EX LIBRIS WILLYS A. MYERS American Vice-Consul Magic Arthur Leroy Author of "FUTURISTIC FANTASIES" "AT YOUR FINGERTIPS" Editor "PAK-(y-MAGIC" INTRODUCTION It seems like a long time since those happy years when I served in the capacity of editor of MAHATMA. Those were the brilliant days of Herrmann, Kellar, DeKolta, Fox, Robinson (Chung' IJng Soo), and a h'ost of remarkable performers. Alas, they have all gone to their final rewards, and the years which have rolled on since their passing- have made many extraordinary chang'es in our beloved art. Changes, which, if those old masters were alive today, they would greet with astonishment. Having watched each of these changes take place, personally, I now see before me a radically different school of magic. I see a school of more convincing', more persuasive, more entertaining demon- strations of mystery. For years, I've toeen asked to write introductions for many books. Each time I refused, feeling that an introduction written by me would smack just a bit of cynicism, but when Arthur Leroy asked for an introduction to the manuscript which he presented to me for inspec- titi, I felt that here at last was a new, fresh, vital typo of presenta- tion, which it would be a worthwhile task to sponsor. My reading of this work has given me a feeling of having attained a fresh lease on magical things. It is my sincere hope that it will do the same for you. Sincerely, FRANK DUCROT. 2082970 CONTENTS Page Author's Auditing 5 Bill Breaking- 6 Coin Capers 7 Deck Development 7 Eggs Eliminated 8 Fantastic Finale 10 Great Guns 10 Hollywood's Heroes 11 India Ink 12 Jump Joyously 13 Kinda Keen 13 Laughing- T-egerdemain 14 My ! My ! 16 Novel Needles 17 Old Order 18 Prohibition ? Please ! 18 Queer Queeries : 20 Rather Ridiculous 21 Silken Spell 22 Tittle Tattle 23 Unusual Universe 24 Vari'ous Vagaries 24 Wandering- Water 25 Xylophone X-Ray 26 Yogi Yama 26 Zero Zeal . . 28 MAGIC FROM A 2 Z This book is respectfully dedicated to these honorable master magicians all of whom have lingered a while in the Martinka land- mark, where this humble effort was born and brought to fruition. Confreres, here and beyond, we salute you. A ANDRESS, CHARLES AHBOTT, PERCY B 3ALABREGA BURGESS, CLINTON BAILEY, S. WILLSON BAKER, AL. C CANNON (Henry Hatton) CARTER, CHARLES CHASE, C. MILTON CARDINI D DEKOLTA, BAUTIER DIXEY, HENRY E. DOWNS, T. NELSON DEVANT, DAVID DE BIERE, ARNOLD E ELIOTT, "Doc" WILLIAM ELROY, ROBERT HENRI EVANS, HENRY RIDGELY P Fox, IMRO FISCHER OTTOKAR FLOYD, WALTER E. FOWLER, Gus G GOLDIN, HORACE GOLDSTON, WILL GERMAIN, KARL H HOUDINI, HARRY HERRMANN, ALEXANDER HERRMANN, ADELAIDE HBRRMANN, LEON HUGARD, JEAN HORNMANN, OTTO I IRVING, JEAN IVES, BARNEY J JANSEN (Dante) JOSEFFY K KELLAR, HARRY KEATING, FKED L LEROY, SERVAIS LAFAYETTE LEIPSIG, NATE LAURANT, EUGENE M MARO MULHOLLAND, JOHN MALINI, MAX N NICOLA, WILL NIXON, "Doc" O OKITO OVETTE, Jos. P POWELL, DEAN FRED. E. POWERS, CLYDE W. Q QUOD, Jos. Dr. "Q" (Alexander) R ROBINSON (Chung Ling Soo) RAE, OSWALD RANSOM, ELMER P. ROTERBERG, A. S SELBIT, P. T. SALBINI, LALLAH T THURSTON, HOWARD TRAVERS, ROLAND TALMA, "Queen of Coins" THAYER, FLOYD U USHER, HARRY V VALADON, PAUL W WARING, ANDREW G. WILSON, Dr. A. M. WILLMANN, CARL X Dr. "X" Y YETTMAH, CYRIL YOST, THOMAS Z ZANCIG, JULIUS ZISKA ZAMLOCH, CARL MAGIC FROM A 2 Z ANOTHER BOOK CONJURORS DESIRE EFFECTING FAR GREATER HEIGHTS IN JEALOUSLY KNITTED LEGERDEMAIN MIRACULOUSLY NOVEL ODDITY PARAPHRASING QUITE RARE SORCERY THIS UNIQUE VOLUME WILL XPOSE YOGI ZENITH MAGIC FROM A 2 Z A DIGNIFIED INTRODUCTION WOULD BE AUTHOR'S AUDITING "Laugh and the world laughs with you; snore and you sleep alone". I admit there is not much to laugh at in our noble art lately but perhaps it's because we've been sleeping alone. Things in magic haven't been exactly encouraging 'of late, the market has become over-crowded with books and tricks of little value, expose has been bringing a new group of so-called magicians into our ranks, and all in all the public's interest seems to have waned. Perhaps the lack of interest may be due to the general knowledge of magic, and its allied arts that some of our members have given to the public. But here I am wailing when I warned you to laugh, and not sleep alone. Magic has slept, and slept deeply. Little of value has been in- troduced in the past generation. It's not so much that our tricks haven't advanced, but that our means of approach remain the same as they were during the days of Fox, Kellar, and the old masters. We've slept alone, because other means of entertaining have gone well forward. Stage settings have become marvelously realistic. Lighting effects work miracles on the American stage. Methods of staging have become brilliant. But has magic borrowed from any of these? Not by a long shot. Tradition still remains the guiding