The Magic Wand Series. Net.

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CARD TRICKS v
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* TOM SELLERS
BY

Author of Tricks that Work,"

“

Sellers’ Secrets,” etc.

“

LONDON:

GEORGE JOHNSON, The Magic Wand Office,

24, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C.
WILL ALMA
M.I.M.C. fLONDON)
CARD TRICKS THAT WORK

BY

TOM SELLERS,
Author of
Tricks that Work" “Setters' Secrets,' etc.

LONDON

Georgi: Johnson, The Magic Wand Office

24 Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C. 2
1934

WILL ANDRADE
Only Addresses:
52 SWANSTON ST., MELB.
and 173 PITT ST., SYDNEY
 FOREWORD

Sometimes the most simple tricks are the most effective.

The card tricks here described are all simple in principle.
I trust you will find them entertain in,!; and effective.
Tom Sei.i.krs.

CONTENTS
PAGE
A New Jumping Card Trick . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Steps ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 3
A Card from Pocket Trick ... ... ... 4
Card Divination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
On the Top. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
A Trick with the Si Steppings Pack ... ... 6
The Persistent Joker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
An Excellent Card Change ... ... ... 7
The Laughable Rising Card ... ... ... 8
Lift a Few . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 8
Unique Card Prediction . . . . . . . . . . . ... 9
Finding a Selected Card at any Number called
for

A Two Person Telepathy Effect ... ... 12

Named Card and Slates ... ... ... ... 13
The Paired Card ... ... ... ... ... 14
A Practical Prediction ... ... ... ... 15
Unique Control Card ... ... ... ... 16
Stop! ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 17
Take It or Leave It ... ... ... ... 18
A Comedy Card Interlude. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The Cute Speller ... 20

2
 A NEW JUMPING CARD TRICK
Effect. The performer requests a spectator to take a
card from the pack. After the card has been returned and
the pack shuffled, the performer holds the pack at arm’s
A L MT hA e CS tO a Nt eJ UL iR bIr aN rGy oC fO VL iLc tLo Cr iTa I O N ”
length. Suddenly the selected card is seal to fly high into
the air.

Requirements. A pack of cards.

Method. Have a card selected and returned to the pack,
bring the card to the top by the pass and false shuffle. Now
palm the card off in the right hand, keeping the palm of the
hand towards your body. Place the pack between the two

middle fingers and the first and little fingers of the right
hand, the two middle fingers being on top. The pack should
now be lying above the palmed card gripped by the fingers.
Stand with your right side to the spectators. Hold the pack
at arm’s length, and bend the palmed card inwards with
the thumb, i.e. the edge of the card is pulled back with the
thumb tip. Release the thumb and the card will fly into
the air.
STEPS
Effect. The performer has the pack shuffled and returned
to him. Holding the pack face down in his left hand, with
his right hand he proceeds to make six or seven steps with
the pack, each step overlapping about half an inch. The
spectator is now asked to choose a step and look at the top
card of the “step.” When he has done so the performer closes
up the pack and hands it to be cut. Nevertheless on the
performer running through the pack he locates the chosen
card.
3
 Requirements. A pack of cards.

Method. Have the pack shuffled and placed face down

in your left hand. Now, with your right hand, make several
“ steps ” as follows. Draw back most of the pack about
half-an-inch for the first step, now a few more for the second,
and so on until you have made six or seven steps or packets
one above the other. Have a step selected and the top card
of the step noted by a spectator lifting the corner and
glancing at the index. As you square up the pack, you sight
the bottom index of the card above the card selected.. To
sight this card, turn the left hand so that the left thumb is
upwards, holding the pack edgeways; as the right hand
squares the steps or packets together, you look downwards
for an instant. The pack being on its edge it is quite easy
to see the index of the bottom card of any step. The cutting
of the pack makes no difference, the selected card always
being next the one you sighted.

