For the Sleight of Hand Fellers
(Card Trick)
It's a swell effect tho'.... and worth the two sleights.... A spectator takes his own deck over in the corner or out of the room and shuffles them, merely THINKS OF A CARD and when he hands you the deck you take one card out, lay it on the table, and it is turned over later, and that is the card he selected or just thought of.
The effect alone of this trick will command immediate attention from an audience if you SELL THE IDEA TO THEM BEFORE YOU START. We will suppose he thought of the ten of spades.... when you take the deck back.... you take out any card, but apparently you think deeply before you take the card out. Lay it face down on the table and as you lay it down, bend the corner up a LITTLE. We'll say the card is the ace of hearts. Tell them that this is really not a sure thing. If you get the card, you will be very lucky, and as long as you have laid one card. down it is perfectly all right for you to ask the name of the card selected.
AS YOU SAY ALL THIS, the cards are face toward you; held by both hands. They will now tell you the name of the card; You say, "Well, that's all right if it's the 10 of spades.... you know most everyone thinks of a deuce of clubs or a five of hearts or some card like that." and as you talk you locate the 10 of spades and bring it to the top of deck, by simply cutting the cards at that 10 spot.
You now have the 10 of spades on top of the deck. Make a double a lift and take these two cards in right hand and show them, saying "You didn't think of the five of hearts tho' did you?.... this card below the ten spot must be mentioned as one of the cards that people usually think of, before you show it.... hold the 2 cards over the top of deck, drop the under one and with right hand.... you perform the Mexican turnover with the ace of hearts on the table and show that the card you laid down was the 10 of spades, now IN A FLASH, before they can get their eyes off the 10, you do the TOP CHANGE, and the ace is now changed to the five and you carelessly throw that down on table face up.... and I defy anyone to get this, if you do it right.... I could mention name after name of fellows who have bet me money they could do it right away, simply because they saw the Mexican turnover, but the last part FOOLS THEM when THEY try it.... as if they are misdirected right, and you do it IMMEDIATELY (the top change) after you turn the 10 spot over, then they're fooled. I'll do it for you, when you see me....