,transcriber's ,note3 ,text enclosed by underscores is in italics 7italics7 and text enclosed by equal signs is in bold 7bold74 ,additional ,transcriber's ,notes are at the end4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,multum ,,in ,,parvo ,,library4 ,entered at the ,boston ,post ,office as second class matter4 ,vol4 #b4 ,,april1 #ahie4 ,published ,monthly4 ,no4 #af4 ,book ,,of ,parlor ,tricks4 ,how to ,perform ,them4 ,smallest ,magazine in the world4 ,subscription price #ej cts4 per year4 ,single ,copies #e cts4 each4 ,,published ,,by ,a4 ,b4 ,,courtney1 ,room #gd1 - - #de ,milk ,street1 ,,boston1 ,,mass4 ,the ,diviner4 ,the point of this trick consists in divining a word which is named1 together with several others4 ,two of the players commonly agree between themselves to place it after an object that has four legs2 for instance1 a quadruped1 a table1 etc41 etc4 ,example4--,if ,emily wishes to have ,henry guess the word which ,susan has secretly told her1 she says to him1 8,susan has been shopping2 she has bought a rose1 a dress1 some jewelry1 a table1 a bonnet1 a shawl----0 ,henry1 of course1 will easily guess that the object in question is a bonnet1 for the word 8table10 which precedes it1 has four legs4 ,to ,walk ,upon a ,hot ,iron ,bar4 ,take half an ounce of camphor1 dissolve it in two ounces of aqua vit1 add to it one of quicksilver1 one ounce of liquid storax1 which is the droppings of myrrh1 and prevents the camphor from firing2 take also two ounces of hematis1 which is a red stone1 to be had at the druggists'2 and when you buy it1 let them beat it into a powder in their great mortar1 for1 being very hard1 it cannot well be reduced in a small one2 add this to the ingredients already specified1 and when you purpose to walk upon the bar1 anoint your feet well with it1 and you may do so without the slightest danger4 ,the ,restored ,ribbon4 ,have two pieces of colored ribbon of exactly the same size and appearance1 one of which1 being damped1 may be secured in the palm of the hand1 previous to exhibiting4 ,the other may be cut in pieces and burned in a plate by the audience4 ,taking now the ashes1 you call for a basin of water1 with which you moisten them1 stating by the magical influence of the 8cold water cure10 the color and form of the burned ribbon will be restored4 ,rubbing the damp ashes in the hand1 you draw forth1 at the same time1 the concealed ribbon1 which will appear to be the same that had been consumed4 ,interesting ,problems4 ,by steeping an egg in vinegar for some time it can be made pliable enough to be stuffed into a bottle4 ,then restore the egg to its natural shape by pouring water into the bottle4 ,how to ,drop a ,tumbler on the ,floor ,without ,breaking ,it4 ,this requires a steady hand and smooth table4 ,you simply set a tumbler upon a table near the edge and gently push the tumbler with your forefinger until it is very nicely balanced upon the edge of the table4 ,now by giving the tumbler a very gentle push again it will fall to the floor1 striking upon its bottom edge1 and remain standing either upon its bottom or lying upon its side perfectly sound4 ,be careful and have no covering upon the table1 as the less friction you can get the surer you are to perform your trick4 ,magic ,money4 ,this conjuring trick is performed thus3 ,procure two quarters and a half-dollar2 conceal one of the quarters in the right hand2 lay the other quarter and the half-dollar on a table1 in full view of the audience2 now ask for two handkerchiefs2 then take the half-dollar up1 and pretend to roll it in one of the handkerchiefs2 but1 in lieu thereof1 roll up the quarter1 which you had concealed1 and retain the half-dollar2 give the handkerchief to one of the company to hold2 now take the quarter off the table1 and pretend to roll that up in the second handkerchief2 but put up the half-dollar instead2 give this handkerchief to another person1 and beg him to 8hold it tight10 while you utter1 8,presto6 fly60 ,on opening the handkerchiefs the money will appear to have changed places4 ,this is one of the best tricks in this book4 ,sorcery4 ,this is a somewhat singular trick4 ,one of the party is placed behind a screen in an adjoining room1 where he cannot possibly see the players--or may be blindfolded4 ,one of the party must then call out1 8,do you know ,miss ----80 naming a lady's name4 8,yes40 8,do you know her dress80 8,yes40 8,her wreath1 her slippers1 her gloves and her bracelets80 8,yes40 8,her handkerchief80 8,yes40 8,her fan80 8,yes40 8,well1 then1 since you know her dress so well1 tell me what article of her costume ,i am now touching80 ,if the one behind the screen is acquainted with the trick1 he will1 of course1 answer directly1 8her bracelet10 the only article