factor in our midst. The black cyclorama stage setting is still the magician's chief expression of beauty, and they still want to borrow a "gold gentleman's watch." Oh brothers save us from it. Let's get up to date. Let's be sophisticated. Let us present our art as an art, and add the little things to it that will lend it glamour and brilliance. True the bid effects are the best, but can't we restage them to meet with the thoughts of the average spectator. Tret's mystify them, but above all let us amuse them. It's a hard life at best. Let's make it brighter by giving the folks a good laugh, and if the laughter is born of bewilderment, then, you are a magician. Why should magic sleep alone? Add to it all the things this new age has to offer. If we can modernize we are saved; if we can't, our beloved art will soon become a toy for every child to play with. It's almost that now. And incidentally about that sleeping alone business, never sleep thirteen in a bed. It's awfully unlucky. But Who in Hell's Dignified ? This would be more like this Author's Auditing Time and again I have been asked how I ever wrote a book like Futuristic Fantasies. They don't use those exact words, however. They usually ask where I got the nerve. I always answer with that classic phrase frt>m Shakespeare, "Aw Nerts." MAGIC FROM A 2 Z However, my wife Fanny, (the nation's seat), said one day, "Bum, (that's a pet name she always uses) why don't you write another bock? You haven't been shot for the last one yet, and I ctuld use the insurance money." So to please my Fanny (and yours too, I h'cpe), I'm presenting another er er book. It really isn't bad, and I think this introduction is so unlike the usual braggadocto that opens most magical books, that is should meet with instant acclaim. I took my last book to a printer, and we got to discussing- the weather, and thing's and stuff, until finally he started to tell me about his s^n. "What is your son?" I asked. "Oh? He's a Presbyterian." "No, no, that's his belief. What does he do? For instance, I'm a magician." To which the printer retorted: "Huh that's your belief." This should convince y*cu of the great talent which is mine. Now, now, boys, none of those funny noises. I didn't know you boys cheered with that exhaling noise. What with the depression who can perfoim BILL BREAKING? I must give credit for the origin of this idea to my pal Frank Ducrot. Frank first thought of the gag, but never worked out the method. I think you'll find it a handy gag for a gathering. Before you go to an affair teach a friend 'of yours the old gag of breaking a pencil with a dollar bill. Instruct him that while you are out of the room he should perform the effect. Later on in the evening when you are asked to perform, you give a spectator a pencil to htold, and holding a dollar bill you raise it as if to strike the pencil. You turn to a spectator and ask him if he knows what you are going to do. He answers that you are going to break the pencil. Down conies the bill, and four quarters fall to the floor, as the bill vanishes. You turn to the spectator, "No, you were wrong I was going to break the bill." The method is simple yet effective. As in the usual pencil break the bill is folded into quarters. An elastic band attached to it, MAGIC FROM A 2 Z and thence up the sleeve, is responsible for the vanish; the quarters are palmed in the hand holding- the bill, and the act of opening the hand releases both bill and coins. The misdirection is perfect as the spectators imagine that an utterly different thing- is going- to take place, and haven't a chance to think until it's all over, and then it's too late. The surprise and laugh come at the same instant, and make the getaway perfect. "Well I'll be switched!" said the dime, as the magician pounced upon it. COIN CAPERS Time and again you have wished for an unsuspicious switch for a coin in which the performer makes rio* phoney movements. Here's a switch in which you only use one hand. A coin is borrowed. It is placed on the table, the performer apparently picks it up in his right hand, and gives it to another spectator to hold. His hands may 'be shown absolutely empty, yet in that instant the coin was switched for a duplicate, and the original may be retrieved in a second to be used in any fashion you see fit. A duplicate coin is palmed in the right hand. The borrowed coin has been placed on a table by the spectator. The performer reaches for the coin with his right hand, as he does this his sleeve just reaches the edge of the table. A slight kick on the edge of the coin with his fingers sends the coin across the table, under cover of his arm, and directly up his sleeve. Immediately the performer turns his hand palm up, and there is the coin, really the duplicate facing the audi- ence, and the hand is empty beyond