A CARD FROM POCKET TRICK

Effect. The performer has a card selected and replaced
in the pack. He next shows that the selected card is neither
at the top or the bottom of the pack. The selected card is
now produced from the performer’s pocket.
Requirements. A pack of cards.
Method. H ave a card selected and returned to the
pack; as the card is returned to the pack slip one card above
it and make the pass, this bringing the selected card second
from the top of the pack. Now give the pack a false shuffle.
Take the top card and show it. Remarking, “ Your card
is not at the top,” spin this card in the air which shows you
have only one card, as the card returns to you (boomerang
fashion, as described in Down’s “Art of Magic), slip the
little finger of your left hand under the top card. Now, as
you square up the pack, palm off the tiro top cards in your
right hand, at the same time turn the pack over and show
the bottom card. Remarking, “Your card is not at the
bottom,” take the pack in your left hand, and placing your
right hand in your inside pocket, withdraw the under or
selected card, leaving the other card behind.

•t
 CARD DIVINATION

Effect. After a freely selected card is returned to the

pack, the pack is cut several times and a few cards are dealt
off. The pack is now handed to a spectator with the request
that he places the next four or five cards in different pockets.
When he has done so, the performer takes his wand and
divines which pocket contains the selected card.

Requirements. A pack of cards, and the following

preparation. Any cards may be used but as an example,
place the Ace of Diamonds face up on the table, on this
card place any other three cards. Fix these cards in a clip
and attach underneath the jacket at the back. You are now
ready to perform the trick.

Method. Hand the pack to be shuffled. Have the pack

placed in your hands behind your back. While the cards
are thus held, ask the spectator to remove a card. Suddenly
turn round to him and remark, “ Have you done so? ” As
you do this, remove the cards from jour jacket clip and
place them on the bottom of the pack. Turn round again
and request the spectator to place his card on top of the
pack and cut it. Bring the cards round to the front and
commence to deal, but stop when you come to the Ace of
Diamonds. At this point hand the spectator the pack and
tell him to take one card at a time from the top of the pack
and place the various cards in different pockets.
All you have to do is to watch where he puts the fourth
card. Now, for effect, you take your wand and apparently
divine the selected card.

ON THE TOP

Effect. A card is selected and returned to the pack.

The selected card is now caused to appear on the top of the
pack four times in succession. A different method is used
each time, so there is little fear of the spectators detecting
the moves.

Requirements. A pack of cards.

5
 Method. H ave the pack shuffled and returned to
you. A card is selected, and as it is returned to the pack
run two cards on top of it and make the pass. This will
give you the selected card third from the top. Give the
pack a false shuffle, then riffle the pack and lift the three top
cards as one card and show selected card, this having
apparently come to the top.
Replace the three cards on top of pack again. Take the
top card and without showing it, place it at the bottom of
the pack. Riffle the pack again and lift the tivo top cards as
one this time and again show the selected card.
Still holding the two cards as one, push them into the
centre of the pack, but when half way in, push the under
card only right home. Now cut the pack at the protruding
card, this card going to the bottom of the pack. Riffle the
pack again, lift the top card and show it.
Before the spectators have had time to recover from this
series of surprises, make the top change and push the changed
card into the centre of the pack without showing it; again
riffle the pack and show selected card once more on the top.
This is a favourite trick of mine and it is very effective.

A TRICK WITH THE SI STEBBINGS PACK

Effect. The performer has a card freely selected. He

now lays two cards on the table. One of these cards denotes
the suit and the other the value of the selected card.

Requirements. An arranged pack set up in the Si

Stebbings order, every card being three spots higher than the
card preceding.

Method. False shuffle, have a card selected, cut the pack

at the selected card. Now deal off the cards till you come
to the twelfth card, this card will denote the suit and the
thirteenth card will denote the value of the selected card.
When the pack is cut at the place where the selected card
is removed, the twelfth and thirteenth card will always
denote the suit and value.

