts.”
“Then why don’t you stay?” the man insisted.
I couldn’t argue and stayed. A few nights later it
was decided that I would move to another millionaire’s
home so he could share in the fun and have me attend
his parties. I say attend, because I never really
performed. I was a guest who did just the one, simple
trick and and had fun along with everyone else.
“Do her next,” someone would suggest and the
group who had just participated would follow to see
someone else experience something they’d never seen
before, i.e., parapsychology.
A simple, yet elegant mental trick can make you a
professional “life of the party”.

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 The effect I’m about to explain to you is so cool,
so much fun and so undetectable that you could not
only ride the party wave for ever with it, but under less
casual conditions, you could easily sell astrological
charts and pay for an entire vacation anywhere in the
world.
I’ll teach you the trick, how to make it an act,
where to do it, when to do it and how to turn it into a
$1,000 an hour base.
Whether you currently reside in London, England
or London, Canada, now you can go to Paris for
breakfast, Cannes for lunch and Monte Carlo for
dinner. I know it’s possible - I’ve done it.

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CHAPTER 2

I ’ve always been fascinated by two person code acts of

the past like The Zanzig’s, Liz and Tommy Tucker and
Jeff and Tessa. More contemporarily, Larry and Raven
do things that seem nothing short of telepathy. In
casual settings, they perform a classic piece wherein a
stranger whispers her birthday in Larry’s ear and Raven
will almost instantly reveal it from across the room.
There are no gimmicks or devices. It seems entirely
likely that they are showing people the real thing!
Alas, I am not as gifted as Raven and must resort
to chicanery. My craving to do the birthday stunt began
many years before meeting Larry and Raven. In 1986 I
set guidelines for a method where a partner could
reveal a whispered date from across the room. The
effect is already perfectly clear and simple, but the
method had to also fit perfectly.

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 My first requirement of methodology was that it
was organic. Nothing that could be lost in flight, broken
or out of power could be used as the method. I don’t
mind a simple secret prop, e.g., a carbon paper, a
thumb tip, a swami writer, etcetera, but this method
could not be a hidden radio device nor an electronic
cuing system.
Second it had to be simple. I wanted to be able to
perform it at a sidewalk cafe in Nice or in a casino in
Rio de Janeiro. A black thread run under the carpet
wouldn’t do.
Next, it must be undetectable no matter how
many times the effect was repeated. Without this
quality, the trick became useless to me. A one time shot
wasn’t what I was looking for.
If I could have my way, and because I set the
rules I would have my way, my preference was that my
partner revealed the year as well as the day and month.
After digging, riffling and thumbing through
books, manuscripts and memory, it was obvious that a
code was the only answer.

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CHAPTER 3

“I f you’re going to use a code”, I thought, “It has to

be really easy to learn.” When I began this project in the
late 1980s, my potential partners were beautiful, but
often that’s where their better qualities ceased. A
complicated code simply couldn’t be learned by the
women I knew.
Over the years I had used a few simple codes, so
my first attempt to devise a specialty code was to
modify the Orville Meyer/ John Mulholland/ Alan
Wakeling card code. It’s wonderful. There are three
features that make it a stellar code. First, it’s a grid
system so there’s only four code words to learn,
including silence. Each of four column has it’s own code
word: Silence, OK, Yes and Right.
Each column has three possible choices. So there
are three rows coded with the words: Silence, OK or

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Yes. That makes a 4 x 3 grid. With two responses you
can code any one of twelve months.
It’s so simple to learn that later, in 1999, my then
five year old daughter learned it while swimming in one
afternoon. She was able to perform it at any time and
combined with the Wizard’s Manual, her youth and
cute-ability, made our performances almost Twilight
Zone eerie.
Second, one of the code words is silence. That’s
Orvelle’s clever idea. To say nothing is a code word.
Brilliant! This is a way to combine a silent code and an
oral code. There are too many methods for an audience
to discover.
Finally, the code is spoken to the medium two
clues ahead. Peyton would ask me if I was ready to
begin and my answer coded her the chosen card’s suit.
She said she saw the color red, and I told her she was
“right”. That’s when I was coding her the card’s value.
After she’d revealed the chosen card, she had already
been coded the suit of the next card. This two ahead
feature makes the Meyer/ Mullholland/ Wakeling code
undetectable.

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 But I wondered if the system could be adapted to
twelve months and thirty-one days? And what about
years? I tabled the years requirement and went to work.
I mentally cut and pasted thoughts and ideas. Some
modifications were easy fits. Other ideas wouldn’t fit at
all..
I made it a full 16 cell grid for the date. And I had
to code grid A or grid B to make 16 x 2 and 32 days. this
added another response that I needed to use.
After all that work, and it took quite a bit of
thinking, after all that time and effort, what I ended up
with was something like this.
A participant tells me her birthday.
I say, “OK, let’s start.”
The medium says, “Are we ready?”
I reply, “Yes.”
The medium says, “It’s in the spring.”
“Right,” I tell her.
“April, I believe,” she adds.
“OK,” I say.
“Near the beginning of April,”

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 Silence.
My partner reveals, “April 1st, April Fool’s Day!”
OK, that’s not so bad, in print. But it sounded
much more complicated in performance. Like a
conversation between the medium and me. She might
as well be asking me, “Is it April?” and I answer, “Yes.”
That’s what an audience would remember using the
grid system.
It looked like what it was, a code. Beside that
fundamental flaw, the system was so complicated that
one had to really study and practice to be able to learn
both sides, sender and receiver. Something neither of
us wanted to do. It was perfect for cards, but terrible for
birthdays.
It was back to the drawing board.

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CHAPTER 4

T he number of codes for mentalists are legion. By now

we are in the 1990s. I still want a code that will be easily
taught to a partner, it doesn’t need electronics and it
can be repeated over and over before the same audience
without fear of detection.
When you have a certain picture in your mind of how
something should look, nothing else will quench the
hunger for that non-existent routine.
One orange and turquoise evening in the high
desserts of New Mexico, I was reading a mentalism
manuscript published in 1937. This would be the first of
several time 1937 had something to do with the answer
to my search. The book gave a simple routine for
naming birthdays from the stage. The medium stayed
on stage while the mentalist went among the audience.
A participant would whisper her birthday into his ear
and the medium would reveal it from stage.

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 The game was, if the medium missed the
participant’s birthday, the participant would receive a
horoscope for free. If she was correct, the participant
paid the standard price.
Of course, the horoscopes would be on sale in the
lobby at intermission as well as after the show, but this
routine allowed a few happy audience members to get
theirs right then, and it came along with a public
demonstration of mind reading.
Everybody loves to play games and I knew how
people want to be next in line, having done a similar
thing back in the endless party days. I instantly saw the
amazing potential. I knew about horoscope pitches. I
had done countless home parties before I was 30. But
this little booklet painted a new picture in my mind.
One that could be introduced into any show. Introduced
smoothly and with dignity, rather than a cold and out of
place sales pitch.
The little described routine also did two
important tasks. It advertised the horoscopes for sale
without making it rude and it proved the medium who
wrote the horoscopes had real psychic abilities. The
mini act ended the first half of the performance and

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everyone hurried to the lobby for a smoke, a drink and
a horoscope.
For another man, what I read would have been
everything he wanted, but for me the routine was
lacking. The medium didn’t actually reveal the birthday,
merely the zodiac sign. The good thing was this meant a
twelve word code would be all you needed. The
audience wouldn’t know the difference. They can’t
know what they’re not getting.
But I had visualized revealing a full birthday with
the year revealed by the medium, and that’s what I was
determined to have!
The code explained in the old book was a take of
Ted Annemann’s, En Rapport code. I say a take on, it
was plainly a rearrangement of Ted’s original code
words. The theft was covered up by being an
explanation of how they executed the horoscope sales.
Oddly 1937 was the same year Ted published his
infamous code.
I sat in my reading chair and stared at the pages
as evening became night. I looked at the simple code.
What made En Rapport work so well, is that it was the

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first* code that directed the secret words to the
participant and not to the medium. Ted’s idea killed the
old, “Fine, tell me, what does this man have in his
hand? Tell me now, quick.” Talking to the participant
was as easy as telling him, “Don’t forget your card.” The
mentalist said it half volume and directed away from
the medium, so psychologically it seemed the medium
didn’t hear the words, or at least didn’t care about
them.
I had performed the entire En Rapport act as
outlined in Annemann’s booklet. In the 1980s it was my
full show. I was certainly familiar with it. I continued to
stare at the simple code words. “Perhaps there’s
something I can use right in front of me,” I thought.
“Maybe, if I use split the digits of the date into two code
words...”