a shadow of a doubt. The whole move takes a fraction of a second to perform, and is so perfectly natural that there is ntot a person in a million who will suspect you of conjuring. Of course lowering the arm brings the coin back into your hand to l>e used if necessary. I don't usually approve of sleeve wtork, as most people suspect it. But here's a time when it is used, and there is no reason for suspicion. There's a string to this offer DECK DEVELOPMENT It has long been the dream of every card manipulator tt> show his hands unmistakably empty before starting his routine, and then without any" moves or passes produce his entire deck with which to do his routine V>f catches, flourishes and palms. Here's quite a decent method. 8 MAGIC FROM A 2 Z Take a needle and a length of black thread. Through one end of the deck push the needle until the cards have been threaded. You'll find, it easier if you thread a few cards at a time. After the deck is threaded tie "one end of the thread around the punctured corner of the pack. This is to keep the pack from shifting' back and forth along the thread. The cards are secreted under the left hand upper shoulder por- tion of the vest. The loose end of the thread is tied to one 'of the vest buttons. The hands are shown empty, but the slack of the thread is over the right thumb at the crotch. The showing v>f the hands is done slowly and deliberately. Now the right and left hands are held as far apart as the length of a deck. Suddenly the performer lunges for- ward and there is his fanned deck. The bringing of the hands forward takes in the slack of the thread, and brings the pack into the right hand in a flash. At the same time the left hand fans the deck. The thread is broken where it encircles the end of the deck, and you are ready to carry on with whatever you care to. The left shoulder is the best place to secrete the cards as it is the one place where the vest is not tight enough to offer resistance to the swift flight of the cards. Also the coat makes an effective covering for, the load. Here's a sweet opening for a card act. Try it and thank me later. On second thought it's your dollar, G"od knows you deserve something you can use for a change. A helpful hint to bad actors. EGGS ELIMINATED Patter The other day I happened to be making a trip on a train. When time for breakfast arrived I sauntered into the diner, and sat at a table opposite another passenger. The waiter came in and requested the other party's order. ",Well," said the gentleman, "I'll have some orange juice, two soft boiled eggs, some toast, and a pot of coffee." The waiter turned, "Well, boss, what's you gonna haf?" "I'll have the same as that gentleman, only eliminate my eggs." "Yas suh, right away, suh." A few minutes later the darkey returned 1'ooking very puzzled. "I'm sorry boss", he said, "but I done fogot you ordah." "Do you remember what the gentleman opposite ordered?" I asked. "Yas suh, I suah do." "Well I'll take the same, tonly I want the eggs eliminated." "That's it, boss, you want you eggs eliminated." Well he brought the other fellow's order, and I waited for ten minutes but still mine didn't appear. Finally in desperation I called the waiter over. MAGIC FROM A 2 Z "Say, boy, where' s my order?" "I'm sorry to keep you waiting suh," lie replied, "but the cook, he can't find the eliminator." "Wait a minute," I laughed, "when I say eliminated I don't mean cooked in any particular way. Where's your grammar?" "Oh! she's dead, suh." "Ixiok I'll show you what I mean. Bring me some orange juice and an orange." "Alright watch; I'll b'orrow this gentleman's glass, and pour the juice from my glass into his." (Performer pours orange juice from one glass to another to prove glass contains nothing but juice.) "N'ow I'll place this orange on top of the glass. If I were to take it off glass, (suit action to words), the orange would be eliminated." "Yas suh." "Now I'll borrow one of this gentleman's eggs and place it into this paper bag, (actions to words all through the effect now.) The bag we blow up just as a school boy does, but when I burst the bag with my fist, the bag is empty and the egg has been eliminated." (Toss broken bag to audience.) The waiter's eyes popped as he asked, "but boss where did the egg exit to?" "Why, didn't you see it g'o?" I asked, "here it is in my orange juice." (Performer pours juice into the other glass and there is the missing egg.) The darkey's face lit up in a broad smile, "You know boss, it was that orange juice that threw me off. Now I know what you mean. You want the egg in lemonade." Here's a honey of an effect, with plenty of laughs and a method subtle enough to satisfy the most discerning performer. First we'll look into the vanish. The egg used is not real, but is only the inner skin, that is used in the Japanese