THE CONJURER'S CANDLES.
A borrowed handkerchief having undergone mysteriously the phases of
being torn in shreds, and then the tatters being tied all into one
strip, it is finally used as the wadding for the conjurer's pistol.
This is fired off. A couple of candles are on the table, and in
whichever one of them the audience chooses, the handkerchief is found
entire and unharmed, upon the breaking in two of the ozokerit.
Explanation.—One of the candles is real the other is
prepared as follows:—The prepared candle is made of two metal
tubes, painted white, within which the handkerchief is placed by your
assistant. The upper end holds a portion of real candle, which burns at
the same time as the other, so as to effectually puzzle the company.
There is never any difficulty about choosing your own object when
there are but two or three of a mixed assembly for the selection. If
the majority should noisily insist upon your taking the real candle,
boldly break it in two, and let it be carried down on a salveramong
them, to prove that both are genuine—which is Irish, and
conjurer's logic.
Additional trick.—The other candle may be of similar
construction. After having made the previous discovery, say : "Strange
candles these! I wonder if they all run alike?" and on opening the
second, discover some other previously borrowed article, or anything to
cap the climax.
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