6
 THE PERSISTENT JOKER
Effect. The performer starts spelling out the cards in
the usual manner, but every time he hands them to a
spectator to spell he gets the Joker. I can recommend this
little effect. Although the cards are arranged there are no
duplicates used.
Requirements. Arrange any ten cards as follows.
Three, five, Ace, seven, nine, two, Joker, eight, six, four.
Method. Take the cards, one at a time, from the top
and place them at the bottom as you spell. Now spell A-C-E,
show the Ace and lay it aside. Spell T-W-O and lay the
two aside. Spell T-H-R-E-E and lay the three aside. Now
hand the packet to the spectator and tell him to spell
F-O-U-R. He will get the Joker. Take the Joker from
him and place it on top of the pack. (I must here mention
that every time the Joker turns up replace it on top of the
packet). Now the performer spells F-O-U-R. Lay the
four aside. Ask the spectator to spell F-I-V-E and he will
get the Joker. Now you spell F-I-V-E and lay the five aside.
Ask the spectator to spell S-I-X and he will again get the
Joker. Now you spell S-I-X and lay the six aside, this
time you also spell S-E-V-E-N and lay the seven aside. Now
ask the spectator to spell E-I-G-H-T and lie again gets the
Joker. You spell E-I-G-H-T and lay aside. Ask the
spectator to spell N-I-N-E and he gets the Joker once more.
You take the two remaining cards and spell N-I-N-E which
you obtain. Hand the spectator the last card, the Joker,
and remark, “That’s just your little joke.”
You cannot go wrong with this trick if you remember to
replace the Joker on top of packet every time it turns up—
every time the correct card turns up lay it aside.

AN EXCELLENT CARD CHANGE

Effect. The performer, holding the pack in his left

hand, passes his right hand over the face card. When he
has done so the card is seen to have changed. This is a very
fine change but requires a little practice to present neatly.

Requirements. A pack of cards.

7
 Method. Hold the pack in your left hand, the thumb
covering the face card and the fingers at the back; thumb and
fingers should be pointing towards the floor and the edge of
the pack should be parallel with the floor. Show your right
hand empty. Now take pack with your right hand, gripping
it with the thumb at one end and the first finger at the
other. As you do this, with the fingers of the left hand, push
the rear card down till the corner comes between the third
and little fingers of the right hand. Now, while you show
the left hand empty, let this card fall to a horizontal position.
The position should now be, pack in the right hand and a
card gripped between third and little fingers by its edge.
Tlte pack only is now taken in the left hand and the face
card is stroked with the right, leaving the palmed card on
the face of the pack.

THE LAUGHABLE RISING CARD

Effect. A card is selected and returned to the pack.
The performer holds the pack in front of his face. He has
no sooner done so than the selected card is seen to rise right
out of the pack.
Requirements. A pack of cards.
Method. Have a card selected and returned to the pack,
bring it to the top by the pass or by your favourite method.
Now bring the pack up in front of your face, press the rear
card against the tip of your nose and pull the pack down­
wards. The selected card will appear to rise right out of
the pack.
This trick always causes a laugh, hence the title. Try it
in front of a mirror and you will see that the illusion is
perfect.

LIFT A FEW
Effect. Hand a pack of cards to be thoroughly shuffled
and placed in your hands behind your back. Now ask a
spectator to cut off a few cards, count them, and return them
to the pack. Next request the spectator to cut the pack any­
where. You now bring the cards round to the front of the
body. On running through the cards you can tell how
many cards were cut by your assistant.

3
 Requirements. A pack of cards.
Method. Unobserved, place two cards, which you
memorise, up your left sleeve, just above the wrist. Hand
the pack to be shuffled and have it returned to your hands
which you hold behind your back.
Ask a spectator to remove a few cards and count them.
Now turn round to him and say, “ Square your cards up
and replace them on top of the pack.” While you do this,
remove the two cards from your sleeve and place one at the
top and one at the bottom of the pack. Turn round again
and have cards replaced and cut behind your back. Turn
round once more and run through the pack until you come
to one of the cards you know, then count till you come to
the next one, the announcement of that particular number
concluding the trick.

