THE DICE OF REVELATION.

A box is shown to the audience on which stands a small hollow column, with an open top. A dice-box and two dice, all of which can be examined, are given to someone of the company, who throws the dice upon the pedestal, leaving them covered. They are then taken up, without being looked at, and thrown down within the column. A sealed envelope is then produced and given to one of the audience to be opened, and meanwhile you remove a cover from a part of the pedestal, and show, under a glass, the two dice, the numbers on which agree with those written in the envelope. The experiment can be repeated with no less certainty of success.

Explanation.—You write on paper two sets of numbers on the face of two dice, and enclose these papers one in each of two envelopes, which yon seal. Ton require, besides the two dice thrown by the company, four more.

The box is thus constructed—beginning with its base, which is a square of six inches, three quarters thick. It has an edge round it, B E E E; the left hand portion of the interior forms a channel, in which glides, from end to end, a board divided into two equal spaces, by three slabs, thus; a a, the spaces formed on the

board by the partitions b b b. These divisions agree in width with an opening in the cover, which entirely covers the board; which opening has a glass-lid, lifting up. At one end of this board is fastened a spiral spring, again attached, at L, to the side of the large board, and sufficiently powerful to draw this slide up to the side. At the other end is attached a cord, N, which passes through a ring, K, and thence through the thin partition, T T, to the pulley blocks, T L and to M. M is a drum, to which the end of the cord is attached; it has a catch, P. When the catch ceases to lock the wheel by its toothed edge, the drum spins round, unwinding the cord and consequently letting the slide run along the channel by the pull of the spring. The catch is released by the turning of one of four brass knobs, which apparently are only used to hold the cover on the box. It is, therefore, easyto present the space, O, in the very place which F previously occupied.

Over all is a board secured by the brass screw-knobs first spoken of. This board is pierced about the centre of the left half with an opening exactly the size of one of the divisions of the slide, and a lid of glass fits into it, which can be lifted out. A screen of coloured silk, or a slide or lid of wood, protects it and prevents looking through the glass.

On the cover, about the centre of the right hand half, is a hollow column, in which is an inclined board, seemingly, to anyone looking down the tube, designed

to direct the dice thrown in to fall upon the slide, F G. But at the bottom of the column is a revolving trap, X. This trap is shaped something like a shoe, being scooped out, so that the dice, coming down the inclined plane or trough, are caught in it. The inclined plane is formed of two boards, forming a trough, so that the dice must run down the hollow of it at the centre.

Action.—Two dice are put in each of the compartments F and G, the numbers of which are written on the papers in the envelopes. The slide is then drawn back to the full extent and kept there by the catch on the drum, M. The cover is over the glass-opening in the lid. One of the company throws the dice, leaving the dice-box over them, and then the dice are thrown down the column. They run down the inclined plane, and are caught in the shoe-trap. There they remain until the performer spins the trap on its pivot, when they may be spilt out behind the inclined plane, to be taken out afterwards in private. Then, while the envelope is being opened, yon remove the cover over the glass, and show the first pair of dice. Offer a little resistance to the repetition of the trick, but finally consent. Open the glass lid and take out the dice, which are examined and put in the dice-box. While the throw is being made yon may write down what it must be, and enclose the paper in another envelope. You secretly make the shoe-trap spill out the dice, so as to be empty to catch the second set, and also release the drum, M, a second time, so that the division G will be drawn up to the place previously taken by F. On its surface are the second pair of dice, arranged as you have written in the other envelope.

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