* The first code of this kind to my knowledge. There may have been earlier acts that
disguised the code in directions to the participant, but I’m unfamiliar with them.

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CHAPTER 5

T ed Annemann’s simple code was designed for cards.

He adapted it to groups of items less than ten. He even
had a little method of getting the last two digits of a
coin across.
I started thinking, “Twelve code words of the thirteen
for the playing cards will fit for the months. The first
ten will work for the last digit of the date, and I could
add a prefix to the sentence for 10, 20 or 30 just as Ted
did for the suit.” I tried a few quick test sentences.
"Say the date silently. Say it to yourself." That would
code June 6th, since “Say” was the code word for six
and I said it twice. Six, six. Let’s try another.

“Place the date in your mind. Now, put it near the

front,” I thought. “That’s easy code for April 19th. Place
is 4 and Put is 9. Add Now before the sentence and it
means add 10, which makes it 19. Now, put is 10+9.
Hey,” I thought, “This is easy.

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 “I wonder if giving the last two digits of the year
will sound like too much talking?” There was only one
way to know. Write out the coded sentences and say
them aloud.
"Place the date in your mind. Now put it near the
front. Imagine your name. Your name and birthday!"
April 9, 1977, easily and stealthily coded to a
medium. I tried a few more.
"Try to send it to her. Just put the date in your
mind, OK? But don't hurt yourself!" October 29, 2001.
"Give it a chance. Tell yourself the date. See it.
Put it in your mind." September 11, 1989.
"Keep silent. Please don't even whisper. Say it
silently and take your time." December 31, 1963.
This was fantastic. Because the directions are
about concentrating and not directed to the medium,
the audience has no suspicions. The directions sound
natural. If acted correctly this code not only flies, but
will be invisible.
There was one more piece to the puzzle that
needed to be added. I had to eliminate the whisper! If
the mentalist didn’t even know the birthday, no one

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could ever figure this routine out! It could be performed
over and over. This was it. This is the code I was
searching for. It had already been right in front of me
for years, but I just didn’t see it.
And like Columbus, once he had discovered the
new world, everyone thought it was an easy
accomplishment. Just as some who read this
manuscript in the distant future will say, “Sure. That’s
the obvious code to use. I could have told him that!”
Yet, En Rapport was never meant to be used in this
fashion and so those who may have done so, if there
have been anyone using it for birthdays and years, have
kept the idea secret. As I have done for 25 years and
you should do also. Why? Because it makes money.

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CHAPTER 6

H ere are the En Rapport code words. You and your

partner memorize the twelve words and three prefixes.
After that, you need to script sentences that use the
words. Write them down. Don’t wait and try to make
them up on the spot. You only have to know how to
combine ten different sentences with twelve others
using the same code words.
When you write them down and look at them you can
see you don’t need to say, “Place your birthday in the
front of your mind,” you can merely say, “Place it in
your mind.” That’s quicker and easier. Remember you
don’t care if the subject understands you, it just has to
sound natural. Your medium is only listening to,
“Place... Now... See... Put... Don’t...” and knows April
18th, 1991.
What you say to the subject appears semi-private. After
the subject has written her birthday on a little card the

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mentalist will say to her, “Place it in your mind. See it
here. (Touching his forehead) Put it here (again touches
forehead) Don’t speak.”
After several seconds of silent disconnect time, the
medium starts to describe the subject.
“I see a young girl with her friends. But one friend was
so mean. At your birthday, it’s spring. You had it
outside. Your friend caused a big scene. It’s the 19th,
no! April 18th.”
The participant will ask, “Can you tell me the year?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe, 1991?”
Everyone gasps. The participant cheers. And they all
buy horoscopes. That, my friend, is entertainment.

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Chapter 7

1 - Don't - Aries
2 - Think - Taurus
3 - Take - Gemini
4 - Place - Cancer
5 - Give - Leo
6 - Say - Virgo
7 - Name - Libra
8 - See - Scorpio
9 - Put - Saggitarius
10 - Try - Capricorn
11 - Tell - Acquarius
12 - Keep - Pisces

Now... 10
Just... 20
Please... 30

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 Here are mnemonics that may help you
remember the code words.

Now is the least letters of the three prefixes.

Think, “Now she’s 10”.
Just has one more letter. “She’s just 20”.
Please has the most letters. “Please, she’s 30”.
Simply add a prefix to any date that needs it. Put
(9) becomes 19 when you add Now. “Now put...” It
become 29 when you add Just. “Just put...”

The code words:

Don’t - 1 Hold up your index and say “DON’T”
to a ram about to butt you. That’s 1.
Think - 2 Your brain has two halves. A bull has
two horns.
Take - 3 Anacin aspirin had an ad campaign,
“Take 3, Anacin 3”. Picture twins taking three
aspirins.
Place - 4 “There’s a place for us...” song from
West Side Story. Tony sings and eats crab.

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Give - 5 is almost spelled the same as FIVE.
LION is a 4 letter word with a dominant I sound
as the second letter.
Say - 6 Three letters that begin with S. SIX also
sounds like SEX which is what a virgin doesn’t
want.
Name - 7 The secret agent 007 doesn’t have a
NAME. He want the scales of justice balanced.
See - 8 The number 8 turned on its side looks
like glasses. Picture a scorpion with glasses.
Put - 9 A game of miniature golf has nine holes
and is called Putt Putt. For one of the holes, you
have to putt under a horse into the cup.
Try - 10 Three letter word that begins with T.
TEN also sounds like TIN, like the cans a goat
eats.
Tell - 11 Eleven is the Jack’s number. He tells
the Queen about Alice stealing tarts. Eat tarts
and you’ll need to drink water.
Keep - 12 Twelve is the Queen’s number. Keep
your head, Alice. Unfortunately the fish didn’t
keep their heads. Chop!

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 There’a a common word that Annemann had
used with Try, but I prefer to use it for other things.
You can find your own special uses for the word.
It’s the unused word, “OK”. For example, if you
need a word to tell your partner that the participant
wrote something more than her birthday on the little
card. Because I can’t watch them write, some
participants want to try to trip up my partner. I’ve seen
subjects write little queries like, “What’s my favorite
color?”, or “Who’s Jack?” (Turns out it was her dog.)
As a casual thought subconsciously verbalized
you begin, or end, your sentence with, “OK,” and speak
the code. The medium gives a brief cold reading based
on the zodiac sign and as an afterthought says
something along the lines of, “I get a feeling you wanted
to test me. There’s something else on your mind besides
your birthday. What else was it you wanted me to
guess? Did you write a question on your card?”
This ruse has brought more than one audience to
their figurative feet. It doesn’t really matter what the
question is. The fact that the medium knew about it
startles the subject. It doesn’t even matter if it’s not a
question written on the card. Your partner indicated
that the subject had a challenge in mind. If she wrote

25
something other than a question it can still be described
as a challenge. All by adding the word, OK.
Another word in the code intended to be used to
cue King was “concentrate”. Over many performances
I’ve discovered there are particular situations where a
safe word is needed. The problem with needing a safe
word is that when you need it, it’s already too late.
Concentrate is used as our safe word. It means,
“Something has gone awry. We need to start all over
from the beginning. Disregard everything I coded
earlier.” And we start over with that particular birthday.
You won’t often find tips like this in manuscripts
where either the author won’t admit he’s tripped in a
performance or, more likely, the act is written as fact
when it’s still mere theory.
I’ve coded the wrong word and needed a
backspace or delete button, but I couldn’t say to my
partner, “Hold on. Let’s start over.” It tends to give
away the game. Using the command to concentrate let’s
the medium know where you are without letting anyone
else in on it.

