CONFESSIONS OF A CONJURER

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 50, 10 March 1894, Page 10

CONFESSIONS OF A CONJURER

SOME MYSTERIOUS TRICKS EXPLAINED. Few things are simpler than conjuring—when you know all about it. Hei'e are some confessions of a wellknown Parisian prestidigitateur, Professor Dickson, who explains the method of performing tricks which often baffle the most observant spectator. From the explanations given by the conjurer, anyone may perform the most complex and bewildering mysteries Take, for instance, the trick of the

VANISHING BIRD CAG.E, which has puzzled many audiences in this country. You show your audience a small cage, with, a bird inside, and you solemnly announce that it will mysteriously vanish Indeed, at the Avoids “ One, two, three 1” the cage and bird disappear so rapidly, that the best trained eye is unable to detect their flight. The explanation of this trick is .very simple. The cage used must be Sin. long, 4in. wide, and 6in. high, and anyone Avith a little patience and a pair of small, round pincers, can construct it. The bars are made of light, copper wire, Avhich may be purchased on a reel. Each length of wire cut should be a quarter of *n inch longer than the size required, so as to alloAV for connecting loops to be made. There should be 34 pieces of wire ; 4 for the corners, 10 for the front, and fiA r e for each end. The frame for the top and bottom is made out of tAvo wires, cut 81 inches long, to allow for connecting loops. When the skeleton of the cag’e is completed, coA'er the looped ends outside Avith a ribbon of red silk, and inside Avith a ribbon of green. These should be seAvn loose, so as to alloAV free play of the parts. When this is done, the cage appears to be made of bars of wire, solidly fixed in a Avooden frame. The cage is uoav ready for use. Tie a string to the wrist of your left arm, and bring it up along the inside of the sleeve and coat, and down again along the inside of the right sleeAm. Having obtained the suitable length, bring your eIboAVS along the sides of the body, and extend the string to the opening of the right hand sleeve. To the latter end, by a loop, attach the cage. If you extend 3- our arms rapidly forward, it stands to reason that the cord becomes too short, and Avill jerk the collapsible cage inside your right arm sleeve. Although the presence of a live canary gives realism to the trick, yet the feat is just as satisfactory if performed with a dummy bird. THK JIVSTERIOI'S I.ADY. Few marvels of the conjuring stage seem more marvellous than the Bodiless Lady trick. Yet Avhen Professor Dicksonn explains hoAV it is performed, Lav feats seem easier. When this phenomenon is exhibited, the stage is draped in black, Avrtlr a striped ceiling, lamps being placed at the side which thiOAVS a.bright light upon the audience, and very little upon the bodiless lady. In the middle of the stage is suspended a trapeze. Upon this rests the bust of a woman. The bead speaks, the aims move, and lift the body from the trapeze, so that the bust is apparently suspended in the air. The surroundings conspire to deceiAm the spectator, and he leaA’es the hall thoroughly mystified. How is the trick done, you ask ? Here is the ans Aver. The bust you 'see on the trapeze, is an artificial one, open at the back, and the trapeze, instead of being formed of a couple of ropes, to Avhiclr a bar is attached, is a long hoard suspended from the hies of the stage by four ropes, tAvo of which are only seen by the spectators. On this hoard the performer reclines at full length, inserting her head in the bust resting at the end of the trapeze ” facing the audience. Her work is then very easy. She can talk, move and swing about, and act as though she Avere really Avith out Body and legs. —The Million.