Bert Douglas Magic Patter

BERT DOUGLAS' s

A B C BOOK OF PATTER

GAGS—PATTER LINES—JOKES

Arranged |n Easy Reference Form For The Magical Entertainer.

—

WILL ALMA

M.I.M.C.

(LONDON)

SYDNEY

WILL ANDRADE MELBOURNE

BERT D O U G L A S ' 5

A B C BOOK

OF

PATTER A n original compilation of humorous patter lines, alphabetically arranged.

COPYRIGHT

Printed & Published in England

EDWARD LAMPTON

BAGSHAWE ROAD,

LONDON,

&

Co.,

HOUNSLOW,

ENGLAND.

•

No originality for

the

is

contents

claimed of

this

booklet; the material

having

been gathered from

various

sources, altered

and for

arranged magical

or use.

The State Library of Victoria " A L M A CONJURING C O L L E C T I O N " DOUGLAS'S A B C BOOK OF PATTER

A

APPARATUS (The following remarks can be adapted to suit various objects.) I place the cards in the bag. Place the bag in the glass. Place the glass on the table. Leave the table on the floor, and hope for the best. Can I borrow your . . . I promise this will do it n o — g o o d . N o w we will put the . . . back with the rest of the parapher . . . parapher . . . back with the rest of the things. To make the . . . and the . . . change places I give one blast on the magic whistle. (Blow whistle softly.) That's a rather weak blast, but I shall use a much stronger one if the trick doesn't work. I asked the doctor if he could give me something t o keep my hair in, so he gave me this empty . . . (box or bag). I will now give you a demonstration of wireless transmission. By means of this force an object may be moved from one place to another with such speed that it seems hard t o imagine that the place in which it is found to be placed, after it was placed in the first place, isn't the same place as the place in which it was in the first place placed. (To lady:) Just write anything you wish on the card. Your telephone number would be splendid. I cover the . . . with the handkerchief with a graceful sweeping movement. It took me several weeks t o practise this. Half an hour every evening before breakfast, and ten minutes every morning after supper. I am very proud of this . . . it once belonged t o an American millionaire—Mr. W o o l w o r t h . This . . . was a bargain I picked up in the S and 10 store the other day—I d o n ' t know w h o dropped it.

1 bought this . . . at W o o l w o r t h ' s , the price was really five cents but I knew the saleslady so she let me have it for ten cents. It's Woolworth the money. APPARATUS (Miscellaneous) If I touch the . . . with the magic wand a "wonderful metamorph . . . metamor . . . . quite a change takes place. W i t h my magic wand I give the . . . t w o taps, one hot and one cold, and that makes all the difference in the world. One, two, three, and the . . . disappears like a Scotchman on a flag-day. W i l l you kindly examine this . . ., s i r ! I think you'll find it like Mae W e s t — i n good shape. There is no difference between these t w o . . . except that this one is empty, and this one contains nothing at all. ASSISTANTS I once had t w o lady assistants in my act but I had t o fire them because nobody paid any attention to me. I had a very beautiful lady assistant once, but I had to discharge her—my wife thought she knew t o o many parlour tricks. I had a very pretty lady assistant but she joined the Follies. I would like to have the assistance of t w o gentlemen. Are there any gentlemen present? I am very grateful for your assistance, gentlemen, and I would like to give you both a present. W i l l you just sit down . . . for the present. My next experiment is performed with the assistance of these beautiful silk handkerchiefs, and also this ornamental stand (point to assistant). I used to do the Sawing t h r o ' a Lady act until I found out that all the ladies I used were leading double lives.

5

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BALLS There are many kinds of balls. For instance, w e have the tennis ball, baseball, snowball, fancydress ball, and here we have a golf (or billiard) ball. Things have been very bad for balls during the depression, but perhaps the most hard hit is the golf ball. W h a t does a ball do when It looks round. Guess what this is? highball.

it stops

(Toss ball in air.)

rolling? It's a

I took up golf lately so I could understand some of the jokes I read in the papers. There's only one way t o win at golf, that is t o keep your own score and play alone. I was o u t playing golf with a friend of mine one day, and quite unconsciously I started to whistle " T h e W e a r i n g of the Green " ; well, after I was u p and able t o go around again I learned t o do this trick. Golf is a poor man's game—at least there are a lot of poor golf players.

