Good publicity stunts for newspaper men and offices are not easy to find. This not only fills that need but is also good for impromptu use anywhere at any time.

Tearing a piece from any handy newspaper, the performer has his witness look it over and encircle any word thereon with a pencil line. The paper is folded and the spectator is asked to concentrate upon the word. The performer tears the piece of paper into bits openly, drops them into an ashtray and sets fire to them. As soon as the paper is burned he reveals the chosen word correctly! There are no duplicate papers nor dummies and no switching is necessary.

I released this subtle secret several years ago in a different form. In using the newspaper however, it can be done at a moment’s notice and is much more attractive in effect.

The piece of paper should be about two by three inches. Tear it out of solid text matter rather than an advertisement. Hand it to the subject and ask them to ring one word and fold the paper once each way. You take it at fingertips and tear it through once the long way. Note illustration. Put the outside section in front and tear the other way. Again put the outside section in front and the left thumb draws the rear folded section back while the paper is again torn in half. These pieces are placed in front and held at left fingertips while the right hand hands the matches to the subject to light. Right fingers now take the torn pieces from left and deposit them in an ashtray, while left with the folded piece still between finger and thumb, but out of sight drops to the side behind the table or into the lap if sitting down. This latter is the best position. Ask the person to watch the paper burn and glancing down you note the encircled ringed word. You have so much of the original slip that you’ll never miss it.

The two illustrations will make the maneuvers clear and five minutes of practice will be sufficient for the mechanics. The secret is subtle and one of the cleverest methods for getting information I have ever known. After using it for a short time, one will get used to the handling and it becomes second nature. The fact that the piece is torn from any paper on a moment’s notice is a strong point as there can be no duplicates at hand.

Another variation of this secret is to use it in conjunction with a Living and Dead routine. This time a blank piece of paper is used and is the same size. About four of these are enough. Have a person write living names on three of them and a dead name on the other. Previously you have secretly marked the slip upon which the dead name is to be written. A nail nick is best. Hand him three of them one after the other requesting living names each time and finally the fourth and marked one requesting a dead name on this one. Have them mixed and left on the table. One at a time you pick them up, tear once each way as described above and burn. Suddenly, as let’s say the third one is burning, you say ‘This is the dead name slip which is burning now.’ Then you reveal the dead name correctly. The remaining live slip is left on the table. There is fine misdirection in this routine. You know of course which is the dead paper and leave it for the third. The first two however, you pick up and tear in the same manner each time. Each time you shake your head and declare it to be the living paper. The third piece you apparently tear the same way but this time you tear it the tricky way and steal the name to be read on your lap. This is a very effective impromptu table trick.