Later Day Tricks
A. Roterberg
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The Bewitched Wands
THE performer calls attention to two polished black wands, which he holds side by side in his left hand. From the end of one of them protrudes a short cord and from the other a long one. Stating that these wands are in sympathy with each other, the performer with the right hand slowly pulls out the short cord, when to every one's astonishment the long cord becomes shorter to the same extent as the short one becomes longer.
Pretending to hear some one say that the wands are connected and that it is only one cord which runs through both of them, the conjurer seizes both wands by their lower ends only, their upper ends being at some distance apart front each other. Nevertheless, upon pulling the short cord it becomes longer and the long one shorter. Again pretending to hear that the wands are connected at the bottom, he holds both distinctly apart in his left hand and repeats the process of shortening and lengthening the cords.
The wands, which are hollow, may be constructed out of polished, black, hard rubber tubing or out of metal or wooden tubes enameled black. All four ends of the tubes are closed by means of a plug. The cord in both wands runs through the entire length of the tube and is fastened to a leaden weight which glides smoothly back and forth inside of the wand. To ensure noiselessness, the weight is surrounded with chamois skin. The holes near the upper ends of the wands, from which the cords protrude, are situated at the side. To prevent the end of each cord from accidentally slipping into the wand, a large bead is fastened to it.
In introducing the trick, the performer holds the wand with the long string in a level position while the other wand is held a little more upright. The performer by pulling out the short cord, at the same time raises the other wand to a more perpendicular position, whereby the weight contained in its inside slowly sinks down, and drawing the long cord with it, causes it to become perceptibly shorter. In the proper execution of this move lies the entire secret and difficulty of the trick, and therefore the latter should not be attempted until thoroughly mastered. Both hands must work in perfect unison with each other, in order to make the raising and lowering of the wands as imperceptible as possible.
The different ways of holding the wands, as set forth in the description of the effect of the trick, simply are intended to confuse the spectators in regard to the modus operandi.
Further pretty variations may be introduced, as for instance allowing a spectator to pull out the short cord, while the wand with the long cord held in the performer's other hand is imperceptibly raised, causing the long cord to recede within the wand. Another interlude consists of the performer placing the lower end of the wand with the long cord in his mouth and to pull out the short cord. By simply bending the head gradually backwards, the weight in the wand glides down and causes the long cord to become short to the same extent as the short one becomes longer.
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