Jean Hugard has a clever and subtle method of handling a flap in this effect and I know it will find favor with not a few club and close-up workers. All in all, the general effect has not been changed much inasfar as a message or name or something appears on the slate. Mr Hugard’s subtlety consists of making the conditions appear more strict by the application of a piece of newspaper cut to the slate surface size. After showing the slates as usual and rubbing off the sides if deemed necessary, a piece of newsprint is stuck to one side of one slate by its corner with bits of wax.

Unbeknownst to the audience there is a duplicate piece of newspaper stuck to the slate itself and covered with the usual flap. Under the paper stuck to the slate proper is the message or revelation. The paper the audience first sees is dutifully stuck to the flap and the two slates placed together. Mr Hugard gave me no definite excuse for the paper but I suggest that patter be formed regarding absolute darkness being necessary and because failure has resulted at times when slates frames were not exactly true and even, the paper will circumvent that.

Concluding this bit of patter, the performer opens them again and has a spectator (who is later to open the slates) initial the paper with a crayon. Of course, he initials the real piece, the flap having been dropped to the other slate. Back together, the slates are held by him until it is time for the climax. The performer opens them, and discards the slate bearing the flap. The spectator identifies his markings and he himself removes the paper and finds the message. This leaves the slate and paper in the audience, and the evidence of trickery has been done away with.