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CHAPTER 8

T he ability to sell items at a show is a gift. Some

performers have it, some don't. But a show designed to
pitch an item is a different matter. The horoscope pitch
is a classic in the world of mentalism. There may be as
many different pitches as there have been mentalists
who did the demonstrations. Some well known
magicians of the past made their living pitching
pamphlets of pulp paper containing guidance from the
stars.
Card trick aficionado, Eddie Fields worked with
his partner, George, and cleaned up the Chicago area
decades ago. Before that, close up master magician,
Paul Rosini, did the same with his wife. I’m not even
mentioning all the mentalist teams who’s primary gig
was to sell horoscopes. I’ve heard tales of men and
women who made hundreds of dollars an hour when
$10.00 a day was a good wage.

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 One man was known only as Cadillac Man. He
reportedly earned celebrity status in the neighborhoods
of color back in the 1970s. He would drive into a fair,
market or anywhere with a large group of women and
stand tall in his Cadillac convertible. His attractive
girlfriend handed out index cards and pencils to the
women in the crowd He made a brief speech on the
power and influence of the heavenly bodies as women
wrote personal questions on the cards. They folded
their cards, she returned to the car and Cadillac Man
went to work.
Walking through the crowd, the handsome man
would take a card, silently but openly, read it to himself
and ask the medium if she knew the answer to the
question. Standing above everyone in the automobile
she answered with specificity and revealed the woman’s
astrological sign. Everyone was completely amazed, but
to those who didn’t see that the cards had twelve zodiac
signs and instructions to “check yours” the performance
was more than baffling. It was supernatural!
Cadillac Man was born in 1937. He also used the
code from En Rapport to signal his woman medium the
zodiac sign.

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 Cadillac Man sold horoscopes, but doubled his
money with a line of magic soaps, oils, candles and
perfumed powders. It was the beauty that is Hoodoo
that made him two hundred dollars in less than an
hour. In 2015 that’s the equivalent of about $1,200.00!
Now, with the sales and marketing plan I’m about
to outline for you, you can make as much as he, and
more.

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CHAPTER 9

Y ou must first decide on your overall goal. Do you

want to perform your horoscope act in exchange for
hospitality? Attending parties and living the life of
Gatsby? Then you won’t sell the horoscopes. You’ll offer
them as souvenirs. Believe me, they will make you
famous among the elite quickly!
Do you want to sell your pamphlets? Then you
must select a venue or two. As stated before, anywhere
women are present is a possible venue. From beauty
salons to night clubs. From resort swimming pools to
outdoor bistros, you can do a demonstration.
The secret of the pitch is this. The first two
birthday revelations are performed with the help of
SWITCHBLADE. This ingenious method of discerning
what’s written on a card is perfect for the pitch. The
little card is retained by the participant for proof later,
yet the writing in place of whispering, apparently keeps

30
you from knowing the birthday and prevents trickery -
or so they think.
The third, fourth and fifth birthdays are
whispered to you. The reason is you don’t have endless
little white cards in your pocket, it takes too long for
every participant to write her birthday and you don’t
need to prove there’s no chance of trickery any longer.
Remember Cadillac Man? He read the cards openly and
still baffled the crowd with a simple code. The path to
amazement is paved with personality, not
methodology.
After the fifth demonstration you forego the full
birthday and merely code the zodiac sign. Simply ask
each participant to whisper her birthday, code the sun
sign quickly with a couple of words and listen to the
medium’s cold readings. Everyone now believes that the
medium has supernatural powers. She more than
demonstrated she can psychically deduce a person’s
birthday and year even when the mentalist doesn’t
know it. There’s no need for her to prove anything
either. You’re both golden at this point.
The audience doesn’t require any more proof.
They’re interested in the guidance from the medium.

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The cold readings need to get a little juicer though.
That’s why a woman or gay man make the best
mediums in this situation. They don’t embarrass the
subject with earthy details in the reading. The medium
adds in the zodiac sign while giving advice and another
horoscope is sold.

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CHAPTER 10

E xactly what is this horoscope we’re selling, you

might ask. In the 1990s I sold booklets from Nelson
Enterprises. Today I suggest the very simple yet hugely
successful SYSTEM 88 with a horoscope filling.
Research a few pages of public domain horoscope filler
and lay it out as pages inside a SYSTEM 88 cover. My
product is twelve different signs, each one shown on the
cover. The inside of the card stock cover is the SYSTEM
88 tick sheet. The inside of the back card stock cover is
the other half of the tick sheet. The back of the little
booklet is contact information for me to do parties and
private readings. And most importantly there’s an ad
for my full book on numerology, Window To Your
Future.
Inside are 4 double sheets folded in half. This
makes 16 pages of astrological information for each
sign. These pages are printed on newsprint or book

33
paper. This is cheaper and easier to make little books
out of. The whole thing is saddle stitched bound, i.e.,
stapled. You can have thousands printed at a time for a
small investment. And you can easily sell a hundred a
week.
What does each horoscope sell for? This is
entirely up to you. In 2015 I can see the prices easily
being anywhere from $10 to $35 for the horoscope. $45
to $85 for the Mystic Window book. It depends on
whether you’re performing a band break in a cowboy
bar (don’t think that’s not a great market - because it is)
or the lobby of a resort hotel. Just understand that for
the very wealthy, your horoscopes tend to be free.
Wherever you decide, tell the proprietor that
you’ll do a free show if you can offer sales of you
“books”. Because it’s about your books, you will seldom
be turned down. You can do a brief show with the pitch
as your climax, or you can do only the pitch as an act.
A smartly dressed mind reader, an attractive
female medium and a professional demonstration of
the supernatural is worth much more than allowing
someone to sell books. You’re a hit from the beginning.

34
But as the act progresses, everyone will want a
horoscope. You’ll be flying through them.
If you sell the numerology book, do a
demonstration of that as well. One quick Mystic
Window demo on a portable white board and you can
sell half a dozen more around the room.
Let’s take an imaginary look at the profitability of
your new horoscope pitch.
Imagine you and your partner work a dance hall
at band break. People are having fun, looking for
entertainment and are ready to pay for it.
If you sell your ‘scopes, as they’re called in the
trade, for $20 each and $65 for the book, you can easily
take home a wad of cash. Start your public
demonstration with two birthdays done with
SWITCHBLADE and three more without it. That’s five
sold, or $100. In a room full of people you should be
able to get around 10 more to play the game with a
whisper and zodiac sign. That’s $200 more. If you
demonstrate the mystic window as your climax piece,
you can sell 6 books. That makes you $390 more.
When the band comes back up, that’s about 20 to
30 minutes after you started, you walk around table to

35
table and introduce your medium. You sell 20 more 3
minute horoscope readings and another 6 books. That
adds $400 and $390 to the take, or “line” as it’s called.
All together you just made $1380 in about 90
minutes. You didn’t have to book it, you just walked in
and started working. Whether you need permission as
in a cowboy bar or if you don’t like at the corner of 5th
Avenue and Ocean on South Beach, you can make some
serious moola.