UNIQUE CARD PREDICTION

Effect. The performer hands a sealed envelope to a
spectator to keep until the end of the experiment. The
performer now removes two aces from the pack. He next
has a card freely selected; this card is placed between the
two Aces. Neither the spectator nor the performer knows
the name of the selected card. These three cards are now
placed in a glass, the backs of the cards being towards the
spectators.
The spectator who has the envelope is now asked to open
it and read out what is written on the slip of paper within.
He reads, “ The selected card will be the Ten of Clubs.”
Tile performer turns the glass round so that the face of the
cards can now be seen by the spectators. He removes the
front Ace and, sure enough, there is seen the Ten of Clubs.
Requirements. A pack of cards. A glass that will
hold a pack of cards. A sealed message stating that the
selected card will be the Ten of Clubs—or any other card
it is desired to use.
Method. Hand the sealed envelope to a spectator, also
the pack to be shuffled. Receive the pack and state that you
will remove the two Aces. You arrange to get the predicted
card at the back of the Ace of spades and remove the two
cards as one. Place face down on the table as one card.

9
Now remove the Ace of Clubs and lay this beside the other
Ace.
H ave a card freely selected but not looked at and lay it
face down on top of the double card and on top of this place
the Ace of Clubs. Pick up the “ three ” cards (really four
cards), and place them in the glass, backs towards the
audience. Now ask the spectator to read out the sealed
message. After he has done so, turn the glass round, remove
the Ace of Spades and show the next one to be the predicted
card. Remove this card and the one next as one card,
showing that the Ace of Clubs is still there as well.

FINDING A SELECTED CARD AT ANY

NUMBER CALLED FOR
The average magician knows several methods of presenting
this trick; here are three more.
Method I
A card is selected, returned to the pack and brought to
the top by the pass. Remove the two top cards as one card
and start tapping the top card of a pack with the card(s)
removed. Stand with the right side towards the spectators
and with the left thumb push the top card to the right a
little. Now ask for a number. Say “ four ” is selected.
With the double card turn the top card right over and tip
it on to the floor. Do the same with number two and three.
For number four, hold the double card on top of the pack,
face towards spectators, and with the right thumb push the
top card of the double card on to the pack a trifle, while the
remaining card, which is still between your right thumb
and finger, immediately turn the card now at the top right
over, showing it to be the selected card.

Method II

Bring the card to the top again and stand with the right
side towards spectator. Palm off the top card in the right
hand and hold the pack back outwards with the fingers at
one end and the thumb at the other. Now ask for a number.
Say “ six ” is given. With the right thumb push the top
card of the pack right over the top of the left fist and let the

10
card fall to the floor. If you have done this correctly the
palmed card should come just over the top card of the pack.
Now repeat the same movements until you reach card
number five. When you push this (fifth) card over your

THUMB op Right hano in

WHICH CHOSEN CAPLD

is RALMCQ.
fist, leave the palmed card on top of the pack. Draw down
the right thumb and push this card, the selected one,
upwards, but do not drop this card, show it to be the one
selected.
Method III
Bring the selected card to the top, stand with the right
side to audience. Hold the pack in left hand, back towards

spectators, thumb on top, fingers underneath. Under cover

of the right hand allow the top card to drop on to the

11
extended fingers of the left hand. This card is gripped at
the edge between the little and third fingers of the right
hand. With the left thumb spring the top card of the pack
till it separates a little from the pack. (Suppose number
four is selected.) Place the right forefinger on the top
corner of this card and the right second finger tip under this
corner. Now straighten the first and second fingers and the
card will spring into view. Hold the card there for a
moment and then let it fall to the floor. Do the same with

Performer's view
WHEN FIRST CARO
SPRINGS INTO VIEW
at "me tips of
THE FINGERS.

cards two and three and while you are holding card number
three at the finger tips press the card which is clipped between
the little and third fingers back on to the top of the pack
again. Remove this card in the same manner as you removed
tlie others.
A TWO PERSON TELEPATHY EFFECT
Effect. The performer’s lady assistant goes out of the
room. The performer borrows any small article from a
spectator and places it in his (the performer’s) pocket. He
now lays several cards on the table, the assistant enters, and
as soon as he looks through the cards she names the article
borrowed.
Requirements. A pack of cards.
Method. The secret is a novel application of the morse
code, the black spot cards being the “ dashes ” and the red
spot cards being the “ dots,” while the picture cards are
used to denote the end of a letter.

