Miracles of Modern Magic
Harry Whiteley
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The Wandering Orange
TWO cardboard tubes or cylinders and a couple of china plates are handed out for inspection. On their return the plates are laid separately on a table and one of the cylinders placed on each plate. An orange is now introduced which may be magically produced or otherwise at the conjurer's wish. The orange is dropped through one of the tubes on to the plate beneath, and after having raised the cylinder to show the fruit is really there the orange is commanded to pass to the second plate, previously shown empty. This transposition immediately takes place, and the orange can be passed to and fro at will.
There is a charming simplicity in the secret of this pretty little trick which should recommend itself to many. When the orange is shown before being dropped through the first tube it is secretly attached to a hook at the end of a lenght of black thread fastened to the back edge of the table. By this means, according to the manner in which the tube is raised, it it possible to either show the orange on the plate or not. A few moments' practice will enable the reader to discover the proper movement. With regard to the second orange, which must also be fastened similarly to the first, this is procured from the table servante and secretly loaded into the second tube while standing it on the plate. In this way it will be seen how easy a matter it is to vanish and produce either orange when required. The requisite lenght of thread can only be determined by experiment, and will depend on the height of the tubes and width of table used.
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