When one can do a trick with the assistance of a telephone operator, he
is quite a person, and that is just what seems to happen in the case of this
excellent home, office, or press stunt.

It is short, simple and sweet, depending upon dial telephones and a bit
of timing. Most cities of any size have dial phones now, so the inclusion
of this feat is warranted. During the evening, or while you are in an
office, you ask for the use of the phone and dial the operator. You speak
into the phone “Ring back in a few minutes, operator, as soon as you get
my friend’s thought impression, and tell him the card by the number of
rings. Use the usual suit order. — I’ll call you back.”

Now you explain that the operator is concentrating, and that a card is
to be selected. The puzzled spectator takes one from the deck which is
laid aside. You do not see the card. Tell him that the suits are in a certain
order, as H-C-D-S and thought of as one-two-three and four so a suit
can be told by the number of rings. The spectator concentrates, and in a
minute or so, the phone rings once, twice, three times or four and stops.
You say “That’s — rings. It means the card must be a —. Is that
correct ? Now think of the value very hard, and listen.” The phone starts
ringing again and stops when it has rung the correct number of times !

The stunt has an amazing effect on a person with whom it is done.
The calling of the operator, of course, is much hooey, and the poor
operator doesn’t know what it is all about. However, they get so many
crackpots on the wire everyday with foolish questions that they are used
to suffering. Note, however, that you say the above remarks quite fast
in the phone, pause for the operator to say “What ?” and then say “I’ll
call you back.” That quiets her down and makes her think you’re a bit
mixed up.

It is only necessary now for the correct card to be forced and stand by
for the rings. Your confederate in crime is outside, and calls the number
at the agreed upon time. With all dial phones, one can dial the number
and listen to the ringing at the other end which is automatic. When the
correct number of rings are heard for the suit of card, he hangs up and
breaks the connection which stops the ringing.

He immediately dials the number again and this time listens until the
correct number of rings have been made for the value before hanging
up. The very slight delay in re-dialing the number is taken up by your
asking the spectator if the suit is correct and telling him to start thinking
intently of the card’s value.

As simple as it all is, you’ll find very effective the ringing of a phone
bell. It affects the onlooker as being quite spooky, for they are used to
answering a phone, and just letting one ring and counting the rings is a
strange bit of practice.