CANDLES I will light the candle because it burns so much better when it is lit. A candle is the cheapest form of light, it burns from wick (week) end to wick end. I have here a " M o n u m e n t of G r e e c e . " I have discovered that a candle burns much better in Scotland than it does in America. That is because Scotland is the land of Burns. You will notice the candle is burning at one end. I just mention that because some people burn their candle at both ends. A little girl once asked her mother " W h e r e does the candle flame go when it goes o u t ? " The mother replied, " You might as well ask where your father goes t o when he has gone o u t . " This is a very clever trick—even the candle is in the dark as t o how it is done. W h e n the candle is wrapped in the paper it gets quite annoyed, in fact it gets quite put o u t . CARDS In playing cards a good deal depends on a good deal. Cards can be used for hundreds of games, o r they can be doubled in t w o and used t o prevent the windows from rattling. A friend of mine from Scotland when playing cards would win one day and lose the next. Now he plays every other day. I think there are fifty-two cards here. O n e , t w o , (run through pack quickly and mumble, then say:) fifty-one, fifty-two. Yes, they are all here. I can make a lot of money playing poker, but I lose it all on the horses. You see I can't shuffle the horses. , I shall count the cards very slowly (count in French). O h , pardon me, that's French. I used t o speak French very fluently—my father was a french polisher.

! ought t o have a pack of cards around somewhere. You know I can go t o a card party and have a swell time, in fact, just as good a time as if I had been invited. My brother was a great card player, he was always playing bridge, in fact he loved bridge and even when he died they buried him with simple

honours.

My-brother is crazy about cards, in fact he once w e n t to the grocer and asked for t w o heads of cribbage. Between poker and bridge I only see my wife about one hour a week, but it's not t o o bad, an h o u r soon passes. W i l l you please mix the cards, sir, I'm told you are a good mixer. W i l l you shuffle the cards, madam. Isn't she doing it nicely. Ladies are all good shufflers, I mean generally speaking—they are—generally speaking. Kindly stand on your head when you see your card. Shuffle the cards thoroughly, I'll pick them up. Is that your card, sir? It is! W h y , I t h o u g h t it was mine. W i l l you select a card, sir? That's the way; you take things quite naturally. Thank you, madam, it's a pleasure t o see a lady make her mind up so quickly. Y o u r card was a cherry colour, wasn't it? No! Black, was it? W e l l , there are black cherries. I want someone t o select a card, someone with a lot of nerve; any insurance collectors here tonight? You will notice that the Q u e e n is blushing, that is known as a Royal Flush. You will notice the King has only one eye; that is due no doubt t o some domestic trouble with the Q u e e n . These are the largest cards they make in this size.

The next card is the Ace of Hearts; here it is, slow but sure. It has a weak heart and cannot stand a fast journey. Here we have the four Kings, happy and smiling. Their quick journey has made them hot and flushed, but everybody likes a Royal Flush occasionally. Here we have the missing cards—thereby causing great excitement and cheers of quiet. Is this your card, sir? The gentleman says, " Yes, darn i t . " I snap the cards twice and that makes the trick twice as snappy. The last t w o cards I shall cause t o disappear separately, or one at a time, whichever you prefer. I will now cause the card t o leave my hand and travel right into my pocket—without the aid o f a taxi. I'm not feeling very well tonight (drop cards and pick up)—however, I'm picking up. ( D r o p few cards.) Some of you might think I've been drinking, but honest that's the first d r o p I've had tonight. These cards were quite small when they were young, but they grew suddenly. (Giant Cards.) In fact, some people call this a gruesome trick. This is the size of cards I use when I'm playing for big money, but I believe you can lose just as much money with the smaller cards. I had these big cards made so that everyone would be able t o see them clearly, it's so much easier than giving everybody a telescope. CIGARETTES Cigarettes are like a bank account—the less you draw, the longer it lasts. Cigarettes should be made of tobacco, but some I have smelt seem t o be made of horsehair blended with garlic. It's better t o smoke here than here-after. This trick entails a rise in tobacco (rising cigarette).

