Later Day Tricks
A. Roterberg
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The Die and Flowers
A NEAT finale to a trick in which the popular large magic die is used, consists of covering said die with it borrowed handkerchief, upon removal of which the die is found to have disappeared, a large bouquet of handsome flowers having taken its place.
The solid die used during the first part of the trick is adroitly substituted on the servante of the table for a duplicate hollow die which contains, the flowers. The prepared die is made of thin wood, its sides, the edges of which are bevelled, being fastened to the bottom of the die by means of black calico hinges; the top of the die is separate from the rest. To the inside of the bottom are fastened about fifty of the best folding flowers with strings. After these flowers are carefully folded and placed on top of each other, the four sides of the die are raised and the top of the die is now placed on. From the upper edge of the four, sides of the die protrudes a short metal point, which corresponds with four holes in the top; in placing the latter on, the protruding points are inserted in the holes of the top, by which means the die is firmly held together.
After the substitution of dies has taken place, the prepared die is placed on the table, which preferably ought to be covered with black felt. A handkerchief is used to cover the die, and in removing the first, the performer carries the top of the die along with it, for this purpose seizing a loop of thread fastened to it. The concealed flowers immediately expand and cause the four hinged sides of the die to fall flat on the table, covering them entirely. Even if a corner of the collapsed die should remain uncovered, it would not be noticed, as the inside of the die is painted a dead black, which will explain the reason why the die is placed on a table, the top of which is covered with black material. If such a table is not available, a newspaper is previously spread out on an ordinary table and the die placed on it, the inside of the die being in this case lined with newspaper. While the attention of the spectators is called to the bouquet of flowers, the performer has ample opportunity to allow the top of the die to fall out of the handkerchief into the servante, after which the handkerchief is returned to its owner.
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