mentioned which has the word 8and0 before it4 ,odd or ,even4 ,to tell in which hand of a person1 having an odd number in one hand and an even number in the other1 the odd or even number is4 ,desire the person to multiply the number in his right hand by a figure which is an odd number1 and the number in his left by an even one2 and to say if the products added together are odd or even4 ,if even1 the even number is in the right hand2 if odd1 the even number is in the left hand4 ,to ,discover ,card by ,weight4 ,desire any person in company to draw a card from the pack1 and when he has looked at it1 to return it to you with its face downward2 then1 pretending to weigh it nicely1 take notice of any particular mark on the back of the card1 which1 having done1 put it among the rest of the cards1 and desire the person to shuffle them as much as he pleases2 then1 receiving the pack from his hands1 you pretend to weigh each card as before1 and proceed in this way until you discover1 from the back of it1 the particular card he selected4 ,how ,money is ,saved4 ,why pay a dollar1 or even twenty-five cents each for books when we offer to send you the following set of twelve volumes on receipt of only ten cents4 ,read the list4 ,book of ,short ,stories4 ,a collection of interesting sketches4 ,mormonism ,exposed1 by a ,mormon ,slave ,wife4 ,telling about the secret rites of the ,danites1 doings of ,polygamists with their numerous wives1 etc41 etc4 ,this book is of thrilling interest4 ,prize ,cook ,book4 ,a collection of valuable household recipes from the best cooks in ,america4 ,if you don't need this book yourself1 some lady will appreciate it4 ,dr4 ,parkhurst's ,exposures4 ,this book tells about the celebrated exposure of dens of iniquity in ,n4 ,y4 ,low life in the ,metropolis is laid bare4 ,art of ,love ,making1 and ,guide to ,etiquette4 ,this little volume is indeed interesting4 ,book of ,brief ,narratives4 ,never before published4 ,very interesting4 ,guide to ,fortune ,telling and ,dream ,book1 compiled from the secrets of ,madame ,le ,normand4 ,book of ,detective ,stories4 ,thrilling adventures of detectives in ferreting out crime4 ,secrets of the ,harem4 ,a description of the beautiful wives and slaves of the ,sultan1 by one who has been there4 ,how to ,get ,rich4 ,secrets for coining wealth1 many of which have never been published before4 ,marriage ,manual4 ,if you are married1 or expect to be1 you should get this important book and keep it securely under lock and key4 ,how to ,become a ,lightning ,calculator4 ,by a glance at this book you can learn to add1 subtract1 multiply and divide instantaneously4 ,to get the complete set1 send ten cents1 silver or stamps1 to ,keystone ,book ,co41 ,p4 ,o4 ,box #afcd1 ,philadelphia1 ,pa41 or to the firm from whom you purchased this book4 ,you will receive the books promptly and will be well pleased with them4 ,eatable ,candle-,ends4 ,take a large apple and cut out a few pieces in the shape of candle-ends1 round at the bottom and flat at the top1 in fact1 as much like a piece of candle as possible4 ,now cut some slips from a sweet almond1 as near as you can to resemble a wick1 and stick them into the imitation candles4 ,light them for an instant to make the tops black1 blow them out1 and they are ready for the trick4 ,one or two should be artfully placed in a snuffer-tray1 or candlestick2 you then inform your friends that during your 8travels in the ,russian ,empire10 you learned1 like the ,russians1 to be fond of candles2 at the same time lighting your artificial candles 7the almonds will readily take fire and flame for a few seconds71 pop them into your mouth1 and swallow them one after the other4 ,the ,wonderful ,hat4 ,upon a table place three pieces of bread1 or any other eatable1 at a little distance from each other1 and cover each with a hat1 take up the first hat1 and removing the bread put it into your mouth1 letting the company see that you swallow it1 then raise the second hat1 and eat the bread which was under that1 then proceed to the third hat in the same manner4 ,having eaten the three pieces1 ask any person in the company to choose which hat he would like the three pieces of bread to be under1 and when he has made his choice of one of the hats1 put it on your head1 and ask him if he does not think they are under it4 ,by the way1 if you are interested in tricks1 let us call your attention to ,prof4 ,roltair's celebrated cabinet of magic4 ,it contains twenty-five new and startling tricks with complete apparatus1 so that you can easily give a two hour's entertainment4 ,among the numerous tricks are3 ,the load of articles from a borrowed hat1 such as cannon balls1 cabbages1 boxes1 etc42 the famous ink and water trick1 with apparatus1 so that you