I know a man w h o can push a cigarette in one ear and out of the other, of course he works with the G o v e r n m e n t and perhaps there isn't much between his ears t o stop it. (iProduction of

cigarettes.)

This is much cheaper than buying t h e m — t h e y are all duty free. N o t a cough in a carload—(Cough)—that be the second car.

must

This is much easier if you have an orchestra t o play—something catchy. You know I never get " fagged out " doing this. I taught this to an Aberdonian once, and next day he died . . . from exhaustion. I always conclude this experiment by showing h o w it is done, in fact I give the whole thing away. (Distribute cigarettes.)

CLOSING

REMARKS

In concluding my entertainment I introduce by special request—my Exit. W e l l , folks, I'll have t o stop now, (look at watch) I'm a Union man. That's all, folks, you can all go home now and go t o bed.

¥

11

BOOK

OF

PATTER

D

DEFINITIONS (Suitable for spirit message

routines,

etc.)

WORK:

W o r k is an old English custom now almost u n k n o w n . DENTIST: A dentist is a man w h o is always looking down in the m o u t h . HICCUPS: Hiccups are messages from departed spirits. ESKIMOS: Eskimos are G o d ' s frozen people. ADAM: Adam was the first man, he was born on the longest day—there was no Eve. JONAH: Jonah was t h e fellow w h o spent three nights in the stomach of a whale; at least that's what he told his wife, but he would have t o t h i n k up a better story if he was living to-day. CASH: Cash is the jack of all trades. PARABLE: A parable is a heavenly story with no earthly meaning. MYTH: A myth is a female m o t h . CHILD: A child is a gift from heaven to the mother, a plaything t o the father, a living t o the doctor, a nuisance t o the neighbours. B A C H E L O R : A bachelor is a man w h o looks before he leaps, and then stands still.

DICE Those gentlemen w h o go in for sports, especially shooting will k n o w n something about this article. I d o n ' t like doing tricks with dice because they are so easily spotted. D o n ' t be nervous—the spots are not catching.

EGGS A n egg is very cheap when you stop t o consider that it means a whole day's w o r k for a hen The lady I bought this egg from said it came straight from the country, but she forgot t o say which country. W i l l you please examine this egg, madam. (Hand t o young lady.) If you want t o k n o w something about an egg ask a chicken. Eggs are not all they are cracked up t o be. I want to borrow an egg, any sort of egg will do, a hen's egg or an elephant's egg. I'm not particular as long as it is a good egg. D o n ' t squeeze the egg t o o hard, you might been it. The man w h o sold me these eggs said that they were Empire eggs, I think he meant the Roman Empire. The egg has vanished; where do you think it has g o n e ! U p my sleeve! O h , no, I often laugh up my sleeve, but I never t h r o w eggs there, it's t o o risky. W i l l you please put your initials on the outside of the shell. This will save a lot of trouble, I hate asking people t o crawl inside the egg just to write their initials. ENVELOPES W i l l you kindly examine this envelope, sir, just step inside and have a walk around t o make sure there is nobody there. W i l l you please stick the envelope d o w n , I would do that myself but I d o n ' t like the taste of gum. W i l l you kindly examine this envelope, sir. I think you'll find it like Mae W e s t — i n good shape. This trick involves a number of envelopes, and is beneficial to the stationery trade—it keeps them moving.

