Dead!

A living and dead test should concentrate upon the wallop of the effect rather than the method. This is impromptu, and while the presentation idea belongs to Eddie Clever, the method of handling and using billets instead of envelopes and cards is mine. In this form the billets can be torn out of borrowed paper without preparation or notice.

Use 5 or 6 billets about 2×3 inches. These are folded three times, or to a manipulation size. One is secretly dotted on the outside, or given an extra bend or kink. The slips are passed out, and the person getting the marked one is asked to write a dead name. The others write living names. Writers refold and drop into a hat, the collecting being done by a spectator.

The performer picks out a slip, making sure it isn’t the dead one, and announces it as a living name. He opens to verify, nods, refolds and gives it to the man who collected the slips. As an afterthought he has this man read the name on the slip aloud, so the writer can claim it. Now reach in and take the dead slip, finger palming a live one. The slip is held to forehead and you announce it to be another LIVE one. Open for verification as before, READ THE DEAD NAME, nod, refold switch the slips in handing to assistant, and he reads the LIVE name and it is claimed by the owner.

Take out the third slip, dropping the DEAD name back in hat. Repeat the same procedure with this live slip. You have accustomed the audience to your way of handling papers, and twice, first and third times, your hands are actually empty. For the fourth time, take out the DEAD name. Build this up. Announce it to be the dead name and ask for the owner. Return the paper to him and ask him to keep it closed. Then reveal the name, letter for letter. Everything can be examined and returned to the owners, which is a point too many tricks cannot boast about.