36
CHAPTER 11

A lways leave them wanting more is an axiom that is

lost among today’s performers. Muzak was the
commercial name for the endless elevator music that
permeated every bit of silence in America until the
1990s. Muzak mentalists describe a type of performer
that, sadly isn’t gone like their namesakes. When doing
an act to sell a horoscope, or numerology chat or any
other single item, brevity is the essential quality. If you
have doubt as to the length of you quick and effective
demonstration, cut it back.
By leaving your audience hungry you initiate more
sales. Please allow me to pass on a secret that was given
to me. It is by far worth more than this eBook or any
other. Learn this, swallow it, digest it and assimilate it
so it becomes you primary thought when selling
horoscopes or T-shirts.

19 37
 The audience doesn’t buy an item after the show
because they need it. They purchase it so they can
bring a little bit of you home with them.
Understand? If you give them an experience, no
matter how long or brief it is, if it’s an experience they
enjoyed your audience will want to take a piece of it
home. A coloring book from the circus. A glow stick
from a concert. Horoscopes, Astro charts, refrigerator
magnets, T-shirts, caps, plastic cups, felt flags, pencils,
pens, booklets, CDs, ad infinitum, are all little pieces of
shows, celebrations or sporting events.
Give them just enough to desire what they
experienced and take it home. Nothing more. Nothing
less.

38
CHAPTER 12

S peaking of leaving them wanting more, I purposely

wasn’t going to tip the double trinket test, but as I want
to hear feedback on what a great value this book is, I’ll
include it now.
In 1937, the same year Ted Annemann published
En Rapport, Jack Vosburgh invented a diabolical silent
code trick. It’s fantastic in its mathematical method, but
not large enough to be an entire act. However, as a
bonus piece for casual engagements, nothing beats it.
Here, in his own words, is Jack’s Trinket Test.
EFFECT: “While the medium is absent from the
room accompanied by some members of the audience,
eight different articles are borrowed and any two of
these are freely chosen and dropped into a hat. A
handkerchief is draped over the brim of the hat to
conceal the contents, and the remainder of the trinkets
are returned to their owners. At this point the

39
performer leaves, under guard, and the assistant is
summoned. He (she) names the two item which have
been placed in the hat.”
I’m back for a couple of paragraphs to encourage
you to think about the conditions under which this
demonstration is conducted. If you wish, any eight
items can be used. These can be changed every
performance and your medium doesn't need to know
them beforehand.
You don’t send a note, a pencil nor a piece of
chalk to her. You don’t even need to be present when
she returns to the room. Yet you’ve silently coded not
one item, but two!
After you read Mr. Vosburgh’s explanation, I have
some additions for you that I have used since the 1980s.
Now, back to Jack.
“First, the eight articles to be borrowed are
mutually memorized in an agreed order by both the
performer and his medium. The items can be found in
any gathering. Each also has a key number, which is
likewise memorized. Note the following samples:

40
 1. Pencil zero 5. Wallet one
2. Watch one 6. Coin two
3. Ring two 7. Match three
4. Handkerchief three 8. Cigarette four

“Both of the articles selected can be coded with

only one number. The first four articles are given
someone to hold while you collect four more, which are
given to a second person. Each of the two spectators
selects one item from the four he holds and drops them
into the hat, disposing of the other three items by
returning them to their respective owners.
“Now, mentally multiply the key number of the
item selected from the first set by four, resulting in
either zero, four, eight or twelve. To the product
obtained, add the key number of the article taken from
the second set, which produces a total from 1 to 16. This
is the figure you must signal to your medium.
“The code is based on the method of covering the
hat with the handkerchief, which must be an initialed

41
one. The position of the initialed corner in relation to
the bow of the hat signals any number from 1 to 16.
“If the key corner is next to the bow, the number is
one; if on the side opposite the bow, five; and so on
around the band, the numbers from one to eight can be
coded.
“Note also that the initial is sewed onto only one
side of the surface of the hank. Thus, if the
handkerchief be inside out, eight must be added to the
position signal, which permits coding up to 16.
“Because the bow may be hidden by the hank at
times, the hat is always set with the bow in one
direction. Thus the medium always knows from which
point to begin reckoning.
“When the medium enters, he or she notes the
number and divides by four. The quotient is the key
number for the first article, and the remainder is the
key of the second article; unless the key total is a
multiple of four, and, in this case, the remainder is
known to be four and the next lower multiple of four is
divided. Really with so simple a system, no dividing is
necessary. Both the performer and the medium,
knowing the key numbers and the process by which the

42
key total was reached, can work backwards to the
original numbers.
“(Note: If both men had good memories or knew a
mnemonic system, the borrowing of eight constant
items would be unnecessary. The medium would be
within hearing distance and as each item was borrowed,
the performer would repeat its name aloud and the
medium would memorize it next to its key number.)
“I’m sure so simple a system could be applied to
other tests. The range of selection seems much greater
than it really is; and the mode of signaling is much
simpler than it would seem to be.”
Yes, Jack. Once I started performing this little
gem, it was evident that I had found something simple
yet great. I’ve not burdened my friendly temporary
mediums with learning a mnemonic system and having
to memorize eight items, but for those who know it
already, this part is a cinch.
I’ve changed the items a few times over the years
to keep up to date with things that are commonly on a
person. I don’t find matches much these days, but a
phone is a constant.

43
 Here’s my present list:
1. Lighter (0) 5. Ring (1)
2. Phone (1) 6. Candy (2)
3. Dollar (2) 7. Keys (3)
4. Ear Ring (3) 8. Pen (4)

Of course, you can use any list you wish, or change

it every time you perform. It’s yours to adapt.
Before we leave this explanation, let’s make certain
the maths are understood. The translation of key
number to item number can be tricky at first. A simple
rule is, “Add 1 for the first item and add 4 for the
second item. If the divided key total gives you a 3 and a
2, the item numbers are 3+1 or 4 and the remainder
2+4 is 6.
Using the above list, here are some signaled key
totals. Try to figure out which two items have been
coded.
14 3/2 Ear Ring & Candy
6 1/1 Phone & Ring
3 0/3 Lighter & Keys

44
 It gets quite easy after a tiny bit of practice. Here’s
what it looks like when I do it. My woman friend is as
far away as is necessary to be convincing. She seldom
completely leaves the room. Hats are readily found
again these days. My linen pocket handkerchiefs are
monogramed. My silk pocket squares are not. We
simply use the silk’s label the same way we do the
monogram. It’s attached to one corner and on one side.
I ask for several small items, naming some of the
less obvious ones. I’ll keep collecting items until I have
the eight I want. Then I give four to one person, four to
another and return the rest. While I’m handing the odd
items back, I’ve instructed the two people to carefully
choose one item and place it in the hat.
All this action keeps everyone entertained. It isn’t
slow and dull. The two participants return the
remaining six items and I openly ask who are the
owners of the two items. I keep them in my mind as
‘Group A’ and ‘Group B’. This takes only a moment to
get the answer, and leaves me a bit of time, while items
are returned, to mentally see my handkerchief code.
I cover the hat and move away.

45
 The medium is brought to the hat and she begins
to go into a deep trance. This should appear real and
not cartoonish. A blank stare while the audience jokes
and laughs is fine. She never laughs with them. And
finally reveals the two items hidden.
I can tell you that alone this would be a fantastic
demonstration, but following several birthdays being
revealed, the medium appears to have powers beyond
one’s imagination.
Here the the Docc twist that so many of my
routines that are an homage to older tricks contain:
As soon as the medium reveals the second item I
comment to the participants, “See if she can do more!”
That sentence coded the number 8. The medium
uses this as another key total and thereby knows the
two owners of the objects are the man in position 2 and
position 8. Going around the room with the entrance as
12:00, we can code any two people out of eight. We
seldom need to make adjustments because I do all the
adjusting while the items are being chosen.
If there are more than eight people who will loan
items, we skip it. We save this for the right place and
right time.