effect wherein the piece of tissue is bounced on a fan until it becomes an egg. As you kn'ow, this is made by soaking an egg in vinegar for a day, blowing it after, and breaking the shell away IVcm the inner skin. (Keep this in alcohol to keep it from drying up.) In putting this in the bag it is kept up in the squeezed up neck of the bag which is formed in order to brow it up. In the act of blow- ing up the bag, the performer inhales, which carries the egg skin into his mouth where it immediately collapses, to the size of a crushed cigarette paper. The bag is burst, and that accounts for the vanish. The reproduction is simple. The base of the orange used has been cut off, and the orange hollowed out. Into it has been inserted an egg. This should fit loosely. When the orange is placed over the juice the fingers release the egg, which falls into the glass. The fingers t>f the hand not engaged hide the space between the orange and the sur- face of the fluid as the egg makes its passage into the glass. The juice has enough body to hide the egg until the moment of revealment. In order to keep the egg from talking it is a g'ood idea 10 MAGIC FROM A 2 Z to have a piece of sliced orange on the bottom of the glass. This acts as a cushion, and as the glass before it is filled is supposed t'o have contained orange juice the slice is accounted for. If this doesn't bring 1 in the laughs, and beside that mystify them, I'm all wrong as to what the public wants. Delirium Tremens could be used too FANTASTIC FINALE Here's a swell finale for the ever popular color change through the hand. After the usual change, the performer pushes the "dyed" silk into his fist t-nce more. When the fist is opened, a change has ta'ken place and the silk is now a large green snake. All you need is a spring snake, one that's used in the popular "Snake Jam Jar" joke. This can be bought at any novelty store for twenty-five cents. The snake is contracted and a rubber Imnd en- circles it to keep it from expanding. The end of the snake has the cloth packed down into the spring. All you need do is insert your finger, and the well is made. The snake is picked up from the table under cover of the hanky. As the hanky is pushed in, it goes into the well at the end of snake, where it remains concealed. All you now need do, is release the rubber band and your change is complete. A shot rings out in the stilly night in GREAT GUNS Here's an illusion you, can build entirely for less than a buck. It can be worked in double parlors, speakeasies, theatres, or even in the face of impending creditors. A length of wash tape is exhibited, and a spectator initials it to prove that substitution is impossible. The tape is rolled up and inserted into the muzzle of a pistol. The performer fires at his assistant, and the tape is seen to penetrate his body, a portion of it hanging from his back and alxlomen. The tape is pulled through the bt>dy, and the mark on it is verified by the spectator who marked it. Yup! you're right. Shooting through a woman, and it only costs a buck, or less, complete. All you need is a single chamber blank gun, loaded with a blank, and two pieces of tape. One piece of tape is run artound the left side of the victim's body, and the ends are pleated in back and front. A piece of black thread is attached to both ends of the tape. One thread is attached to a chair or any piece of stage furniture, the other is attached to MAGIC FROM A 2 Z 11 the gun. A slit in the rear of the assistant's coat is necessary. When the magician fires he yanks thread with a downward motion of the gun. This pulls the tape out at the front. At the same time the assistant steps forward and this yanks out tape at the rear. The tape is pulled apparently through the body, and at the same time the threads are broken. Then the tape is carried down for the mark on it to be identified. The method of transposing the mark is simple. The tape that is brtmght into the audience has an extra inch attached to it with wax. It is this piece that is marked. In the act of rolling up the tape this extra piece is disengaged and dropped into the pocket until needed. When the "gimmicked" tape is pulled through the assistant the extra piece is waxed on, and then it is taken out for inspection. Of course the duplicate piece is never loaded into the gun, merely palmed off. If > J ou like, the rear thread can run off stage, and the assistant can carry the gun into you. In this fashion the assistant can walk onto the stage, and do away with being in one spot when the curtains rise. If this method is used great care must be taken, and the exact spot marked on the stage where the assistant is to stand so that the tape doesn't c'ome into view prematurely. 