The “black cat” mystery subscription card that was sent around the country during the month (you didn’t have to sign or mark. Just stroke the cat’s back and whisper your name and address in its ear, and mail) kept not a few magi busy looking for the “key.” We got cards back that had been soaked, heated to a burning point, crumpled into balls, trimmed, and even tinted blue. So far we are 100% on check-offs and so far no one has found anything definitely wrong. We said in the accompanying circular that we had a cat with a crystal ball to figure them out and to prove it, here’s her picture waiting for the morning’s saucer full of mail! The whole procedure has been Copyright for advertising purposes so excuse please if we don’t tell anymore for the present. Later we’ll outline a very nice angle wherein the principle can be used for getting engagements and attracting committees.

We can’t say very much about Nate Leipzig here for words are too hollow. We’ll miss him for his inexhaustible memory for stories about magic and show business over a period of many years. His recollections encompassed hundreds and hundreds of acts, shows, and occurrences. His telling of them often made you homesick for you knew not exactly what. Magic can ill afford to lose illustrious members who also are gentlemen. Nate Leipzig was beloved by the greatest of theatrical personages outside of magic. He knew them intimately and it has long been my assumption that Nate was accepted socially in high circles (more so than any other magician of today) because he wasn’t a “ham”. You’ll read a lot about Leipzig skill in days to come, and no one can deny him that. But, to our sometimes distorted views, his skill was secondary to his polish and very deliberate presentation. Nate Leipzig performed his magic like Brisbane wrote. It was clean, direct, and never confusing.

Barb of the month was Walter Wanger’s (producer of Eternally Yours) statement that he’d expose anything he pleased and that magicians should invent new tricks. Odorous bit were notices of west coast parties, among which was reported the Los Magicos meeting, “..and Paul LePaul, that marvelous manipulator of cards, closed the show.” LePaul (Paul Braden) and Fred Keating were technical advisors for the Wanger picture and also had small parts. What price sabotage?

Mystic Circle Murder is a “quickie” picture now trying to find its way out of the dark seance room. Mme. Harry Houdini appears in an epilogue against mediums and “these leeches.” N.Y. review read “Betty Compson, the one-time star, has a part in this decidedly minor offering, but can’t do much to help it.” — The Aug. Jinx had a line “Since the Battle Creek Convention, the ex-prexy of the S.A.M. has been actively engaged in forming a N.Y.C. ring of the I.B.M. The “Tablets of Osiris” for the following issue judged this to mean one who was engaged in so much exposure publicity and finished, “Watched out, I.B.M. for having “Rings” formed and of course governed by exposers. You may find that I.B.M. will be changed to mean “Idealism Badly Mauled.” Tom Worthington, 3rd, the editor of the ten year old Society of Osiris monthly organ, also was responsible, when, in his opinion, Julian Proskauer was inexcusably absolved of exposure charges, for the statement “S.A.M. now means Sincerity A Myth.” — Back to the movies again. We are getting daffy over a detail in Miracles For Sale where they sold the name “Merlini” down the river for a romantic appellation like “Mike Morgan.” Mike, the magus, is holding a seance and questions the “control” spirit that Mme. Rappourt has conjured up. He first asks, after the spirit has started making raps. “Is 1 rap yes and 2 raps no?” There is 1 rap. The magician says, “Yes” and goes right ahead asking questions. How did he know whether that 1 rap was Yes or No?

Scoop? Dante is in America with the whole Sim-Sala-Bim show and Danton, his successor-to-be is along. Dante plans on a 9 months tour here in the states and then will retire — If some magician wants a big show he can buy Horace Goldin’s complete outfit. Mrs Goldin wants to sell lock, stock and barrel to one buyer. It should be a profitable investment for everything is fresh and set to go.