FRUIT I cannot do this trick alone, so I am going t o let the Lemon-ade. W i l l you kindly select an orange, Madam? I could say take one but I like my tricks t o be select. ( W h e n fruit taken): W e can now refer t o this orange as Best Selected Fruit. Kindly understand once you have picked orange, there can be no ap-peal.

an

I want you t o take great care of that orange as I value it very highly; it was one of the first oranges that was t h r o w n at me when I started doing magic. I get grapefruit now.

rQJ

17

BOOK

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GLASSES I used t o have a t r o u p e of acrobats with me, but I only have one t u m b l e r left. I like doing a trick with a glass because you can put so much spirit into it. From where you are sitting you see standing before you a glass. A r e you sure that the glass does not contain any evil spirits? It is necessary t o cover the mouth of the glass as it resembles St. Peter's G a t e — i t is the Soul entrance. You will notice this glass goblet has a foot t o it, that is so it will not be arrested for having n o means of support. A w o m a n is happy before a glass—a man after one . . . or t w o . This beautiful goblet was presented t o me by t h e Duchess of W o o l w o r t h , it is solid gold but I had it nickel-plated t o keep the gold from wearing off.

HANDKERCHIEFS I am very proud of this silk handkerchief, it once belonged to an American millionaire—Mr. Woolworth. This is a very old handkerchief, you can tell that by the wrinkles. This must be shot silk, I see a little hole in it. This colour is only found in hot climates, but all magicians go t o hot climates sometime or o t h e r — a t least most people think they ought to. Everyone " nose " that a handkerchief has its duty t o face. Some people develop a regular b u m p for handkerchief tricks, t h e b u m p usually grows in t h e middle of the face and is known to phrenologists as the official organ of the handkerchief trade. Someone told me this was a pretty border, but I guess it was just a rumour. This is an extra large handkerchief, but I have an extra large nose—that is as noses run. You will observe this handkerchief is in t w o parts—the front part and the back part. This handkerchief is made of strong linen because it has a hard duty t o face. I want t o borrow a handkerchief, in fact a handkerchief is what I hanker-chiefly after. This handkerchief has a stitch in its side, perhaps it has been hemmed in t o o long in the box. Many thanks for your handkerchief, sir, which I return with gratitude . . . and no holes. If you want t o sneeze while I have your handkerchief, sir, do not hesitate t o borrow one from someone else. I w o n ' t object. I push the handkerchief through my hand and it changes colour, which proves that a magician could make a very good living by dyeing. This handkerchief cost me ten cents, I t h o u g h t that was t o o much t o blow in.

HATS I would like to borrow a hat, any size, from a halfpint t o a quart will do. Here is an empty hat; I never wear it but it comes in handy at h o m e ; my wife keeps clothes pegs in it. •

I have here a hat, it's absolutely empty, in fact there never is much in it—I wear it myself. He was a man with a fine head—seven and threequarters.

HANDS In ancient days the hands applauding clever magicians.

were

used

for

You will notice my hand never leaves the end of my arm during the entire experiment. A funny thing about my hand is that from here t o here it measures exactly nine inches—three inches more and it would have been a foot, I also have t w o hands—one on each side. This one is quite all right, but the other hand, on the o t h e r hand, sometimes gets left, which isn't at all right. This is the left hand, I know it looks like t h e right from where you are sitting, but if this one was cut off the other would be left, so it's all right.

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LIQUIDS Some people advocate water as a beverage, but if it rots your shoes just imagine what it would do t o your stomach. W a t e r is an excellent thing if taken in the right spirit. 1 have here some of the stuff that runs under bridges—to much for a drink and not enough for a bath. Bad English will ruin many a man's speech—so will bad Scotch. D r i n k often makes a man mad, especially when he can't get it. The people in . . . drink beer like water, in fact that's the only kind they can get nowadays. There are more than fifty taverns in the t o w n but I haven't been in one of t h e m . I w o n ' t tell you which one. A friend of mine is always dipping i n t o spirit phenomena. O n e night he actually produced spirits in my presence, and they vanished again— right under my nose.

MATCHES I brought along my own matches as I was told the audience here tonight would be matchless. Most people think that the end of the match with the head on it is the heaviest, but really that is the lighter end. I t h o u g h t matches would make a very striking problem. I will now t h r o w a little light on a dark subject by applying a match t o the candle. This trick has some very striking features, this is only one of t h e m . This is a matchbox—the only remarkable part about it is that it is full of matches, apart from that there is nothing particularly striking about it.

