Just a slate, chalk and piece of clothes are needed for this very effective mystery. It is one of the type where simplicity reigns supreme. The slate and chalk are given to a spectator who faces the audience. The performer is isolated in any fair manner, preferably by turning his back and standing in a far corner. The spectator is requested to think of a word or name and write it on the slate. Secondly he is requested to think of a number and to also write that. Finally he thinks of a design of any nature and draws that.
Everything he has put on the slate he now shows the audience, the performer directing the entire proceeding from where he is located and making it very obvious that at no time can he possibly receive any clue or inkling as to what has been written. Once the audience has been taken into the confidence of the writer, the performer asks him to erase what he has put down and return to his seat. Taking the slate and chalk the performer asks everyone to first think about the word while he puts something down. Now he asks a person to name aloud the word. Turning the slate the performer shows the same thing! Erasing this, all are asked to think of the number and again the performer writes. Someone else names the number and again the performer is right! Again the number is erased and while all think of the picture the performer succeeds in duplicating it! The effect is presented simply as a case of thought rays emanating from a large group all thinking of the same subject.
You use nothing but the slate, chalk and a piece of dry, soft cotton cloth for the erasing. But, beforehand there is a slight preparation. Clean the slate well with ammonia water and let it dry. Take a piece of white chalk and let it soak in three-and-one oil. Dry the chalk off so that it is not oily to the touch and give it to the spectator with the slate. The washing of the slate was to remove any trace of oil from its surface. Anything may now be written on the slate with the prepared chalk and afterwards erased with the dry and soft cotton cloth. However, although the slate is apparently clean once more, the original writing still remains on the slate in light oil lines that can be easily read by the performer in tipping the slate slightly at an angle under a light! Now the working becomes clear when the effect is read over again. I advise having the spectator stand where there isn’t an overabundance of light but there need be little fear on this score. The effect may be presented under the most trying conditions and will not be found wanting as a mystifier.
Zancig sold an effect like this for ten dollars shortly before his death but it was for two people. The medium was guarded while the items were being written on a blackboard. The performer secretly copied them on a piece of chalk with flat sides and substituted this for the piece in use. The medium on return used this written on piece and thus secured the necessary information. I’m not violating any confidence by revealing this because it has long been off the market and besides – it can be found on page 295 of Carrington’s Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism which was published first in 1907! I think that Mr Duncanson’s method for one person is an ingenious improvement that really modernizes the entire effect.
Leave a Reply