Here is an old card principle in a new dress and for a different effect. Magicians all know the old stunt of putting four aces on top of the deck and having it cut into four piles. Then, cards are moved from pile to pile by the spectator, at the performer’s direction, and for a climax, the top card of each pile is turned and shown to be an ace.

Now try it this way. While seated at a table, write a prediction on a piece of paper, fold, and let someone keep it. Pick up the pack, false shuffle by dovetailing to keep the top four intact, and go through the procedure. When the top cards are turned over they are indifferent and apparently there by chance. Tell the spectator that the first card will indicate a page, the next will indicate a column, the third will be for a line and the last will indicate a word in that line. Pick up the daily newspaper (which, of course, you have glanced at previously) and in this way a single word is reached. Your prophecy is found to be correct!

Just in case this effect is read by someone not acquainted with the manoeuvre of the cards, I shall give an example. Once the principle is known and understood, you will never do it twice alike. With the four cards on top, have it cut into four piles. We shall call them 1, 2, 3 and 4; the set of four being on top of pile 4. Move two cards from 4 to 1. Move two from 2 to 3. Move one card from 1 to 2. Move two from 4 to 3. Move one card from 3 to 4. All are now distributed to the top of each pile. Don’t learn a routine. Just follow the cards in your mind and point to the piles, telling spectators how many to move and to which pile. Have them turned over and take the highest for page, next highest for column, next for line and smallest for word. By stacking four cards and noting one word you have a neat stunt.