MONEY Money is the root of all evil, yet I love to collect the roots. O f course I could keep collecting money in this manner all night, but it's such a nuisance having to carry it home. The best thing t o feather a nest with is cashdown. I will now make the coin leave the paper and pass into the . . . which proves that good English money will pass anywhere. I came across a coin dated 1957; evidently someone is forging ahead. It is easy t o make an American part with his money, but an Aberdonian can usually hold his own. There are many ways t o vanish a half-crown, for instance, a friend of mine takes a piece of paper, wraps the coin in it like this, then he writes some magic words on the paper, such as So and So, 1 /- each way, and the money simply disappears and is never seen again.

The reason money is made round is because it is made to circulate. Some coins have a woman's head on t h e m , that explains why " money t a l k s . " Some people sing for money but others seem t o do it for spite. A baker w h o is always loafing cannot expect t o raise the dough no matter how much he kneads it. A man with money to burn usually meets his match. Everyone is at liberty t o make money naturally, but if yoy make it artificially you are not at liberty long. W h a t ' s the use of money?—if you keep it you are a miser, if you spend it freely you are a spendthrift, and if you give it away you are a darned fool. I want t o borrow some money, I need a halfcrown, no cheques accepted please. The idea of this trick is Capital, this is the Principal part of the problem, I hope you d o n ' t lose Interest. I also perform with coins—when I have any. My next experiment is intended especially for gentlemen as it has t o do with money—something which women have very little interest in. W i l l you make a note of the number of t h e note—just write it on a piece of paper, or on the shirt-cuff of the gentleman sitting beside you. I am going t o place your coin in this telegraph f o r m ; you know money goes quickest by wire. I could get bills if I wanted, but I get plenty of them the first of the month. MISCELLANEOUS (Random remarks suitable for manipulations, etc.) I think this is awfully simple, some think it is simply awful. Sometimes I do this with watches—just t o pass t h e time away.

1 performed this before the Prince of W a l e s — was King. I've taken medals for this—but I had to put them back again, the fellow saw me before I could get away. W h e n I started you t h o u g h t I was going to be n o g o o d — n o w you know it. D o n ' t applaud too loudly, the roof needs repairs. I performed at the Asylum last week, and everybody was crazy about me. This was invented by a brother of mine; I have t w o brothers, one living and the other one is in . . . (joke t o w n ) . You may as well enjoy this because you w o n ' t get your money back. I forgot to tell you I'm a little deaf and I can't hear applause unless it is loud. My uncle was also quite a gizzard—I mean, wizard. I took a memory course once, but I just forget the name of it. I did this trick for a lot of Scotchmen and they saw how it was done. O f course they were very close. If you ever find o u t how that trick is worked I wish you would write and tell me, because I'm just dying to know. My next item was taken from the Student Prince—when he wasn't looking. This trick was well-known t o the old Romans and some of you may recall seeing it done in those days. This trick was invented by a famous Chinese necromancer named Hung W u n . I believe his brother was Hung Too. A well-known cricketer—I w o n ' t tell you his name—was completely stumped by this trick. Have you noticed that most of o u r great men are either dead or dying . . . I'm not feeling so very well myself.

Chew G u m Long was quite a wizard but he gave up magic and went into the laundry business— so that gave him a clean start. This trick was invented by a brother of mine. I have t w o brothers, one living and the other one is married. In days of old, people imagined that magicians were in league with the devil and persecuted them accordingly. Sometimes they burned them at the"Stake, and sometimes they chopped off their heads, but always they were given the choice— chop or steak. O n one occasion my audience was so pleased that some very rich members presented me with a house . . . it came one brick at a time. Nobody has ever been able to solve the great Indian Rope Trick; that has been left to a young and talented magician of the present day. You wil| find my name on the programme. The other night a gentleman in the audience was so moved by my performance that he attempted to shoot himself . . . the extraordinary thing was the bullet only missed me by inches. Ladies and Gentlemen . . . the manager of my hotel wishes to thank the manager of this theatre for giving me this evening's w o r k . The last time I did this everybody was so pleased they showered flowers upon m e — t h e only fault being they forgot to take the flower-pots off them. To be sure that spirits are present you have t o get an expert to tell one. Even then you can't be sure because experts tell so many.