can instantly change a glass of ink to clear water1 new and surprising card tricks including a pack of wizard's cards1 the famous dancing skeleton1 true secret of ventriloquism1 by means of which you can learn to throw the voice into hay-lofts1 closets1 trunks1 etc41 magic wand1 and many other wonderful sleight of hand marvels are all contained in ,prof4 ,roltair's cabinet4 ,the regular price is two dollars1 but you can now obtain it1 complete1 postpaid1 by sending fifty cents in stamps or money order to ,w4 ,s4 ,everett ,co41 #aac ,munroe ,street1 ,lynn1 ,mass41 or the firm from whom you purchased this book4 ,the ,invisible ,coin4 8,is silver a visible or invisible thing80 ,what a singular question6 ,you will reply1 certainly silver is a visible thing4 ,a good many poor creatures1 however1 are of a different opinion2 and possibly they are not altogether wrong1 as we are about to show4 ,will you kindly lend me a quarter1 having first marked it1 that you may know it again4 ,very well6 ,there is a little handkerchief which will serve for me to make the experiment ,i have promised you4 ,in the middle of this handkerchief1 as you will perceive1 ,i will put the quarter1 which you have marked with a small cross4 ,i am only folding the handkerchief that the quarter may be well wrapped up in it2 you can have no difficulty in recognizing its shape4 ,however6 ,you are suspicious6 ,i will make an improvement4 ,there1 sir1 hold the handkerchief yourself1 first above the little parcel formed by the coin4 ,you may touch it1 and convince yourself that it is still in its place4 ,now1 ,i take the handkerchief by the opposite corner1 ,i draw it toward me1 unfolding it entirely2 ,i then turn it over1 shake it1 and wave it in the air1 to convince you that the coin has disappeared4 ,the fact is evident4 ,but1 did you see it go8 ,no6 ,certainly1 then1 silver is sometimes an invisible body4 ,which fact you may prove by the foregoing process1 if you have a handkerchief in one corner of which a quarter dollar has been sewed4 ,you appear to put the borrowed quarter in the middle of the said handkerchief2 then1 instead of this coin1 which you retain in your hand1 concealed between the fore and middle fingers1 you fold the handkerchief making the little parcel in the middle with the quarter sewed in the corner1 in a sort of hem1 so that the coin is not seen1 and cannot drop out4 ,when you quickly pull the handkerchief out of the hand which held it1 the illusion is complete4 ,as to the marked coin which it is easy for you to have put on the table1 or in your pocket1 you may make it reappear in a cup1 a box1 or anything else1 which adds to the effect of the trick you have performed4 ,the ,wizard ,skeleton4 ,this is an animated figure1 fourteen inches high4 ,it represents a skeleton1 miniature but lifelike in appearance4 ,you may pass it around for examination1 then stand it upon the floor and it will begin to dance without any visible motive power4 ,just think of it6 ,people will imagine that ghosts or demons are near4 ,this trick can be done in any room very easily4 ,the skeleton will dance to music1 jump1 lie down1 etc41 just as you command4 ,we will send the apparatus and secret of ,wizard ,skeleton for #f cents in stamps4 ,address1 ,a4 ,b4 ,courtney ,co41 #dic ,washington street1 ,lynn1 ,mass41 or the firm from whom you purchased this book4 ,magic ,writing4 ,present a person with a slip of paper1 a pen and a tumbler of water1 and desire him to dip the pen in the tumbler1 and write down whatever he pleases4 ,when dry1 the words will be invisible1 but1 if the paper is immersed in the contents of the tumbler1 the writing will make its appearance quite distinctly4 ,to perform this the pen should be a quill one1 and new1 and the water in the tumbler should have one or two crystals of sulphate of iron 7green vitriol7 previously dissolved in it1 while the writer should be careful the pen does not get dry in use4 ,when the writing has been executed1 the tumbler should be taken away1 on pretence of the water being rather dirty1 and wanting changing2 another similar tumbler is brought back1 filled to the same height with water1 in which a few drops of tincture of galls have been poured4 ,when the paper is immersed in this1 the writing will quickly appear4 ,the ,columbus ,egg ,trick4 ,to make an egg stand on one end on any polished surface seems very extraordinary1 yet it can be done1 even on a looking-glass4 ,now1 from the form of an egg1 nothing is more liable to roll1 and on nothing more so than on a looking-glass4 ,to accomplish this trick1 let the performer take an egg in his hand1 and while he keeps talking and staring in the face of his audience give it two or three hearty shakes2 this will break the yolk1 which will