Later Day Tricks
A. Roterberg
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The New Colored Sand Trick
IN "The Modern Wizard" I explained a trick with sands of four different colors. In the next pages I will describe two different and later versions of the same trick.
First Method
The conjurer prepares himself for the trick by placing about a wineglassful of ordinary sand, dyed a red color, on a small sheet of goldbeater's skin, wrapping up the sand firmly in the latter, and after tying the parcel with a strong thread, trims off the superfluous skin. After having made up a number of parcels of each color of sand, he places one of each in a bag of unprepared sand of the corresponding color and is then ready for the performance of the trick.
Showing an ordinary basin or bowl, he partly fills it with water and reaching into the bags of sand takes out several handfuls of each color, placing them in the bowl and stirring them up, so they will become thoroughly mixed. While placing the sand in the bowl, the performer picks out and loads into the latter the prepared parcels. Showing several empty plates, he states that he will produce from the bowl any of the colors of sand in a perfectly dry state. After the spectators have named the color they desire him to produce first, he places his empty hand in the bowl, finds the parcel of the desired color and closing his hand over it, brings it out. With the other hand he picks up one of the plates and holding the hand containing the parcel above it, squeezes the latter, thereby breaking the thin skin and causing the sand to trickle upon the plate in a perfectly dry state.
The empty skin, which remains concealed in the hand is then disposed of by dropping it into the profonde or may be hidden under the towel with which the performer dries his hands after each production. The remaining colors of sand are then called for and produced in a similar manner.
To prevent the water from entering the skin and wetting the sand, while the parcel lies in the basin of water, the opening of the skin is stopped up by melted paraffine dropped on it from a burning candle.
Second Method
Although this method bears a certain resemblance to the one just described, the manner of performing it is an entirely different one.
The conjurer must provide himself with several toy balloons, which after being expanded a trifle are each filled with unprepared, different colored sand; each balloon is then closed by tying a strong thread around the opening. If the performer chooses he can use goldbeater's skin instead of the balloons.
Placed on the performer's table are several plates containing dry sand, one of the small prepared balloons being concealed behind the rim of each plate, the contents of which the performer now proceeds to empty into the bowl or basin of water. As he picks up a plate, he at the same time seizes the balloon concealed behind it and drops it into the water with the sand, being now at liberty to produce from the bowl any of the colors of sand. For this purpose he simply finds the proper balloon, closing his hand over it and bringing it out. By squeezing the parcel he breaks the skin surrounding it or cuts it with one of his finger nails, which for that purpose has been left long and sharp.
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