3316 Center Street
Omaha, Nebraska
Jan 10th 1927
Theo Annemann
Waverly, N.Y.
Dear Mr. Annemann :
I like your hair book test fine for stage. It is a deep
mystery but the other slate chalk test is not easy
enough for me to try. I sure made a hit with the
Challenge mind test but have changed it to suit my
type of work. I admire the clever ideas about Si
Stebbins but for me simplicity is always best and if
you can ever show me an effect more superior that
I am getting with my way I will adopt the other
method. I tell you I am making a miracle of it my way
now. I’ll bet my way with eight books, party having
free choice of rows, free choice of page and previously
free choice of card (absolutely in appearance) then
concentrate on line and have it read, then return
laying down (duplicate) pack, and people talking
about the miracle of the thing.
I wish you would try it a few times.
The best book I have run across, with short lines and seldom part
lines at paragraph ends, and every page full of printing with no
pictures, is “Hidden Years At Nazareth” by G. Campbell Morgan,
published by Fleming H. Revell Co., New York – price 35 cents. It
has 48 pages and light board backs. Or get some kid’s story book
the kind in large type and few pages. On strips of adding machine
paper write very fine the number of each page followed by the line
which is to be forced later.
You can get about ten or twelve of these to a strip which you paste
on the face side of some extra cards to match your deck.
Now you have eight books, seven of any nature and your force
book. Lay them in two rows of four with force book third from left
of row nearest you. You have four small cards with the numbers 1
and 2 printed on them and these you put under the top covers of
the end books as shown below.
(2) * * * * (1)
(1) * * x * (2)
When ready for the book selection ask someone to choose row 1
or row 2, saying that the row are numbered. If he says 1 open
covers of the books on left to show which row he has selected. If
2, open covers of books on the right. Lay the other row aside. Now
he hands you two of the books left. If he does not give you force
book tell him to pick up one of those left. Tell him to keep it or lay
it aside as the case may be. If he gives you force book in first two,
ask him to take one back. He uses the book he takes or puts it with
others and the one left with you is used. Now you pick up the deck
and slowly overhand shuffle them the faces towards spectator.
The prepared list cards are at back of deck and these are held
back with seven or eight cards and dropped lastly
on pack away from guests. I am repeating over
and over, and same time explaining how I am
going to let them select a card when I
SLOWLY RIFFLE by inserting their
finger and taking whatever card they actually want and no other.
Next I turn cards up on one end and pass them from hand to hand
face out in order to show them well mixed and different. Then
illustrate the slow riffle, and finally riffle and let the spectator
put finger in. Then ask if he wants to change and try again before
taking card. Finally he gets his own card in what I think is the
fairest method possible. The deck is the Donald Holmes deck made
up of triplets. Each triplet consists of two cards hinged together
at one end, the face card of the pair being shorter than the back,
and in between is a single loose short card. There are seventeen
of these triplets. The “in between” loose card in each case is the
same, the card to be forced. Mine is a five spot. By face down
riffling lets the cards go in threes and a spectator’s finger can only
go in and pull out one of the loose force cards. The deck may be
freely fanned faces out and also overhand shuffled faces out to
show different. When the card is selected I step to far end of room
and ask that he name the first and last pages in book where the
reading starts. Then he is told to name any number between those
figures. My back is turned and I get busy with the list cards on
deck that I still hold. I tell him to open to the page. Then he lays his
chosen card on the page and using its number value counts down
to that line and reads it to himself. Long before this I have learned
the line. I merely put hands in coat pockets like Alexander does in
his work and when it comes out it has the unprepared deck left on
table when all is over. I now slowly reveal certain words in the line
in a mixed up order and finally give the whole line.
Fraternally yours
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