1 know if you try this one you'll like it. Well I'll have to stop writing' now, because my wife Fanny, has a pain, and I can never work when there's a pain in my Fanny. I hope you don't feel the same way about this trick. By the way, don't argue with your assistant as it is only through him that you can do this trick. Would that magicians earned the salaries of HOLLYWOOD'S HEROES Here's a novel stunt that has "stopped" a good many real per- formers. I don't know why, probably because it is so nervy and straightforward. A card is selected from a pack, (some fun, eh kid?) It is re- placed, and the deck is shuffled in the usual way. The spectator now is asked to name his favorite movie star. Performer has spectator spell out the name, one letter at a time and one card for each letter. At the finish the selected card turns up. There are no false tor suspicious moves at any time. W T hen the card is returned have it replaced under twelve cards, then false shuffle. You'll find that almost every famous star has twelve or thirteen letters in his or her name. When the name is given you figure out the number of letters in it, and turn up either the last card or the one following, depending on the number of letters. If you should be given a name with less than the required amount of letters, you demonstrate how you are going to spell by counting 12 MAGIC FROM A 2 Z off the excess cards from, the top. If you need more letters demon- strate by spelling from the bottom and adding the required number to the top. Here's a list of the stars you usually get, and I think you'll find most of them perfect fits. The Great Garbo Harold Lloyd Doug Fairbanks Buster Keaton Gloria Swanson Connie Bennett Wallace Beery Clark Gable (add Mr.) Warren William George Arliss John Barrym'ore Mary Pickford Marie Dressier Joan Crawford Most people asked to think 'of a star hurriedly will pick one of this list. If they shouldn't you have recourse to the spell up or down demonstrating method. It never makes them suspici'ous as it is natural to let them know what you want done. Of course for the actual spelling you put the cards into the spectator's own hands, and let him spell out the name. Try it, I think you'll like it. You'll have a blot on your "rep" if you use INDIA INK Here's a happy departure from the usual spirit writing- etuff. Patter [Let me discourse on two utterly dissimilar sublets; an absent minded professor and some ink from India. Whenever the professor went to buy anything for his wife he'd put a narrow strip of paper around his thumb so that he wouldn't forget his errand. This he held in place by gumming the end with a postage stamp. (Per- former is doing the above while assailing the ears 'of the auditors with this junk). Now in order that he'd know it was an errand for his wife he was undertaking he had her initial the strip around his thumb. Madam will you be the wife, and initial the strip we've all examined? (Strip is marked) . The only fault with this system of memory stimulation was that the professor sometimes forgot what the strip stood for, and what he was supposed to buy, but a friend of his had given him some mys- terious ink from India. All he'd need do was place the point of his fountain pen against the strip and it would write upon it the name of the article he was supposed to purchase. Now in my pen I have some of this ink. Suppose we represent the item by a playing card. Will you take one? What's the name of it? Now madam I place the pen against the strip for a split second, and even though it is the same you initialed, on it is the name of the selected card." Method A narrow strip of paper about a half an inch wide is first wrapped tightly around the first joint of the left thumb, and MAGIC FROM A 2 Z 13 sealed in place with a postage stamp. On this is written the name of a card you intend to force. Over this is placed a thumb tip. In demon- strating the effect a duplicate piece w to do the tricks. If 1 should make any mistakes it' 11 be tough on the Society of American Magicians. "For the first trick let me show you a trick with a tumbler, (show glass and lobk at book, this you do incessantly for effect), they call them tum'blers even though they don't do any acrobatic tricks. That's an awful gag, no wonder they got the professor drunk, they must have seen his act before. "We cover this glass with, a ptocket handkerchief, so you won't see through the trick. My God! What jokes? Here's a magician's special, a red silk handkerchief. All I need do is say Nerts, and the silk goes." (See next number My! My!) "It worked, am I sur- prised? Now in the glass we find the missing silk. (Glass is un- covered and it is empty. Performer mugs surprise, and looks in book.) Gee I had the trick all wrong. (Cover glass again). It's an egg I'm supposed to use. I place the egg in this bag, (egg bag) say Nerts, anu we see the egg has vanished, and is now in the glass. (Remove 