12
 We will presume the performer borrows a ring, so he
would take the following cards from the pack. Red card,
black card, red card, picture card, red card, red card, picture
card, black card, red card, picture card, black card, black
card, red card, picture card. This, reading from left to
right according to the morse code spells, “ ring.”
The morse code is as follows :

A . — J -- - - - - - - S
B — . . . K — . — T
C — . — . L . — . . U
I) — . . M- - - V
E . N — . w
F . . — . O- - - - - - X
G- - - . P .- - - . Y
H _ _ _ Q- - - . — Z
1 . . R . — .
When the assistant re-enters the room, all she has to do
is to pick up the cards and read through them. Perhaps
some inventive magician will invent another application of
this idea.

NAMED CARD AND SLATES

Effect. The performer asks any spectator to name a

card in a pack. When he has decided on a card, the
performer takes the pack of cards and removes the selected
one, this he hands to spectator for the time being. The
performer now shows two slates, these are placed together
and put on the table. The selected card is now placed in a
little box and vanished. On performer separating the slates
the selected card is seen adhering to one of the slates.

Requirements. Two packs of cards of the same pattern.

'Fake all the even cards from both packs and set them up in
pairs, such as the two fours, two sixes, two Queens, etc.
Now do the same with the odd cards. You now have two
packs of cards made up of odd and even cards. Place them
on your table or in your pocket, but remember which is
which. You also require two slates and a spot of wax.
Place the spot of wax on one of the slates and you are ready
to perform.
13
 Method. Ask someone to name any card in a pack of
cards. If it is an odd card, take the odd cards pack, if it is
an even card, take the even cards pack. Now fan the cards
in front of yourself and remove the selected card, cut the
pack where you remove the card, bringing the duplicate to
the top of the pack. .Hand the selected card to a spectator
as previously described. Now, with the pack of cards in
your left hand, pick up with the right hand the slate with the
dab of wax on it and show the slate on both sides. Pass the
slate to your left hand, pressing the top card on to the wax.
Now, still holding cards and slate in your left hand, pick
up the other slate with your right, and show both sides.
Take both slates in the right hand and lay the pack of cards
on the table. Now place the front slate to the rear, this
move bringing the selected card between the slates. Place
the slates on your table.
Now have the selected card returned to you and place it
in the card box or other apparatus suitable for the evanish-
inent of a card. It only remains to sav the magic word and
show that card has gone from the box. A spectator is asked
to separate the slates and he finds the selected card between
them. How you are enabled to get a freely named card
between the slates will cause no little bewilderment.

THE PAIRED CARD

Effect. The performer introduces a pack of cards with
red backs. He removes a card without looking at it or
exhibiting it to the spectators, and places the card in a glass,
the back of the card being towards the audience. The
performer now shows a “ blue ’ pack of cards, this is handed
to a spectator to shuffle and cut. The performer takes the
top card of the cut and, without showing it to the spectators,
places it in the glass, back outwards, along with the red
card.
The performer now remarks that if the trick has been
successful the two selected cards should be the same. The
two cards, when shown, are seen to be identical.
Requirements. A “ red ” pack of cards, a “ blue ” pack
and a duplicate red card, say the King of Clubs. A glass,
of such a size that it will comfortably hold a card. Place

14
the duplicate red card twelfth from the bottom of the red
pack, the other one being on top.

Method. Introduce your red pack, fan it and show all

cards to be different. Now state that you will remove a
card at random. Remove the duplicate, which is twelfth
from the bottom, and without showing it place it on the top
of the pack. Pick up the glass and show it to be empty.
Place the glass on the table and removing the two top cards
as one place them in the glass, back towards the spectators.
Now hand out the blue pack to be shuffled and cut. You
remove the top card of the cut and without showing it place
in the glass beside the other cards, back towards spectators.
Now state that if the trick has been successful the two
selected cards should be the same. Turn the glass round
and remove the front card, leaving the duplicate in the
glass. Show the one in your hand to be a red backed card
and turn the glass round showing the one in the glass to be
a blue backed card.
I can thoroughly recommend this little trick, as all the
moves are clean and to the spectators the effect is very
mystifying.

