You, of course, are challenged, whereupon you raise “C”, followed by
“B”, amidst shouts of “No ! No ! The other one !” Here turn over “A”
with the right hand, showing the inside; at the same time secretly pick up
with the left hand two of the large balls from the servante. Then remark
“Surely, ladies and gentlemen, you don’t imagine for a moment that I
should attempt to deceive you by such a mean expedient as this.” Here
you put the left hand with the two balls in the left pocket as if taking a
ball from thence (this ruse keeps the secret of the receptacle at rear of
table), really bringing out the two balls but allowing one only to be seen
in the hand. And suiting the action to the word, press both balls into the
cup – one falls out while the other remains, and the cup is replaced on
the table apparently empty. Continue “No ! You may rest assured I never
allow anyone to see me pass anything under the cups.” The visible ball is
now apparently placed in the left hand, really palmed in right hand which
drops it on servante, after which the three cups are once more raised that
they may be seen to be empty, being replaced with sufficient force to
dislodge the balls. The hands are now rubbed together over each cup in
turn, being finally opened and shown empty. The cups are then raised
revealing the three large balls.
3. – To Transform the Large Cloth Balls to Potatoes.
This effect may follow that last described, or the Multiplication Pass, at
the desire of the performer. In either case and before discovering the balls
already under the cups, he stands momentarily, at ease with his hands in
his trousers pockets, secretly obtaining from thence a couple of potatoes
in each hand.
“C” is then raised with the right hand, and while attention is drawn to the
ball thus discovered, the cup is allowed to tilt forward so that its opening
is brought just under the two potatoes in the hand, one of which is then
secretly dropped into it. The cup is then swung upwards and replaced on
the table, presumably empty.
In like manner, the potato remaining in the right hand is secretly loaded
into “B”, followed by the two in the left hand into “A”.
Here the performer again assumes an air of indifference, standing
momentarily with hands in trousers pockets, and once more securing
a couple of potatoes in each hand. He now raises the cups in quick
succession, when the surprise created by the appearance of the four
potatoes affords ample opportunity for again loading the cups in exactly
the same manner. The trick is then concluded by discovering under the
cups the four potatoes just introduced, making eight in all.
N.B. – The above is probably the best and smartest known method of
presenting this phase of the trick; it is certainly far superior to any effect
that can be obtained by the employment of the servante at the rear of the
table. The production may, of course, be continued ad lib., employing
the servante and various pockets, until the table is strewn with all kinds
of objects, including Spanish onions too large to be contained within the
cups; such objects are simply held momentarily against the mouth of
the cup, concealed behind the fingers, then dropped with a slight shake,
indicating a tight fit.
Mr Montague Leslie, an exceptionally clever performer with the Cups
and Balls, recently gave me a demonstration with the small cork balls,
finishing with the production of the eight potatoes as above described.
Leslie invariably employs the ordinary palm, irrespective of the size of
the objects and which is inserted directly into the cup by an imperceptible
forward jerk in the act of replacing it on the table; or by allowing the cup
to tilt forward in the hand so that the object may be dropped directly into
it from the palm as above described. And I think it will be interesting
to many of my readers to know that a cup, loaded by the latter method,
with one of the small cork balls, may be tossed in the air, making one
complete turn as in juggling, caught again in the hand and replaced on
the table without the least fear of the presence of the ball being detected.
The beauty of the sleight is that the palm of the hand is seen to be empty
practically the whole of the time – cleverly executed it will deceive a
conjurer – the effect is truly magical and adds a new interest to the old
time trick.
4. – WITH THREE SMALL CORK BALLS AND THREE DUPLICATES.
This pass is arranged to lead up to the one that follows; it is, therefore, not
out of order under this heading. It is specially designed for the purpose of
leaving a duplicate ball under each of the three cups.
At the conclusion of the previous Pass, the one duplicate ball remains
under “B”. All three cups are supposed to be empty and the Three Balls
are lying openly on the table.
Procedure as follows :
I. – Seem to place one of the three balls under “C” (palming it), then
command it to pass from “C” to “B”.