O P E N I N G REMARKS To make it interesting this evening I will commence my first trick—first. My opening trick is accomplished w i t h o u t t h e aid of a corkscrew. There is always someone t o take the joy out of life, and tonight I'm elected. A little girl stopped me one day and said, " A r e you the man w h o did all the tricks at t h e t h e a t r e ! " —1 said I was. " W e l l , " she said, " y o u sure fooled me . . . / thought you were going to be good."

¥

PAPER I use a piece of newspaper. The Daily Blah, just an ordinary sheet of newspaper, only it was printed during t h e General Strike (show plain sheet of paper). Some newspapers are black and white, but the . . . is always read. W h e n I was a kid I got spanked for tearing up the newspaper, now I get paid for doing it. I've seen some funny things in the newspapers —besides fish and chips. Newspapers are made up from t w o things— wood pulp and other people's business. This little novelty is entitled Paperology, but it's not half so bad as it sounds. I tear the paper through the centre and I have how many pieces? T w o ! Q u i t e correct. That proves the benefit to be derived from a college education. I place the t w o pieces together and tear them again, and how many are there? Four! Right again, the advantages of civilization are wonderful. A m o n t h ago I was a 90-pound weakling, n o w look (tear paper). Some people say this is a ripping trick, but I t h i n k it's tear-able. You will notice I tear the paper up by tearing it d o w n . G o ahead, sir, tear the paper into pieces, just imagine it's a bill from your tailor. You may have noticed this paper lying on the table, of course all newspapers have t o lie somewhere. The chief conspirator in my next problem is this copy of t h e Daily Times. Excuse me for being behind the Times. For my next experiment I use this sheet of newspaper which by a strange coincidence is exactly t h e same shape on both sides.

PISTOL I will now fire the pistol at the . . . you are holding, sir, w i t h o u t hurting you—very much. My object in using a pistol is because I notice several newspaper men present and I want t o get a good report. This is my disappearing pistol, it doesn't really disappear, but it sometimes " g o e s off."

PLATE I have here a souvenir of China. I value this plate very highly, it has been in o u r family ever since it was a saucer.

POCKETS For this trick I use a married man's pocket (show pocket e m p t y ) — p u t o u t those bachelors w h o laughed. You will notice this pocket is well was made by a Scotch tailor.

lined—it

ROPE (Also suitable for ribbon, string,

cord etc.)

(Have circle of rope around neck.) This trick is presented for the special benefit of several o f my friends w h o have expressed t h e wish that some day they would see me with a rope around my neck. You will notice the rope is so long that it stretches from one end t o the other and back again. I am coiling the rope into loops so as to leave myself plenty of loopholes in case anything goes wrong. This trick is right up t o date, we are all taking cuts nowadays. I will now tie what is known as a spirit k n o t . I guess they call it a spirit knot because it is tight. This rope is exactly S feet and 12 inches long. ( C u t rope through centre.) It w o n ' t be long now. This is known as a Scotch k n o t — i t ' s as tight as any Scotchman could make it. W o u l d you be kind enough t o select one of these knots. You like that one best; all right, will you take it with you o r shall I send it C . O . D . ? C . O . D . O h , you can't take it, e h ! This cord was borrowed from one of o u r bedroom windows. My wife doesn't know about t h e Lost C h o r d yet, and I'll be hanged if I tell her. I once performed this trick and even the cord d i d n ' t know h o w it was done—of course on t h a t occasion I used blind cord. I can't find the end of this rope—someone must have cut it off. (After rope is cut.) You will notice that o n e piece is a little shorter than the o t h e r ; but t o make up for this the other piece is a trifle longer. A conjurer named W a t t showed me this k n o t — it's called t h e W h a t n o t .

33

BOOK

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STANDS (Easels,

display

stands,

racks,

etc.)