A PRACTICAL PREDICTION
Effect. The performer gives the pack to a spectator to-
be shuffled. The conjurer now shows a sealed envelope, this
is initialled and given to a spectator. A helper is now asked
to insert a knife anywhere in the pack, the pack is divided
at this point and laid aside. The spectator with the envelope
is asked to open it and read the paper slip therein. We will
presume that he reads, “ The selected card will be the Ace
of Clubs.” On the top card of the lower half of the pack
being turned over it is seen to be the Ace of Clubs.

Requirements. A slip of paper, an envelope, a pencil,

a pack of cards and a knife.

Preparation. Place the Ace of Clubs face down on

the table, on top of this place the envelope which is sealed
and contains the prediction.

15
 Method. H ave the cards shuffled and returned to you.
Pick up the envelope and card, being careful not to reveal
the card, and place on top of the pack. Remove the pencil
from your pocket and ask for the initials of some spectator.
Write these on the envelope and give to the spectator. Now
ask some one to insert the blade of the knife anywhere in
the pack while you riffle it. When this has been done, draw
the top portion of the pack towards you half-an-inch. Now
ask the spectator to withdraw the knife. Here remark,
“ No one knows the top card of the lower half.” This is
quite true. As you say this, you touch the lower half with
your right forefinger. Now you continue, “ It cannot move,
as the top portion of the pack keeps it in position.” As you
say this, your right forefinger presses on the top end of the
top half of the pack. Keep your forefinger there and turn
the packets face upwards, but as you lay them on the table
(the end of the pack being towards spectators), you draw
the top card of the top half of the pack up half-an-inch.
This brings this card in line with the top (now) “ face up ”
packet.
Next ask the spectator to open the envelope and read the
prediction. When he has done so, pick up the two packets
in this manner. The left hand grips the under- packet, the
right hand grips the single card and the top packet, thumb
on top and fingers underneath. The top packet is now
removed, taking the single card, secretly, with it. This
packet is now laid face dozen crosswise, on the face up packet
which is in your left hand. A spectator is now asked to
turn over the top card ; this is seen to be the Ace of Clubs.

UNIQUE CONTROL CARD

This control or key card is made by taking such a card
as the Nine of Clubs and covering the centre pip with a
piece of very thin black rubber.
Place this card about halfway down the pack and then
have a card freely chosen, break the pack at the key card
and have the selected card returned on to the lower half of
the pack. As you replace the upper half of the pack on top
of the selected card, do so with a sliding motion towards

16
yourself, this will cause the selected card to project about
half-an-inch from the end of the pack which is nearest your
body. As you turn the pack in your hands to square it up,
you will be able to see the index of the selected card.
By experimenting with tin's card probably other uses will
be found for it.

STOP!
Effect. The performer has a card selected from a
shuffled pack. The pack is now dropped into a bowler hat.
The performer now removes the cards one at -a time and
asks anyone to call “ Stop.” No matter when the spectator
calls, the performer turns round the card he is holding and
shows it to be the selected card.

SIDE OF THE HAT.

Requirements. The weak part about this trick is that
the bowler hat you use must be your own. This has a slot
cut in it on one side, over the crown. A pack of cards is
the only other accessory.
Method. H ave a card selected and returned. Bring
the selected card fourth from the top of the pack and drop
the pack into the hat. Now tell the spectators that you are
going to remove one card at a time from the hat (you
illustrate this by taking the first three cards and dropping
them behind the hat) and that they may call “ Stop ” at any
time while you do so.
You now take tile fourth card (back outwards, of course)
and place it behind the hat, really pushing it through the
slit inside the hat again. Keep doing this with the same card
till some one calls “ Stop,” you then turn card round and
show it to be the selected one.

17
 TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

Effect. The performer has a card selected and returned

to the pack. He now asks a spectator to hold one end of
the pack tightly. The performer now pulls the pack away
and leaves the selected card in the hand of the spectator.

Requirements. A pack of cards.