'kerchief, and there is the silk that vanished in the rirst instance.) "Curses this is all wet. Maybe the trick's in the bag, looks in the bag, and there is the missing egg. Oh we'll cover the egg with the silk, and when we say Nerts the egg vanishes. (Instead the silk vanishes, and the egg remains.)" Let me show you how it's done, the silk gtoes into the egg, it's a hollow egg. No wonder they gave the professor a drink. They should have used poison. Simple, huh. (performer laughs, when accidentally he drtops the egg and it breaks, proving to toe a real egg. Performer smiles sheepishly and alibis with.) Maybe you think I've been drinking too, but this is the first drop I've had all evening. (You can see for yourself that this is just an effective routine combining, Kling Klang, and the egg bag. There are a few added suotleties, but hell, brother with your knowledge I needn't waste time. This routine uses up a lot of paper). Performer walks over to table and picks up bird cage with bird. (This is the European model vanishing cage, that remains rigid until you attach the pull, and release it.) Watch this. It'll scare the hell out of you. One, twt>, three, Nerts. Am I sorry? (Cage doesn't vanish.) Maybe we'd better wait until Glutz sobers up lor that one. (Replace cage on table.) Now I'm supposed to follow with the professor's original dance called the Glutz Glide, but I've a rabbit concealed in my back, and if I should fall it'd be just too bad. So instead I'll do the next trick. Let's see what the book says. Oh yeah ! It's dedicated to Glutz's wife and it's called, "When I'm with you I'm lonesome." 1 6 MAGIC FROM A 2 Z My hands are empty but when I reach in the air I'll have a new fur lined bath tub. (A pack of cards appears in the performer's hands Deck Development.) I don't think this Glutz fellow knows what it's all about. Nothing- seems to work. Oh well I might just as well do a card trick, it's on the house anyway. (Will some'one select a card? Did you get the four of clubs? Well put it back, it's bad luck, it's the one card that the trick won't work with. Take another. What, the four of clubs again? Curses. Well in order to make the trick work we'll put the four of clubs aside. Now take tone. My God it's the four of clubs. What about the one we put aside. It's the Joker. How I hate that Glutz fellow. (This is just the old force and top change routine that is very common.) Just to spite Glutz I'm going to make that darned cage vanish. Will he be sore? It's his best trick. One, two, three Nerts. I'm afraid I don't get the idea. You know what's wrong? I think I don't know how to do the blooming thing. (Performer reaches in the air, catches an unlighted cigarette . Lights it, makes a pass, looks at the audience in triumph. Throws it into a pail, immediately at his fingertips another one appears. This is thrown into bowl, and still another appears. Performer looks astonished at each new appearance.) This is continued in silence to suit yourself. At one time in the production the performer looks at the audience and says, "Now that I've got the darned thing started, I don't know how to stop it." At the windup performer produces a cigar which he walks off smoking. See "Futuristic Fan- tasies" for a neat "ciggie" routine. After the applause which is bound t'o follow this act the per- former reappears. "If it's alright with you folks, I'd like to take another chance at that bird cage. One, two, three." The cage vanishes. Here's where you must act. At first the performer smiles, but when the realization of what has happened hits him, he gradually grows "groggy", and walks off the stage in a daze. FINISH I think it's funny. I've used it, and the audience thought it was funny. Try it for yourself, maybe you, too, will be lucky enough to find an audience that might think it funny. All kidding aside, it has mystery and plenty of laughs. Que voulez-vous? Have you seen the new levitation, "THE RISE OF THE GOLDBERGS"? MY! MY! Here's a startlingly rapid silk vanish: hence the title. The performer merely removes a silk from his pants pocket, holds it ex- MAGIC FROM A 2 Z 17 tended in his left hand, says go! and the silk obligingly does go. It's so simple that I'm surprised that it's never been used. All you need is a thirteen inch silk and some strong black thread. Attach one end of the thread to the silk. The other end is run through the second belt hook on the left hand side of the body. From this the thread is run around the body to the right hand side where it terminates in a lo'op for the finger. The loop is placed over a vest button, and the silk is tucked into the left pants pocket until needed. In presenting- the stunt the left hand brings out the silk, while the right hand forces the loop from the vest button, and engages it on a finger. The silk is held hanging from