I use an easel so that the trick will be more easily seen. Allow me t o call your attention t o this board, I could tell you its past history but if I did perhaps you would be bored. I d o n ' t want you t o be bored stiff even if this is a stiff board. Board and Lodging are both represented here— this is the board and I use i t f o r lodging articles on. This is a perfectly plain board, you know what that means—plain board—the kind you get when on your vacation. I bought this stand from W o o l w o r t h ' s ; it is supposed to be lyre-shaped and the salesman t h o u g h t it would just suit me.

SCISSORS There are t w o very interesting points t o this t r i c k — h e r e they are. These scissors have quite a history, they were used by Napoleon the 3rd t o cut off the head of August the 4th. These scissors came clean from Pittsburg—that is some accomplishment t o come clean from Pittsburg.

TUBES I have here a tube, or funnel, and if you watch me closely the fun'll begin. A tube o r cylinder is a large piece of air surrounded by cardboard. To prove that the tube is empty I will pass my hand through it. There's no 'arm in that, is there ? The best shape for a cylinder has been found by scientists t o be round, so I shall make mine round just t o be on the square. There is no difference between these t w o tubes except that this one is empty, while this other one contains nothing at all.

THIMBLES Thimbles are used well, sew it seams.

by ladies and

Thimbles are manufactured big thread-and-needle man.

"CD

bachelors—

by so-and-so, the

WAND Every magician uses a magic wand. I once used a hot water bottle, but it leaked out. The magic wand is really used to draw all the fluence from the performer's body to one spot. O f course if it comes out in several spots that's the measles. Here is the magic wand. You will notice it has silver tips at both ends, that is so you can easily distinguish the ends from the middle.

WATCHES I w o n d e r if I could borrow a watch for a few minutes—I see a number of chains. I find that I can get the best watch from a married man, because married ladies always keep a good watch on their husbands. This is known as a silver lever—you see it is really a lever (vanish) for it has already left. I used t o d o this trick with a gold watch, but circumstances alter cases. I can tell that this is not a new watch, I can plainly see it's second hand. And here, said the young and handsome magician, we have the same old watch, I mean the same watch, and the hands still point t o three o'clock.

EDWARD BAGSHAWE'S

"MISSING FILM STAR'* MYSTERY A PACK of Film Star cards is shown, each card bearing the name of a popular star. Pack is shuffled and cut into two, and from one portion a card is selected and shuffled back. Performer now holds this half in his right hand and the other half in his left, and states his intention of causing the chosen card to leave his right hand—pass up his sleeve, along the back of his coat, and down his left sleeve into the cards in his left hand. He riffles the cards in his right h:md and says that the chosen card has gone. He proves this by dropping the cards one at a time upon table, and the chosen one is indeed missing. He now offers the sum of fifty pounds if he fails to produce the chosen name from the cards in his left hand. He glances through them and picks out one, which he boldly affirms is the one selected. The selector, however, denies this. Performer, slightly disconcerted, remarks that he has not said just when he will produce the chosen name, and again shows a card as the selected one. Again the selector says this is the wrong card. The performer makes several further attempts, and finally runs through all the cards, but the chooser says that his card is not there. Apparently the trick has failed, but now the performer has a brain-wave and states that sometimes the card gets caught in passing up his sleeve—he searches his coat and eventually

produces the chosen card from his armpit. And now, to finish effect, he picks up the rejected cards, remarking that he still cannot understand how he failed to produce the selected name. H e again shows the rejected cards, separately, calling out the names— and as he does so he lays them out on table (or stand) to overlap; and slowly THE CHOSEN NAME IS MADE UP BY THE INITIAL LETTERS! The conclusion is shown in the illustration. This effect is extremely easy to work, and can if necessary be done with audience all

round. Only the pack is required, which can be carried in pocket, and the trick is ready to work at a moment's notice. PRICE, including high-grade pack of 40 Film Star cards, instructions and presentation (but without stand), 6/6, post 3d. U.S.A., $2.00.

FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF THIS B O O K L E T ALL

LEADING

AND

DEALERS

Printed by Thomasons, Hounslow,

England.

Ltd