The Imaginary Rubber Band
By Nate Leipzig

THERE is nothing so entertaining and mystifying as an impromptu trick. One where the magician borrows an article and immediately, without preparation, performs a very fine effect. Such a trick is also valuable for it creates a bigger impression in the minds of newspaper men and club chairmen than a more formal trick. Such an effect I shall now describe.

You commence by borrowing a derby hat and handkerchief. Laying the handkerchief on the table, you take the hat in your left hand. "There is something in a derby hat that not one person in a hundred knows about It is a very fine, but extremely strong, rubber band, which stretches across the inside of the crown of the hat. Because of its color and fineness, it is almost invisible to the eye. I shall see if I can show it to you." With your left hand still holding the hat, get the nail of any finger of that hand under the hat. With the right hand apparently search for the imaginary 'elastic, which, at last, you seem to find. Carry out the misdirection by apparently pulling the elastic out of the hat and letting it snap back. The sound of the snap is caused by the finger nail of the left finger against the ribbon. If this is properly carried out, the illusion is perfect.

Now lay the hat on the table and explain that, although the rubber is so very fine, it has great elastic qualities and you propose to demonstrate them. Take the handkerchief and roll it into a ball. Tuck the ends in with a pencil. Put the handkerchief into your inside coat pocket, which is, usually, on your right side. Leave the handkerchief as near the top of the pocket as it will stay. Next pick up the hat with your right hand, apparently find the elastic with your left hand and make believe that you are stretching it toward the handkerchief in your pocket.

Carefully carry out the illusion by going through the motions with your hand. Explain that you are looping the rubber around the handkerchief. While you are doing this, your right hand, which is still holding the hat, is held at arm's length.

Next press the elbow of your right arm against the outside of your coat so as to continue the illusion that the rubber is tightly stretched, and that it must be held to keep it from snapping back. The moment the elbow is pressed against the coat, the left hand, with the handkerchief palmed, comes out of the pocket toward the hat. As you reach the hat, squeeze the handkerchief in between the hat and the brim. where it can be wedged tightly enough to stay. Your left hand is now free to show the inside of the hat, and then. in showing the outside, you release the handkerchief with the right hand and turn the hat over so that the handkerchief is brought inside the hat, where it is dropped. In doing this, undo the twist so that the handkerchief will expand.

Take the hat in your left hand and hold it mouth toward the ceiling so that the handkerchief will not show. You are still pressing the right elbow against the right side. Pivot your right hand away from the hat You are now in the same position as you were when you first made the rubber "snap."

Extend the left hand as far as you can reach, which apparently stretches the rubber to its limit. At that moment lift your right elbow, snap the hat band, turn the hat over and let the handkerchief fall out. This must be done in one move. The whole thing depends upon the mise-en- scene. It must be carried out slowly and evenly. Everything depends on convincing the audience that a rubber band is used.

The method of snapping the rubber is up to you. I prefer snapping the hat band with my finger nail, though you may flick your finger against the side of the hat, or even have a rubber band around the hat. The only trouble with snapping your finger against the hat is that if you don't get the right sound you will not be apt to carry out the illusion.

This trick has perfectly natural moves. There are a lot of good tricks that I never touch for some of the moves in them are not natural. things one tells an audience must be plausible, or again I will not do the effect. After all. in a trick everything is secondary to the presentation. Always remember-magic is only magic when you completely deceive.