the left hand, threaded end uppermost. For the vanish the hands are shot forward suddenly, which causes the silk to vanish and hang out of view over the' belt hook. The coat naturally covers all. A bit of trying is necessary to get the thread the proper length, and to judge how much pull is needed to bring silk that the mouth may be inspected thoroughly. Now for the load. On the index finger of the right hand glove of the performer, a pocket has been made by attaching an extra piece of rubber to the glove with rubber cement. This is left open on top, and is of course on the inner side of the glove. In this is carried 18 MAGIC FROM A 2 Z the threaded load of needles. All that is necessary is to reach into the mouth to pull out the end of the thread, and shoot the load out into the mouth. As y*cu can see this is the only needle trick in existence where you can safely stand any amount of i-nspection at any time. Try it, it's a sensation. A tribute to "A Man Who Laughs." OLD ORDER In advancing' in magic we have forgotten many things. How many of you remember, or even know of Henry (Welsh) Miller. Very few I daresay and yet in .his day he was considered tone of the greatest manipulators the world has ever known. He was Tommy Downs' only sore spot, so keen was their rivalry. Today "Welsh" Miller wanders about New York City sadly for- gotten by audiences who once cheered. He lives only by the help of those of us who revel in the days when magic was magic. Most magicians laugh at him and call him erratic. Perhaps he is, for who knows what constitutes sanity. Yet in the mind t>f that old master exists effects which some of us were we to be the creators of them, would never stop talking about. As the next effect in this volume, I present an idea of Miller's. The idea is his, the method of working- mine. Personally I consider the idea far superior to the method. I say without fear of contradiction that if this routine is work- ed, it is far more sensational, than the present day cigarette catching sensation. Imagine from his bare hands the performer produces glass after glass of varied liquors. There is no limit fo the possibilities of the routine. Perhaps in our mad search for new material we have overlooked many good things. Perhaps we have laughed when we should have shed a tear. And so I dedicate this next stunt to the g'olden days of magic, when audiences really enjoyed our beloved art. "Welsh" Miller, I salute you. The present generation's greatest manipulative routine. PROHIBITION ? PLEASE ! Performer enters. On the side stand is seen a bottle. Across the top of the bottle is a flat piece of wotod about two feet long, con- verting the bottle into sort of a T stand. Behind the bottle a black tray is standing upright. Performer shows his hand empty, reaches into the air and catches a glass of liquor. This is placed onto the T stand after a MAGIC FROM A 2 Z 19 bit of it has been sampled. Immediately another glass of different colored fluid is produced, and placed on the stand. This is carried on until a dozen glasses 1 or so are produced. Various passes with the glasses are introduced, and each glass is, sampled. As a finish the performer rolls a sheet of paper into a cornucopia, and shakes tlowers onto a chair in front of the table holding the T stand. As he does this the performer looks at the audience mournfully with the words, "Flowers To The Resurrected." Suddenly the sheet of paper is allowed to fall open and from behind the paper the per- former produces a large stein of beer with which he makes his exit. The How Naturally since the bottle must hold the weight of the glasses without tipping it is weighted with lead. To convert the bottle into a T stand all you need do is get a flat piece of wood about two feet long' and two inches wide, to the center of which you attach a cork which fits the mouth of the bottle tightly. .When the cork is inserted the obvious portions of your stand are complete. Now for the portions which are not quite so obvious. As you recall a tray stands upright behind the bottle. As you also recall the tray is black, which if you are astute will lead you to suspect black art. You are right, for attached to the crossbar, and running down about half the length of the bottle is a piece of black card- board. This serves as a black art screen behind which your glasses are suspended as will be explained in due time. Another "gag" for the stand and then onto the glasses. On the crossbar is arranged a number of black wires, standing upright, and arranged in sets of two. These are shaped like Y's. They are ar- ranged in separate sets of two, because each set of two takes one glass. The glasses are simply arranged. Each one has a belt of black thread around its "mid-section". Attached to the belt is another black thread running upward and over