46
 Having been secretly coded again, before the
audience knows what the test even is, the medium picks
up one of the items and begins to give a psychometry
reading. She holds the second item and does the same.
Finally she identifies one of the loaners. “This
belongs to you, I believe,” she says, but doesn’t hold up
either item. She continues, “And the other item belongs
to you.” Now she approaches each and does one of two
things. She either takes an educated guess and hands
one of the items to the first man, or she holds both
items in one hand and lets him take his from her. The
final item is always correctly given.
I would venture to say 9 out of 10 times the
medium is able to guess the owner by watching while
she gives the readings. At any rate, everyone is floored
that she can identify the owners as well as the items
themselves. She is apparently not of this Earth!
Oh yes. You may ask, “How do you use the En
Rapport code to signal 1 to 16? From 1 to 12 is easy, but
how do you signal 13, 14, 15 or 16?”
Good question, but unnecessary. You no doubt
have already looked at En Rapport and noticed that
Annemann’s original code for the king (13) was “ask”.

47
I’m sure you’ve thought about the additional clues of
silence, OK, Now, Just, Right and Please. That’s six
more code words that you can use. If you like, you can
create a different code just for the identification of the
item owners.
Words such as, Great, Wow, Nice, Good, Correct,
Yes, Amazing, Cool, Wonderful, Right, Incredible,
fantastic, Geeze, Absolutely, That’s it, Unbelieveable
can code 16 key totals with a single word. She reveals
the items and you comment, “Wow!” Now she knows
which two people own the two items.
That’s incredible!

48
CHAPTER 13

H ere’s a brief bibliography of the eBooks and

Doccinars I’ve mentioned. You can substitute the
knowledge you already possess, or invest in gaining all
you can.
Every product mentioned is available from
DoccHilfordProducts.com
It’s my pleasure to share with you a fun way to travel
the world, live like a celebrity and bring you favorite
person along for the experience. Here’s wishing you the
greatest success.
Switchblade - A billet peek.
Top Shelf - A marketing device.
System 88 - A tick sheet style reading chart.
The Secrets to Perfect Paid Performances _ A
course on sales, marketing and personae development.

49
Windows To Your Future - A numerology pitch
book.
Secret Venues - Six amazing markets for mentalists,
including home parties.
Wizard’s Manual - The most amazing book test yet.

8
7 1

6 Hat 2

5 3

4
The Vosburgh Handkerchief and Hat Code

50
 If any doubt remains lingering in your mind as to
the validity of the sales plan you’ve just read, or if you
can’t quite believe that two people with twelve code
words can make $1,200 in an hour, I implore you to ask
card expert and world renown magician, Simon Lovell.
He will gladly relate the tale of one spring afternoon
where we both found ourselves without resources. We
did, however, both know the twelve words in question.
He will tell you first hand how we left that
establishment with hundreds and hundreds of dollars.
That we made less than $3,000 was simply due to
the fact that we had nothing to sell!
All made from quick private readings on the spot.
Cheers.

Docc Hilford 2015

51
 FREE BONUS

The following is a FREE bonus

of Ted Annemann’s original mimeograph,
En Rapport.

Not For Sale

52
WILL ALMA
M.I.M.C. (LONDON)
 «
\

\
\ \
V \
\ \
Copyright, 1937, by Theo. Annemann
World Copyright Reserved. ^
\ \
\

A complete, routined act

of telepathy, mind reading,
and clairvoyance, designed
for two people,and possible
of being presented before a
most critical audience. The
minimum of preparation is
necessary for the maximum
of effect. The program will
run approximately 30 min-
utes.
 The State Library of Victoria
A L M A CONJURING COLLECTION
Before we get into the actual working of this set
of tricks, I want to make clear several points. The
routine as it is given here, has been tested out and
used since 1929. The tests were worked out from the
standpoint of simplicity in method, and maximum in
effect. After witnessing many two person code per-
formances, I came to the conclusion that while audi-
ences were quick to give credit for cleverness, they
invariably knew that Information was being conveyed
by the apeaking of performer to medium.Therefore,the
code given herein was developed to deceive by subtle
arrangement. At two times, after having seen a dem-
onstration of naming cards, I was offered $25 to re-
veal the code alone.

As printed here, the codes are easily learned in

an evening. The routine, as a whole, can be learned
in a second evening, and with a few test programs to
smoothe things out, you are all set.

Another point. Many acts are published and mark-

eted, but nine times out of ten, they are put out to
satisfy the need of stage workers. They require many
weeks of rehersal, and then only become practical by
constant use before large audiences. At least 95$ of
those who buy magic books are those who follow magic
in an amateur or semi-professional manner.Their per-
formances are intermittent, and they seldom,if ever,
have the opportunity (or desire it) for doing large
stage work. Their shows are limited to clubs, homes,
private parties, and audiences of the intimate sort.

It was that last type for which this routine has

been published. The wives and sweethearts, who, for
the most part, will be the ones on the receiving end
of the show, have but a minimum to learn, and yet be
able to present an intimate act of professional cal-
ibre, and one for which the writer has received fees
up to $200 for a single evening in private homes and
clubs.

Therefore, please don't glance through this bro-

chure and say, "It looks pretty good." Read it tho-
roughly (it hasn't been padded) and say, "it really
IS good. It HAS been used a good many times which ia
proof of its practicalness. It IS what I've needed a
long time in order to do such an act."
 Tiie coda to be learned by both participant* fol-
lows. At all times, the performer talks to the spec-
tator and NOT to the medium. No questions are put to
the medium, and it is in a word or two to the spec-
tators that the information is sent*

UNITS TENS

1 Don't 1 Now
2 Think 2 Please
3 Take 3 Just
4 Place 4 All right
5 Give 5 All right now
6 Say 6 All right please
7 Name 7 All right just
8 See 8 Now please
9 Put 9 Now just
0 Try

The above words will take care of all numbers, to

and including 99. The card code, following, is prac-
tically the same, with the exception of a few words
added that are more naturally used with cards.

A Don't - Hold SUITS - C (nothing)

2 Think - D All right
3 Take - S Just
4 Place - H Now
5 Give - Mix
6 Say - Remember Joker - Nothing said
7 Name - Shuffle
8 See - Look
9 Put -
10 Try - Cut
J Tell -
Q Keep -
K Ask - Concentrate

There is but one thing else to memorise. The coin

naming and delivery to owner effect necessitates the
remembering of United States coins in the order giv-
en. In other countries, arrange the coinage in same
order of value, as far as they go.

1 Penny 3 Dime 5 Half-dollar

2 Nickle 4 Quarter 6 Dollar
Page 2
 The secret of this routine depends entirely upon
two things; the subtleness of the code, and the ef-
fects with which it is used. All such acts have de-
pended on a code alone to pass Information secretly.
In this act, the methods of operation are continual-
ly being changed, and the effects presented are tru-
ly different.

In rehersing, the performer is to forget the med-

ium and address ALL of his remarks to the audience.A
watchful observor will never hear the performer give
his remarks to anyone but the spectators, and those
are concealed in instructions and directions,and not
as inane, senseless, and obvious asides.

Here are some examples of the code words in use.

You need never say the same thing twice exactly. As
you become accustomed to it all, you will ramble a-
long to the spectators, and at the right moment, the
key word or words will be used to start a sentence.

It will be noticed that in the card code,the suit

and value are given at one time, the suit words fit-
ting before the value words perfectly. This also ap-
plies to the number code, it being possible to send
any number from 1 to 99 instantly. There is no dan-
» ger of mixing the two codes as they are always used
at different times, and the same applies to the coin
effect. The medium knows what is going on, and it is
only necessary to use the number code words from one
to six when coding the coin value.

