Miracles of Modern Magic
Harry Whiteley
Previous | Next | Contents
Production of a Solid Walking-Stick
By Chas. Trickey
A BLACK, silver-mounted, straight walking-stick is required. This is pushed through the breast of your dress waistcoat, passing down left trousers leg, where it rests in a tiny cloth pocket sewn inside the trousers slightly towards the heel. The ferrule end of the stick should go in first.
The only other requirement is a large newspaper sheet. If considered necessary, the paper may be given for inspection; after which it is rolled in the form of a cone. In making this cone the conjurer tears a slit near the bottom, making a gash about three inches long in an upright direction. The paper is now brought to the front of the stage, in order that the audience may see there is nothing in it. In turning round to walk back, the handle end of the walking-stick is quickly drawn from the vest and pushed through the slit, and then turning, with the left side of the spectators, the conjuror shows his right hand empty, and plunging it into the cone draws out the stick. This should be handed to the audience, and the paper crushed up and thrown aside.
It may be considered an improvement to vanish a duplicate stick before producing the one from the cone. This may be done with the aid of a glazed paper imitation of the original timber. The paper stick should lie on the table under three or four sheets of newspaper. A duplicate solid stick may be given for inspection, and apparently wrapped in one of the sheets of newspaper. Of course the genuine stick is left hidden under one of the sheets, while the paper one is substituted. When this one has been wrapped up, the package can be crushed and torn, which is all that may be desired in the way of proving the stick to have disappeared.
Previous | Next | Contents