Later Day Tricks
A. Roterberg
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The Bewitched Decanter
IN this excellent trick the performer introduces a glass decanter filled with clear water and a tray containing a number of ordinary wine glasses, which may be closely inspected to prove that they contain no hidden chemicals. Taking one of the glasses and requesting some one to wipe it thoroughly with their handkerchief, to do away with any lingering doubt of preparation, the performer, after receiving the glass back, pours water into it from the decanter and empties back into the latter. The spectators are now asked to name the liquid they would like the performer to produce in the empty glass in his hand. Supposing they call for wine the performer immediately proceeds to pour a beautiful red wine from the decanter into the glass, the contents of which are now emptied into an empty vessel provided for that purpose, or another glass may be taken from the tray and rinsed and wiped by one of the spectators, whereupon the performer once more pours out any liquor called for, producing benedictine, champagne, coffee, absinthe, milk, black ink, chartreuse, bitters, sherry, in fact any liquid called for.
This trick, which certainly has a wonderful effect, depends upon a preparation of the decanter, which, besides the water, contains a fourth of a cup of alcohol and also a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda The glasses used are all unprepared, so that no amount of rinsing and wiping will in any way effect the success of the trick. If however the performer desires to produce milk during the trick, one of the glasses must contain a little Supacetate of Lead. When the liquid is poured from the decanter into this glass, milk is apparently obtained.
The other liquids are produced by an arrangement of soluble colors arranged around the mouth or upper edge of the opening of the decanter. For this purpose the performer procures some Diamond Dyes or other aniline colors and dissolves each color in a little water and glycerine, grinding these ingredients together until a stiff paste is formed, of which a little dab is placed on the mouth of the decanter, the different colors being arranged in ail alphabetical order, so that the performer can readily find the color he desires. These dabs of color are placed at equal distance from each other, a rather wide space being left open, so that in case any one should ask for water, the conjurer can serve it without hesitation.
The dyes, i.e. if Diamond Dyes are used, are the ones intended for dyeing silk or wool; a few of the principal colors to get are: Slate (which makes a black ink), Light Yellow, Light Green, Scarlet, Lilac or Purple, Light Blue, etc. When the decanter is properly prepared the conjurer pours out any liquid as described, by allowing the water to run out of the decanter over the particular color adhering to the mouth of the latter, the alcohol contained in the water causing the colors to dissolve very readily.
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