Miracles of Modern Magic
Harry Whiteley
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Destiny--A Novel Card Trick
THE following card combination is one of our own arranging, and will, we believe, make a welcome addition to our reader's répertoire. As a sequel to other tricks during the progress of which a sealed envelope has been resting in full view in the clip of a card stand the performer asks anyone in the audience to think of any card in the pack. Here attention is called to the envelope, and the conjurer asks for the name of the thought-of card. Having ascertained this, he takes the envelope between his finger and thumb, opens it, and abstracts another smaller envelope, also sealed, and hands both to the person naming the card. The latter gentleman is asked to open the second envelope, and when he does so a third one, also sealed, is found inside, and upon this being investigated a small card is discovered upon which is written: "The card destined to be chosen this evening is-----" the dash being substituted for the name of the identical card selected.
For this trick fifty-two plain visiting cards are required--the number corresponding to a pack of playing cards. On each card must be written the quotation given in the preceding paragraph, with the addition of the name of a card until the whole pack has been named. This done, each card is sealed up in a small envelope, and then in a second one a trifle larger, taking the precaution to mark each outside envelope with a pair of dots (as used in marking playing cards) for the purpose of future identification. Having made up the full number, the envelopes must be stacked together in their suits and numerical order, starting with the Ace and finishing with the King. This arrangement gives us four packets of thirteen envelopes. These are all placed in the conjuror's trouser pocket, which, by the way, is constructed with four small divisions or lesser pockets used for separating the suits. All is now in readiness for the trick.
When attention has been directed to the envelope, the conjuror stands with his hand naturally in his pocket. Directly the person thinking of the card names his choice the performer picks on the envelopes of the same suit, and then running the thumb along their edges counts till arriving at the packet required. This is no lengthy or difficult task, seven envelopes being the utmost it is required to count, for this reason--if the card selected is seven or under we count from the Ace, whereas when the chosen one is higher than seven we begin at the opposite end of the stackthe King. Possession of the correct envelope having been obtained, the conjurer back-palms it (for preference with the first and third fingers), holding the little one open. When secure in this position the hand is abstracted from the pocket slowly, and, pointing with the open hand at the envelope on the stand, say: "Perhaps you are curious as to why this envelope has been here during my entertainment. I shall now show you." Walking carelessly to the envelope, it is taken with the finger and thumb; this action of its own accord bringing the back-palmed smaller envelope directly behind the larger one. In this position both can be passed from hand to hand without exposing the envelope behind.
The larger envelope is torn open by the conjuror, and then the second one is drawn up from the back as though it were taken from the interior of the first. Both envelopes are now offered for inspection, the visiting card, which it would seem correctly predicts the person's thoughts, being finally discovered.
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