With your hands absolutely empty save for a 17 inch handkerchief with contrasting border, you stroke it from end to end and it becomes two handkerchiefs. Another stroke and it becomes three. Another and it becomes four, and merely by running the hand down the four handkerchiefs they become five. This production is very suitable for either the club or stage, and each handkerchief may be made of silk with a dark border, and all five centers are of different contrasting colors. There are no fakes or gimmicks as the production is self-contained within the silks themselves. The master silk may be produced among others from a tube or a box, and then the production continued with it alone. Or, it may be taken from the breast pocket of your coat and started. The four produced silks are ordinary, so may be used as part of a trick to follow. As such an interlude, this idea is really worth the while in preparing. The mechanics of the silk will be understood from the presentation details.

The border of the master silk is double and about 3 1/2 inches wide. Each of the four ordinary silks are pleat folded diagonally, and then are doubled in half. Each is then poked or drawn into the border to the positions A, B, C, D in the sketch.

Two corners of each handkerchief protrude slightly from the holes, the edges of which have been prepared to prevent raveling, and of a size as shown. You must know which corner is which, a few trials making this clear.

To present; Left hand holds corner F, and right hand corner G. The handkerchief is twirled about, freely showing both sides, and the hands otherwise empty. Left hand releases corner F, and seize corner E. Right hand releases its corner G, the “hole” corners being allowed to hang behind the handkerchief proper. Now, showing the right hand empty, it takes corner G and rapidly raises it to left hand, whose thumb and forefinger seize a corner of handkerchief C, the right thumb and forefinger seizing the other corner of the same handkerchief, releasing its hold of the outer handkerchief. Now, on stroking the right hand down master handkerchief L, handkerchief C is automatically drawn into view and hangs beside L in left hand. In the same manner right hand carries corner F up to left hand, and handkerchief A is drawn forth. Right hand runs down the three and holds them by corner H, left hand allowing other ends to fall free. By repeating the moves with left hand as made with right, the other two handkerchiefs are produced.

Work this deliberately and smoothly without making it jerky and hesitating. The contrasting colors seem to flash into view each time from nowhere, and the spontaneous effect is pleasing to the eye because of its cleanness.