Ace of Clubs - "Don't let anyone else see your card1.1

Three of Diamonds - "All right, take the deck your-
self,
Queen of Spades - "Just keep the card in your mind."
Ten of Hearts - "Now try to keep everything off your
mind except your card."

You will readily see how natural this sounds when

addressed to a spectator, and how it ia possible to
change the sentences at random, as long as your key
words start you off.

The same rules of speech apply to the number code

when it is brought into play during the routine. See
how many different things you can say for each card
and number, keeping the code words In place. This is
good practise, and will make you realise much sooner
how varied are the possibilities of what you can say
to the people helping you in the audience.

AND NOW WE GET DOWN TO BUSINESS -

The preparation and apparatus necessary for pre-

senting this routine consists of very little.

Two decks of playing cards

A pad of paper about 2-|x3-| such as sold at Wool-
worth stores in packets as scratch pads
A dollar bill
A package of end opening drug envelopes (manilla)
Two fairly good size slates and chalk
A thumb tip that is a little too large for you
Three or four pencils

Stack the two decks according to your best liked

system. Either the Eight King or Si Stebbins method
is all right, although I prefer the former.

Jot down the number on your dollar bill, and have

the medium memorise It, or better, pencil it on the
border of her handkerchief which she carries.Before-
hand, both you and the medium learn the order that
will be used in disclosing the figures. I had number
revealed, figure by figure, In this order; 6th, 1st,
4th, 7 t h / 2nd, 5th, 8th, 3rd. Starting with the 6th,
you merely keep going to the right, skipping 2 fig-
ures each time, and a3 there are eight numbers on a
bill, this eventually hits them all. Later on, when
we cover the effect itself, with presentation,you'll
see how this builds the effect up greatly. Place the
bill, folded small and flat, in one of the coin en-
velopes, and have it on bottom of stack.

Take three of the envelopes, and get the same

number of different colored crayons. Hold one open
and, reaching inside it to bottom, or the closed end
with one of the colored pencils, mark it with three
or four lines on each side. This Is so that when you
tear off the bottom later on, to open sealed envel-
opes, you can see a part of the colored lines immed-
iately, and know which of the three It is, and which
person's coin is inside. I used crayons colored red,
yellow and green, considering them as one, two, and
three, In that order. It is necessary that both you
and the medium know this color arrangement,especlall
Page 4
the medium. Before the presentation, starts, you and
the medium decide upon three people in the audience
who will be given these envelopes, and the medium is
to consider them as persons one, two, and three.This
previous spotting makes possible a most unusual cli-
max. Put the three marked envelopes in correct order
on the top of the stack.

Put the thumb tip in right trouser pocket, or if

you wish, in the lower right vest pocket.However, it
is more natural to secure it from trouser pocket.

With the pad of paper handy, together with slates

and chalk, pencils, and the stacked decks,you're set
to present the routine.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

"For many, many years, it has been known that two
people's minds can be 'en rapport', that is, to say,
in sympathy and unison with each other. There have
been many to exploit thi3 phase of mentality,and for
the most part, they have resorted to trickery,secret
knowledge, and underhanded practise. In our presen-
tation, this evening, we will try to convince all of
you, that deception has been eliminated to the point
where the teat* we do can be successful only through
the perfect co-ordination of our minds.

However, as ia always the case, many will consid-

er it fakery of some sort, and,rather than take up
valuable time discussing the subject, we trust that
those persons will look upon it all as entertainment
only, and find amusement and novelty in our presen-
tation of what we consider a science."

After this opening, you put a chair in front,with

its back to audience. The medium sits down, and you
pick up one qf the stacked decks. Remove it from the
case, and false shuffle if you can, although one or
two cuts will do. Now go towards some person and ask
them to think of any card. Stand at their sicle,fan-
ning the deck so that both of you can see the faces.
Tell him to watch for his card, and when he sees it,
he is to pull it up half way out of the fan, so you
can look directly at it. You are talking right along
as you do thi3, telling him what to do. The moment
he pulls up a card, you hesitate in your speech for
a second, and then continue, but this time you send
the name of the card across. You can use every card
Page 5
signal except "Mix" and "Shuffle" for 5 and 7,as you
are using a stacked deck in this case. The medium is
now aware of the card, and the spectator asks medium
If she knows it. She names the color, then the suit,
and finally the entire name.

Now explain in a few words that you have the per-

son think of a card, instead of taking one,and thus-
ly prevent any possibility that you may have influ-
enced his choice. Ask someone else to think of one,
and repeat the effect. For the third time,spread the
deck face down on a chair or table, and have a spec-
tator remove any card, not showing it to anyone else
but himself. As he does this, you keep talking, say-
ing that this time even you will not see or know the
card, and that the medium will attempt a direct test
of thought reading. As you talk, you've picked cards
up in two sections, cutting the spread at the point
where selected card was removed. You lay deck on the
table face up, spotting the bottom card, which, be-
cause of the stacking, tells you that the next sys-
tem card is the chosen one, and immediately you send
the selected card to the medium who proceeds to cor-
rectly name it. All of this takes but a minute, and
is convincing because it upsets any Idea that might
have been formed that you had to see the card.

Now you state that the medium has developed great

powers of prophecy. Rather than tell what has hap-
pened, she will attempt telling what is going to oc-
cur. Pick up the pad of paper and openly tear three
sheets off. Hand them to the medium, with a pencil,
and put a hat or deep dish on the floor or a table,
a foot or two to her right. Now step back into aud-
ience with the still stacked deck. Step up to a per-
son and ask him his name. We will suppose the name
is "John Brown." Turning towards medium,you ask her
to "Write something for Mr. Brown."She is seen to be
writing something on a piece of paper, and then she
holds out a crumpled up piece, saying,"Here is some-
thing for Mr. Brown," and proceeds to drop it openly
into the bowl.

Remarking that a prophecy has been made before a

thing has been done, you spread the deck in front of
Mr. Brown, and have him freely select, and keep, any
one of the cards, not showing it to anyone else. You
now pass to another person, ask their name, request
the medium to write something for them,and again she
writes and drops a crumpled paper into the bowl. The
spectator takes a card and keeps It as did the first
subject, and you pass to a third for a repitition of
the same actions. At thi3 time, you lay deck aside a
minute and remind everyone that before each card was
removed, the medium wrote something for that person.

Any spectator is now asked to go forward and take

the papers from bowl. He is to read them one by one.
And each paper says, "Mr. (or whatever name was
given) will select the And as each paper's se-
cret is disclosed, the spectator, for whom prophecy
was written, holds up his card, and shows it as the
right one.

Before detailing the working points of this hair

raising trick, (for it is quite that) I want to say
that originally, this effect was conceived by A1
Baker and told me about 1928. However, after working
it a number of times, it was changed so that the me-
dium could be seated with her back to audience, all
forcing was eliminated, and it was made unnecessary
for the performer and medium to know, in advance,the
name of any person. This not alone has made the ef-
fect easier and cleaner, but a bit more practical in
cases where previous information is difficult to se-
cure.