sink to one end1 and consequently make it more heavy1 by which when it is settled you may make it1 with a steady hand1 stand upon the glass2 this would be impossible while it continued in its proper state4 ,the ,ring and the ,handkerchief4 ,previously provide yourself with a piece of brass wire pointed at both ends1 and bent round so as to form a ring about the size of a wedding-ring1 which conceal in your hand2 then commence your performance by borrowing from a gentleman a silk pocket-handkerchief1 and from a lady a wedding-ring2 request some person to hold two of the corners of the handkerchief1 and another to hold the other two1 keeping them at full stretch4 ,you next exhibit the wedding-ring to the company1 and announce to them that you will make it pass through the handkerchief4 ,then place your hand under the handkerchief1 and substituting the false ring which you have previously concealed1 press it against the centre of the handkerchief1 and desire a third person to take hold of the ring through the handkerchief1 and to close his finger and thumb through the middle of the ring4 ,hold the handkerchief in this manner to show that the ring has not been placed within a fold4 ,now desire the persons holding the corners of the handkerchief to let go1 the person holding the ring 7through the handkerchief as already described7 still retaining his hold4 ,let another person now grasp the handkerchief as tight as he pleases three or four inches below the ring1 and tell the person holding the ring to let it go1 when it will be quite evident to the company that the ring is secure within the centre of the handkerchief4 ,then request the person who grasps the handkerchief to hold a hat over it1 pass your hand underneath and open the false ring1 by bending one of its points a little aside1 and bring one point gently through the handkerchief1 the remainder may easily be drawn out1--be careful to rub the hole you have made in the handkerchief with your finger and thumb to conceal the fracture4 ,you then put the wedding-ring you borrowed over the outside of the handkerchief1 and desiring the person who holds the hat to take it away1 exhibit the ring 7placed as described7 to the company1 and while their attention is engaged1 taking the opportunity of concealing1 or getting rid of the brass ring4 ,the ,smashed ,watch4 ,you request some one of the company to lend you a watch1 and put it immediately into a mortar2 a few moments afterward you cause it to be pounded1 by another person1 with a pestle2 you exhibit the wheels1 face1 mainspring1 and drum barrel broken and smashed2 and finally1 after a few minutes1 you return the watch1 whole and safe1 to the proprietor1 who recognizes it4 ,after all that we have said1 it will easily be perceived that the mortar must be placed near the trap in the table of which we spoke in the last trick1 and covered with a napkin1 in order that the confederate may substitute another watch4 ,to produce a complete illusion in this case1 you must take care to put in the mortar a second watch1 the hands1 works1 and case of which should1 in some degree1 resemble those of the borrowed one4 ,and this is by no means difficult2 for you can either have an understanding with the person lending the watch1 or you may manage to ask the loan of some one whom you have seen elsewhere1 and whose watch you may have had an opportunity of examining shortly before1 with a view of procuring a similar one4 ,after replacing the fragments in the mortar1 cover them a second time with the napkin1 and amuse the company with a riddle or conundrum1 or by some other tricks1 to give your partner time to collect all the bits1 and replace the perfect watch in the mortar4 ,the ,magic ,stick4 ,the principal actor in this trick takes his place in the center of the room armed with a long stick1 with which he describes several circles1 etc41 on the carpet1 at the same time muttering a mock incantation1 after which he touches one of the company 7his accomplice7 on the shoulder1 bidding him quit the room1 preparatory to guessing on whom the magic stick would pause in its evolutions4 ,the magician then touches several of the company1 one after another1 lightly1 with his wand1 each time saying1 8,the wand passes10 until he allows it to pause at one particular person1 saying1 8,the wand rests40 ,his accomplice immediately names the person who has spoken last2 this being the one indicated by the stick4 ,the person leaving the room must1 of course1 be within hearing1 and the magician must artfully encourage the company to keep up a conversation4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in the original publication1 except that obvious typographical errors have been corrected4 ,punctuation has been made consistent4