Method. Have a card selected and returned to the

pack. Bring it to the top and false shuffle. Now get the
little finger of your left hand under the top card. Encircle
the pack with the other three fingers and thumb and turn
the hand, knuckles upward and fingers towards the floor.
Now get tile spectator to hold the top end of the pack
between his forefinger and thumb. As you tell him to grip
the pack tightly, draw the pack away sharply and the selected
card will remain in the spectator’s hand.

A COMEDY CARD INTERLUDE

Effect. The conjurer changes a few cards by passing

his hand across face card of pack. He now explains that the
trick is quite easy, provided you stroke the cards lengthways.
“ If I were to stroke the card sideways,” proceeds the
magician, “ the card would not change but the spots would
turn round only. The performer shows the card at this
point with the pips pointing the wrong way. “ Now,”
proceeds the performer, “ if I only stroke half the card, only
half the card will change.” Here the performer shows the
card with the top half showing the pips the wrong way and
the bottom half showing an entirely different card.
“ Now,” continues the performer, “ a pack with cards
like this would be useless.” At this point he strokes the card
when it is seen to change to one of the normal variety. The
only skill necessary to perform this trick is the ability to
change the front card of the pack, by slipping one from the
top.
18
 Requirements. A pack of cards, a duplicate Five of
Clubs with the pips turned sideways. A faked card, the top
half being the Five of Clubs turned sideways, and the
bottom half, the half of a court card. Place the pack face

down on the table, and on top place the card with the
different halves. On top of this place the Five of Clubs
which has the pips turned sideways. Then the Five of Clubs,
and on top of this place any two ordinary cards.

Method. Pick up the pack and make the change twice,

by bringing the two cards from the top of the pack to the
face. Tell the spectators that the cards change provided
you stroke them lengthwise. As you say this, bring the
Five of Clubs from the back to the front of the pack. Now
say, “ If I stroke the card sideways it won’t change, but for
some strange reason the spots alter their position.” Mean­
while you have obtained the prepared Five of Clubs and
placed it on the front of pack, stroking the face card sideways
instead of lengthways.
Now secretly obtain the next card, the one which has the
two different halves, and place on the face of the pack, only
shouting the half ivith the pips. Just stroke the lower half
of the card, explaining to the spectators that if you only
stroke half the card, only half the card will change. At
this point show the lower half of the card to have changed
to the Queen of Hearts. Now bring the routine to a
close by bringing an ordinary card from the back to the front
of the pack.
19
 THE CUTE SPELLER

Effect. The performer removes a few cards from the

pack and passes them out to be shuffled. Receiving them
back, the performer takes the top card and asks it to whisper
the name of a card in his ear, pretending to listen intently
to the card’s message. The performer apparently hears a
whisper which happens to be, say, “ Ace of Diamonds.”
This card the performer proceeds to spell off the packet, on
coming to the last letter of the name the next card is turned
over, and it is seen to be the Ace of Diamonds.
It does not matter how the cards are shuffled, the per­
former is always able to spell off a card after the top card
has apparently whispered to him.

Requirements. Remove the following cards from the

pack: 2-D, 10-D, 6-D, A-D, 3-S, 7-S, 8-S, Q-S, Q-H, 8-H,
7-H, 3-H. Crimp the top card of the pack and lay the
above set of cards on top of the crimped card.

Method. To perform. Pick up the pack and apparently

remove a few cards at random, really remove the top twelve,
the “ crimp allowing you to do this easily. Pass the twelve
cards out to be shuffled. Receive them back and say that
you will ask the top card to whisper the name of another
card to you. As you remove the top card you really lift
two cards with the thumb, this allowing you to get a
glimpse at the index of the second card from the top; this
card you allow to fall back on the pack again and remove
the top card only. Now ask this card to whisper the name
of a card to you. Actually, you name the card you sighted.
Replace the top card again and begin to spell the card you
know, removing a card from the top of the packet and
placing it at the bottom of the packet for each letter spelled
out. When you come to the final letter remove the next
card, this will be the one named. Pass out the packet of
cards to be again shuffled and repeat as above.

[This booklet as a ichole is copyright.]

20
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