Later Day Tricks
A. Roterberg
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The Chameleon Handkerchiefs
AFTER showing both hands entirely empty, the artist takes a green silk handkerchief, folding it into a small parcel, when in a second the green handkerchief becomes a red one, which may be freely examined.
This trick depends upon the use of a novel pull, containing a red handkerchief, which has the same shape as the "Buatier Pull," being however made of green silk instead of metal. The pull, which in its normal state lies near the right arm hole of the vest, has an elastic fastened to its pointed end and is attached to the person in the usual manner.
The conjurer after tucking back his sleeves and showing both hands (is empty, takes the green handkerchief folding it into a small parcel, giving the latter as near as possible the shape and appearance of the pull, for which the folded handkerchief is now neatly substituted. The spectators still believe they see the green handkerchief and the performer, placing his hands together with the pull between them, simply works the red handkerchief out of its hiding place, meanwhile allowing the pull to fly back under the coat to its former place.
By next employing a red pull, which contains a handkerchief of still another color, the performer can change the last red handkerchief into another color, by exchanging the folded red handkerchief for the second pull and working out the handkerchief in the same manner. In fact several different colored pulls containing handkerchiefs of other colors may be used, thereby permitting the conjurer to change a handkerchief several times into any color desired by the spectators.
For the successful performance of this trick, the performer must however be able to use his chances properly and to a certain extent force upon the spectators the color of the next handkerchief. As it generally happens, when the spectators are requested to call out a color, several persons will respond, one will exclaim "black" another "blue" etc. The conjurer simply accepts such colors that correspond with the color of his pulls and their contents and proceeds accordingly.
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