the mouth of the glass. The glasses are of the small whiskey type. They are half filled with varied colored liquids or liquor. In performance the glasses are suspended on the Y's, by the overhead threads. The background masks them, and the set of two Y's holds the thread wide so that the thumb may be introduced without difficulty. The first glass produced is a rubber covered one which you carry on your person, and with which you can execute change over palms, etc. The cover is removed, and as the right hand sets it on the T stand the right thumb enters the first thread, and carries the sus- pended glass away, concealed by the hand. It is duly produced at the fingertips, a drink taken, and it's placed on the T stand when the same procedure is gone through. This is carried on until all glasses are produced. It you see fit you may carry a few of the glasses sold in novelty stores, which contain liquid within double glass walls on your per- 20 MAGIC FROM A 2 Z son. These can be produced during- the routine and manipulated just as billiard balls are. They are stood on the rack along- with the other glasses. For the finish you produce your spring 1 flowers from, the cone. Behind the chair the flowers are dropped onto, is one of the candy beer mugs, sold at all Liggett Drug Stores (or Hepper's Candy Store, Luna Park, Coney Island, N. Y.) This is suspended by the handle from a nail. These glasses look surprisingly like a mug- of beer, yet they are made completely of candy. As you allow the cone to open out, under cover of the paper you "swipe" the mug 1 from behind the chair and produce it. With it you make your triumphant exit saluting- the audience with the glass. Try this. Give it as much practice as you give your other mani- pulative routines, and I'm sure you'll have something- to make the natives sit up. Have you heard the Billiard Ball theme song? "You've got me in the Palm of your Hand." QUEER QUERIES Here's a real novelty with cards. The performer explains that he was reading of a ctourt case in Egypt which took place over some stolen Camels. He asks a specta- tor t'o write down various statements, which were uttered during the case. The attorney asked (write). "Are Camels ever organized?" To which was answered- (write) "Fortunately Camels love unity between sleeps." Suddenly the defendant became excited and shouted (write) "Now I've never even felt right of might towards ordinary people." The performer explains that naturally in translation the words lose a great deal. He now has a card selected, and returned to the deck. The deck is shuffled. He explains that the card has a great deal of bearing- on the case even though the spectators can't see it. He asks the man with the court record t'o strike out all the letters but the first one of each word, and then read the first letters to him. These the spectator, or performer, writes on a piece of paper. They spell as you can see for yourself. ACE OF CLUBS NINE FROM TOP The cards are counted, and the ninth card is the selected Ace of Clubs. Use any force and position shuffle you like to bring the ef- MAGIC FROM A 2 Z 21 feet about, that's all together too elementary to be treated here. I suggest you ask a spectator what movie star he would like in the role of the slighted Oriental, and allow him to spell as in Hollywood's Heroes. The thirteenth card is of course your Ace of Clubs. I hope you like this. It's an unusual predicti'on stunt with a surprising finish. With apologies to Fred Culpitt RATHER RIDICULOUS Here's a novel close up stunt, that is rather funny, and a bit unusual. The performer explains that he has a new girl who is awfully modest. Every time she goes to the beach she's so modest that she refuses to be seen in only a bathing suit; she wears a long cape to cover her limbs. The performer offers to show the crowd a picture of her in her beach attire. He reaches into his pocket and takes out a batch of small snap- shots. From this batch he selects one, and passes it around for inspec- tion. It is a snap of a girl standing on a beach wearing a long cape. The performer gets the picture back and returns the rest of the photos to his pocket. He turns the picture with its back to the spectators, and suggests that they have a little fun. He reaches behind the picture and produces a little silk cut out in the form of a cape. He smiles, and once more he produces a little piece of silk this time in the form of a bathing suit. He turns the photo facing the audience once more with the remark, "I told you she was m'odest." And the photo to prove its modesty has changed. For now we see only a picture of the ocean, with tonly the nude thighs of our girl friend atfove water level. She .has evidently dived in to cover her nudity. Once more the photo is passed for inspection. The method is simple. On top of the batch