At the start, the medium has three pieces of pa-

per and a pencil. When the first person's name comes
up, the medium writes on the first paper, "Mr.
will select the ", leaving the name of the
card unfinished. She folds it up, holds out her hand
to plainly show it, remarking that she has something
written for Mr. , and apparently puts it in the
dish, but actually brings it right out again in her
hand, and back to lap. You now have the card chosen
from the face down spread, and kept. Pick up deck in
two sections, cutting at the point from where chosen
card was removed. A glance at the bottom card indi-
cates to you the name of the selected card, and you
immediately code it to medium. You now pass to next
person and ask his name. You tell it to medium. This
time she writes on the second paper, " M r . — will se-
lect the ", leaving name of card unfinished,and
also PILLS OUT THE REST OP PAPER N0.1 WITH THE NAME
OP THE CARD JTJST CODED TO HER. Now she folds up the
paper No. 1 (just completed), shows it and says that
she has written something for person No. 2,and drops
it openly into the bowl. At this time she has paper
No, 2 uncompleted, and paper No. 3 blank. Now person
No. 2 selects a card from the deck as did person No.
1, you learn its identity in the same manner, coding
it immediately. Passing to No. 3 you ask his name as
you have done with the others. Tell it to medium and
she fills out paper No. 3 with "Mr. will select
the ", and completes paper No. 2 by filling in
the name of the card she has just received. Folding
paper No. 2, she holds it out, remarks that she ha3
written something for person No. 3, and drops it in
the bowl. Now No. 3 person selects his card, and a-
gain you send the message across.

At this point you are ready for the climax. You

put deck down, and spend about half a minute or less
recalling that three cards have been chosen, none of
which you could possibly know, and that each time, a
prophecy was made by medium and put in bowl, BEFORE
the selection was made. During this, the medium has
been sitting with hands in lap, and out of sight,but
has filled in the paper No. 3 with the name of card
signalled last. She folds it and holds in her right
fingers. At the moment you ask someone to go forward
and take the papers, she stands up to face audience
for the finish, at the same time picking up the bowl
and holding it. The fingers of right hand go inside
and thumb outside, in the action of picking it up,so
the palmed paper No. 3 is deposited within.The spec-
tator steps forward, takes the papers, and reads one
at a time. After each reading, the person whose name
is given, holds up his card, and it will be correct.

The fact that each person's name is on the paper

with the name of his card; the fact that you haven't
known the name of any person before they tell it to
you; the point that you do not see, at any time, the
cards removed and kept from deck; and the fact that
the medium has written and put each prophecy aside
BEFORE a card* was drawn, makes this an unbelievable
mystery. I have found also that, in private homes,
it is nice to ask the host or hostess for a sheet of
note paper which you tear into three pieces for this
effect. In this way you get a different type of pa-
per than you would have, and it makes obvious that
only three pieces are used, to anyone who might be a
bit suspicious.

Immediately after this problem, you conclude with

cards, by picking up deck, and saying that you will
present the te3t with which you have convinced many
skeptical scientists that the medium can read a mind
directly and correctly. Have a spectator step to the
front. The spectator, the medium, and you, stand in
line, the medium, with her back to the spectatorjthe
spectator, with his back to her back, and you stand
with your back to the spectator. In this position of
the three of you, neither the medium or you can see
each other, and neither of you can see the spectator
between.

Hand him the pack of cards, saying, "First, give

them a bit of a shuffle and put them face down and
squared up on your loft hand." Hurry him up a little
at this point by asking him If he is ready as soon
as you hear him start mixing, and repeating,"Put the
deck on left hand, face down." Now tell him that as
he has shuffled them, he should cut them once. Just
an ordinary square cut. Now tell him to look at and
remember the top card, whatever it may be, and then
push it into the middle of deck somewhere to be sure
It is completely lost.

At this point, you turn, and take deck from spec-

tator, squaring the edges a little more as you do so
and getting a glimpse of the bottom card. Figure one
ahead in the stacking system, and you know the name
of the top card which he looked at and buried in the
center. Code it across to medium who stands with her
back still towards spectator, then motion for quiet
and look intently at the pack. Slowly she names the
color, suit and finally the card.

The principle of shuffling a stacked deck for one

trick is very little known. I fell onto it eight or
nine years ago, and thought It original until I dis-
covered it hidden away in one issue of Stanyon's pa-
per "Magic" over twenty years ago. It makes a good
location for a single person, but used in this man-
ner with two people, it is a knockout. No one under-
stands how you can possibly know the card, let alone
the medium, and the misdirection is perfect, as they
continually watch to see you make some sort of move
when you take the deck. Many times you will be able
to turn around and get a glimpse of the bottom card
while spectator is squaring deck and tapping edges.

When this is possible, you don't take the deck at

all, but code the selected card across at once when
telling him what to do with them, or how to think of
his card.

Now the medium takes her seat again with back to

audience. You ask for a one dollar bill, for you are
now going to work entirely with figures. Pick up the
packet of envelopes and remove the bottom one which
has the folded bill inside. Your right hand drops to
pocket and secures the thumb tip. Hold envelope in
left hand, flap up, and pinch the sides to open. Put
right thumb into mouth of envelope as an aid in op-
ening, leaving the tip behind. In the meantime, the
spectator who has proffered the bill has been asked
to fold it up small. Take with your right hand, and
give it an extra fold if necessary. Put it in mouth
of envelope, into tip, and right thumb follows it in
and comes out behind wearing tip. The flap is folded
down and the envelope handed to someone to hold. The
right hand goes to pocket and comes out with a piece
of chalk, and the tip with bill is left behind.

Pick up the slate, and on it, holding slate with

its side parallel with floor, draw enough vertioal
lines so eight figures can be written between them.

Now ask the medium to concentrate and through her

powers of clairvoyance, divulge what she knows about
the concealed bill. From now on you say nothing else
until she lias finish. You will remember that both of
you have learned an order in which the bill figures
are to be revealed* 6th,1st,4th,7th,2nd,5th,8th,3rd.
Suppose the number on the bill Is 48872710. This has
been memorised or written on her handkerchief.

She hesitates a few seconds and then says, "I see

that the 6th figure is a 7." You mark a 7 in the 6th
space on slate, always holding it so audience sees
just what is being put down. She continues, "In the
first place I see a 4." You mark a 4 In the 1st of
the spaces. She goes on, "There's a figure fading in
now In the 4th position, and it's another 7."In this
way, all of the figures are finally called out,which
fills the slate. After the last one is put down, you
turn towards the person holding the envelope, and to
him you say, "Please open the envelope and take out
the bill from inside. Open out the bill, and look at
the serial number on it. Then read slowly, but loud-
ly, the entire number from left to right."
 The spectator reads the number, and as he does so
you draw a line through each of the figures on slate
until all are marked off. This makes an awfully nice
finish to the effect, and although the whole working
has been nothing but presentation, you'll find that
people will remember it. The method of procedure is
very convincing.

And now we come to the nicest two person coin ef-

fect I've ever run across. I revealed the basis for
it in the June, 1935 issue of my publication, "The
Jinx", but Mr, Audley Walsh developed it into an en-
tirely different effect from the original. I did not
have this in ray original act, but at this point used
a stunt which was based on mnemonic memory. As I am
producing something which is not to require a lot of
study and concentration, I am inserting this effect
In the place of the old.

The medium is still seated with back to audience,

and you announce that this test will be one of com-
bined telepathy and somnolency. Pick up the pack of
envelopes and remove the three marked ones. They are
in order, so you hand them to the three people upon
whom you and medium decided. Ask each of them to put
inside any single coin they may have in their pocket
but first to note the date. Then they are to seal up
envelopes, keeping in mind the denomination and date
of their money.