II. – Raise “C” to show there is no longer anything under it, secretly
introducing the palmed ball.
III. – Raise “B” to show the ball has arrived (the duplicate), pick it up to
show it, then seem to replace it under the same cup, palming it.
IV. – Raise “A” to show nothing under it, secretly introducing the palmed
ball.
V. – Command the ball to pass from “B” to “A”, meanwhile palming
another, in the right hand, from the servante or pocket.
VI. – Raise “B” to show empty, secretly introducing the ball just palmed,
meanwhile palming another from the pochette in the left hand.
VII. – Raise “A” with the left hand, take up the ball supposed to have
passed into it from “B” and place it with the other two on the table. Then,
when replacing the cup, secretly introduce under it the ball from the palm.
There is now a ball under each of the three cups.
5. – COMBINATION PASS WITH SPECIAL CUPS.
Two special cups are required, one to release three balls on pressure of a
stud on the outside and the other fitted with vertical needles to impale and
pick up three balls.
At the conclusion of the above pass there remains, unknown to the
spectators, a ball under each of the three ordinary cups. The original three
balls are lying openly on the table.
Take up the three visible balls and place them in your pocket. Raise cup
with secret compartment to show nothing under it and, when replacing
it, press the stud to release the three duplicate balls. The three balls now
vanish from the pocket, and are found under the special cup. Pocket
(double) turned inside out to prove empty. The three visible balls are next
vanished by sleight of hand; they (the duplicates) are finally produced
from the pocket into which they were originally placed.
N.B. – The Egg Bag, Drawer Box, or other suitable apparatus may be
employed in place of the double pocket.
6. – THREE BALLS CHANGED TO AN EGG.
Undercover of reproducing the three balls from the pocket or elsewhere,
at the close of Pass 5 last above described, the performer secretly palms,
in the left hand, an egg – the well-known celluloid article provided with a
hole for vanishing a handkerchief. Holding the left hand palm upwards, in
a manner to conceal the egg, he now places the three balls, one after the
other, apparently into the palm – really into the egg – and forthwith covers
them with one of the cups. When the cup is raised a moment later, the
balls will seem to have been changed to an egg. One of the hollow lemons,
modeled in wax, may be used in place of the egg by way of variation.
N.B. – The egg or lemon may be used with good effect in combination with
Pass 5 last described.
PASSES WITH SIX BALLS
The variations with six balls (three only supposed to be in play) are
practically endless. I shall therefore give but one or two examples, leaving
the reader to arrange others in accordance with his own fancy, and which,
providing he has followed me from the commencement, will present little
or no difficulty. At the conclusion of Pass 4 (this issue), there remains,
unknown to the company, a ball under each of the cups, the original three
lying openly on the table; the pass, it will be remembered, was specially
designed to bring about this result.
7. – TO PASS A BALL DIRECTLY THROUGH EACH CUP.
This pass is commenced by placing the visible balls, one on top of each
cup. Right hand takes up the ball from “C”, and seems to place it in the left
hand, really palming it; the left hand then appears to throw it through “C”,
the right hand raising the cup, showing the ball already there (which is left
openly on the table), and secretly inserting the palmed one under the cup.
The same procedure is enacted with “B” and “A”, varying the methods of
palming and passing as much as possible, when, in conclusion, the same
state of affairs will exist as at the commencement.
8. – TO PASS THREE BALLS IN SUCCESSION INTO “C”.
Starting with a ball concealed under each cup and one on the top of each.
Take ball from “C”, vanish it from the hands and find it (duplicate) under
the same cup, then when replacing the cup over the ball secretly introduce
the one from the palm.
Take ball from “B” and pass it in like manner under that cup, which raise
to show the ball; replace the cup over the ball, retaining the one palmed.
Pull the ball through the top of “B”, showing the one palmed, then pass it
into “C”, which raise, showing the two balls and secretly introducing the
third.
Take ball from “A”, and pass it into that cup, which then raise to show the
ball; replace the cup over the ball, retaining the one in palm.
(To be continued)