The envelopes are collected by anyone else. This

person mixes them, and hands them to you, one at a
time. With the remark that this prevents you knowing
which is which, or to whom any of the envelopes be-
long, you tear off the bottom of envelope to open it
and dump coin in hand. In pinching the envelope open
after tearing, you see coin before it is dumped out
and send the denomination as coin is sliding out in-
to hand. To the audience, you are just finishing off
the remarks mentioned above. For Instance,if the en-
velope contained a dime, you might say, "Take your
minds off everything but your coins." Or,for a half-
dollar, "Give all of your thoughts to your coin."You
hold the coin in hand and look intently at it.Medium
says, "The piece of money I see no?/, is a ten cent
piece." As she names the denomination correctly, you
pick coin from palm and hold it up so it can be seen
by all. When you dumped coin Into palm and signalled
the value, you had four or five seconds to yourself
before she finished answering. During that interval
you noted the date, and the moment she revealed the
denomination of coin, and as you hold it up for all
to plainly see, you send across the last two figures
of the date. If the coin's date is 1919, you might
say, "Now put your minds on your dates." For a date
like 1921, you could say, "Please don't think of any
thing else but your dates."

The medium now sees the coin plainly and is sure

that the date is 1919. The moment you have shown the
coin, and sent the date across, you drop the coin in
the envelope again and wait until she finishes. Then
she stands up, and approaching you, takes the envel-
ope and walks Into the•audience. You do not say any-
thing. Just stand still and watch. She may say some-
thing like this, "I want to return this coin to its
owner, and if the person to whom it belongs will on-
ly think of me as coming closer and closer to him, I
think I may be able to do it." As she talks, she op-
ens envelope and dumps coin Into her hand,and In do-
ing so gets a glimpse of the color markings, AND IN
THIS WAY KNOWS WHICH OF THE THREE PEOPLE IS THE ONE
TO WHOM THE COIN SHOULD BE GIVEN.

They acknowledge the correctness of this, and she

returns to her chair, but merely stands with back to
audience, Instead of sitting down again. You are now
handed another envelope, and you repeat the proced-
ure, but this time send both the denomination andthe
date, one after the other. Then, after she calls out
the value, you merely show it, say nothing, and she
continues with the date, and finishes by returning
it to its owner. Now finish with the last envelope
in the same way, but when the medium takes it to re-
turn this time, she doesn't even glance at the en-
velope, but sort of crumples it in hand, with coin
inside, and wanders around a bit before giving it to
the owner. She knows which of the three is left, and
doesn't have to bother with the marking.

This is all very effective, and mostly because it

appears that you, yourself, cannot know to whom the
various coins belong, everything being mixed before
you touched them, and you never seeing who put what
in which envelope.

After this number, the medium returns to her seat

with back to audience, and you pick up pad of paper.
T o r - t l i i s — f ect~a—sofVTelt hat" is "the "b"es'F'"c6htain-"
er for papers, but you will find, many places where a
hat is decidedly out of place In the scheme of sur-
roundings, and a bowl, or deep dish, mu3t be used.In
this routine, such a container is used but twice, so
whichever you use for the first time, use that same
one for the second time.

Tear off three pieces of paper, and fold them the

long way first, then once the opposite way,and last-
ly in the opposite way to the second fold.This makes
a folded slip about lxl-J-. When you fold the last one
up, give it an extra fold to crumple it a bit more
than the other two, so you can readily tell it .from
them. Give this to a person, and ask that they draw
a picture, or diagram. To another you give another
3lip and ask that they write a single word, of not
more than ten letters, and a word that is a noun, so
they can have a picture of what it means in his mind
continually. This detail builds to an opinion that
you are really getting mental pictures. I have heard
people argue afterwards that if it were a trick,they
could have put anything on the paper. The last slip
is handed out with the. request that the spectator is
to write down any three figures in a row, but he is
to take figures that are connected with him In some
way, such as from a license number, box number, add-
ress, telephone number, etc. He may take any three
consecutive figures from any of these personal num-
bers. Again you have made conditions that • are psy-
chologically perfect in throwing minds off track.

At thi3 point you return to front and secure bowl

and at the same time, your right hand drops to pock-
et, removes the bill from tip, and comes out wearing
tip on thumb. You are holding the bowl in left hand
with fingers inside and thumb outside. In going back
to audience for the slips, you change hands with the
bowl for a second, right thumb (with tip) going in-
side and fingers outside. Then, as you reach one of
the slip holders, change back again to left hand,but
this time, the left fingers inside bowl cover right
thumb and tip, and right hand lets go, leaving thumb
tip in bowl under left fingers. Keep the bowl held
just high enough 30 the inside can't be seen.

Collect the three papers with right hand, putting

them in bowl as you turn and pass to the next. Each
time you merely stick the paper into the tip, and on
'"the""last"paper entering tip, the right thumb goes in
with It, and. right hand grasps bowl. The left hand
lets go, and without your showing it so, it is seen
empty by those who may look for It. Carry bowl back
to the front with right hand, and put it down upon a
chair or table, well in front of medium, that is,be-
tween her and audience.

Now remark that for this test she must cater to

her concentrative powers more than usual, and there-
fore a blindfold is in order. Take handkerchief from
your breast pocket with right hand (thumb still has
tip), and as you stand behind her, put right hand a-
round her right side, and left hand reaches around
left side to catch other end of hank, and the right
thumb lets tip with papers fall into her foldedhands
in lap. Now you proceed to blindfold her, but, nat-
urally, she can see down under It Into her lap. Im-
mediately she gets the papers, she starts opening up
and looking at them. In the meantime, you finish the
blindfolding, and then step back and pick u p the one
slate which was used for the bill trick. Rub off the
numbers on it, the blindfolding plus this action be-
ing ample time for her to see and refold all of the
papers. It is no tax on anyone'3 memory to remember
the three bits of data on them, and then she returns
them to tip, and holds it in left fingers with mouth
towards right, and nail side upward.

Approach medium'3 right side with the slate held

between first and second fingers of your right hand,
and thumb on top. As you put slate in her lap,medium
merely puts the tip on your right thumb, and you re-
turn to the bowl. Reach into bowl with right hand,
and push tip off with fingers as you apparently mix
the slips around a bit. The slips, being under ball
of thumb , a little pressure in pulling out thumb
will drag them out of tip, and you pick up either of
the first two, but leave the picture slip until the
last.

Hand this paper to someone close, and ask them to

open it up and tell you whether It is the number, or
the word, or the picture. The medium hears this, of
course. Then you a s k them to concentrate upon number
or word, whichever it may happen to be, and the med-
ium is heard writing on slate. Suddenly she remarks,
"Ready." Then you ask spectator to read aloud what
is on the paper. He does so, you point to the medium
and she raises slate up, with "writing side " towards
audience. On the slate is seen the correct number or
word! Just one detail is in order here. The medium
mu3t do her writing very roughly as though she were
actually blindfolded. I always advised my partner to
close her eyes when she did the writing, and then do
It the best she could. Then it was genuine, and not
faked.

Now you step to bowl again, reach in, and secure

tip on thumb, at the same time picking up the second
piece of paper. Hand this paper to another spectator
to open. Ask him if it is the number or picture, or
word or picture, whichever the case may be. The med-
ium writes again, and the effect repeated as before.
You have pocketed the thumb- tip meanwhile.

For the last slip, explain that while everyone is

able to visualise figures and words when hearing any
of them read, it is next to the impossible to do the
same with a picture, as everyone may draw the same
object a bit differently. Hand the second slate and
chalk to a spectator near the front, and ask him to
go over to the bowl and take out the last, or pic-
ture slip. This is a nice point, as you, apparently
never touch the paper itself. Then have him open it
and look at the picture. Then he Is to duplicate the
sketch, drawing, or diagram very large on the slate
he holds, and the medium,(in the meanwhile she has
cleaned off one side of the slate she holds) will at
the same time, make a drawing on her slate. You then
merely watch the proceedings, and when the spectator
has finished, you step over to medium, remove blind-
fold, and she steps down towards front, holding her
slate close against body. The spectator steps beside
her, shows his drawing to everyone, and as a climax
the medium turns her slate to show the same picture!

Whereupon, you dismiss the spectator with thanks

and both the medium and yourself take well earned
bowa, collect your remuneration, and go your ways.