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S 1 X T E E N ^r H E D I T I N . 
 
 HINSDALE, N. H. : 
 
 HUNTER & CO., PUBLISHERS. 
 
 1870. 
 
BOOKS OF mW PJJL KINDS. 
 HOW AND WHERE TO GET THEM. 
 
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 H:i3srsx>.A.x.B, isr. h.. 
 
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 -^ 
 
, PRESTIDIGITATION. 
 
 Magic Made Sasy> 
 
 BBINa ▲ 
 
 Complete Handbook of Legerdemain, 
 
 And containing all the latest 
 
 Optical, Chemical, Mechanical xkd Magical Tricks aito 
 Dbobptions, Amusing Transmutations, Astonish- 
 ing Sleights and Subtleties, 
 
 Together with all the Noted Tricks of Modern 
 
 Magt^^i^ns and Prestidigitateurs. 
 
 BY AN OLD CONJUROR. 
 
 ^ 5^ y^^ Master I I am to disconrse wonders."— 
 
 Ir yVL, --Midntmmer IftghVs Drtanu 
 
.^\^^ 
 
 .^^ 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year^8d5, 
 
 BY HUNTER & CO., 
 
 In the Clerk's Oflice of the District Court of New Hampshire. 
 
PUBLISHER'S PREFACE. 
 
 The Publishers of this little volume do not conceive 
 that it will require an elaborate introduction to the reading 
 public. That there has been '^jugglery " in all ages of the 
 world, history abundantly proves. The ancient religions of 
 the heathen were mixed up with an extensive system of 
 legerdemain^ and were mostly a tissue of trickery. Sleight of 
 hand, magic, necromancy, &c., are all terms applicable to 
 the same performances. 
 
 The following pages are not intended to make the reader 
 either a cheat or trickster. In the long winter's evening, at 
 Merry Christmas time, or on a wet day in the country, the 
 young folks are often at a loss how to amuse themselves. 
 To furnish the ingenious with the means to enable them to 
 provide entertainment, to qualify the hero of his little circle 
 to divert and astonish his friends, and to inform, without 
 being dryly scientific, are the priucipal objects of this work. 
 To those who mingle in society, and yet can neither tell a 
 good story or sing, this little book will be invaluable. Those 
 who have been mystified by professional magicians will here 
 find the mysteries explained, and that, too, without any 
 help from the ** old gentleman " of whom it is not polite to 
 speak. With the hope that our little book may be foun<i 
 acceptable, we present it to the public. • 
 
TO THE YOUNG CONJUROR. 
 
 In the performance of feats of legerdemain, the chief 
 requisites are self possession and dexterity. The latter can 
 be acquired only by much practice. The following hints 
 will be of value to the amateur prestidigitateur : 
 
 Mrst. — Never acquaint the audience with the particulars 
 of the feat you are about to perform, for it may enable them 
 to discover your mode of operation.** 
 
 Second, — Acquire, if possible, several methods of perfor- 
 ming the same feat, in order that should you be likely to fail 
 in one, you may be prepared with another. 
 
 Third. — Never yield to a request to repeat a feat, for you 
 thereby hazard the detection of your mode of operation. 
 Promise to repeat it and then exhibit another that somewhat 
 resembles it. 
 
 Fourth. — Never undertake to perform a feat until you 
 have practiced it often enough to acquire the necessary ex- 
 pertness. 
 
 Fifth. — Diverting the attention of the company from too 
 closely inspecting your manoeuvres is a most important ob- 
 ject, and you should manage to talk to them during the 
 whole course of your proceedings. State that everything 
 you exhibit can be accounted for on njtional principles, and 
 is only in obedience to the unemng laws of nature. Prac_ 
 tice each feat until you can perform it adroitly and expertly 
 *' Practice makes perfect," and no one need ever be called 
 **no conjuror " who reads and sufficiently studies the withia 
 pages. 
 
PRSSSTIDIGITATIOnr^ 
 
 OR, 
 
 MAGIO MADE EASY. 
 
 HOW TO CUT A MAN'S HEAD OFF, AND PUT IT 
 m A PLATTER A YARD FROM HIS BODY. 
 
 This is a curious performance if it be handled by 
 % skillful hand. To show this feat of execution you 
 must cause a board, a cloth, and a platter to be pur- 
 posely made, and in each of them to be made holes 
 fit for a person's neck ; the board must be made of 
 two planks, the longer and broader the better ; there 
 must be left within half a yard of the end of each 
 plank half a hole, so as, both the planks being thrust 
 together, there may remain two holes, like holes in 
 a pair of stocks ; there must be made likewise a hole 
 in the cloth ; a platter also must be set directly over 
 or upon one of them, having a hole in the middle 
 thereof, of the like quantity, and also a piece cut off 
 the same, as big as his neck, through which his head 
 may be conveyed into the middle of the platter, and 
 then, sitting or kneeling under the board, let the 
 head only remain upon the board, in the frame. 
 Then to make the sight more striking, put a little 
 brimstone into a chafing dish of coals, setting it be- 
 fore the head of the boy, who must gaap two or three 
 
6 PRESTIDIGITATION, 
 
 times, so as the smoke may enter his nostrils and 
 mouth, which is not unwholesome, and the head 
 presently will appear stark dead, if the boy act his 
 countenance accordingly ; and if a little blood be 
 sprinkled on his face the sight will be stranger. 
 This is commonly practiced witl^. a boy instructed 
 for that purpose, who, being familiar and conversant 
 with the company, may be known as well by his 
 face as his apparel. In the other end of the table, 
 where the like hole is made, another boy of the big- 
 ness of the known boy must be placed, having on 
 his usual apparel ; he must lean or lie upon the 
 board, and must put his head under it through the 
 side hole, so as the body shall seem to lie on the 
 end of the board, and his head lie in a platter on the 
 other end. There are other things which might be 
 performed in this action, the more to astonish the 
 beholders, which, because they require long descrip- 
 tions, are here omitted ; as to put about his neck a 
 little dough kneaded with bullock's blood, which 
 being cold, will appear like dead flesh, and being 
 pricked with a sharp round hollow quill, will bleed 
 and seem very strange ; and many rules are to be 
 observed herein, as to have the tablecloth so long 
 and so wide that it may almost reach the ground. 
 
 TO TAKE FEATHERS OUT OF AN EMPTY HAND- 
 KERCHIEF. 
 
 Procure at the military clothier's four or five 
 large plumes, such as are worn by officers. Take 
 off your coat, and lay the plumes along your arms, 
 the stem being towards your hand. Now put on 
 your coat again, and the feathers will lie quite 
 smoothly and unsuspected. Borrow a handkerchief 
 
OR, MAGIO MAJNS KAST. 7 
 
 from one of the spectators, and ware it about to 
 show that it is empty. Throw it over your left 
 hand, and with the right draw out one of the plumes 
 from the coat-sleeve, at the same time giving it a 
 flourish in the air, which will loosen all the fibers of 
 the feather, and make it appear much too large to 
 have been concealed about the person. Wave the 
 handkerchief again, and repeat the operation until 
 all the plumes are gone. You can carry enough 
 plumes under the sleeve to cover a table with, and 
 if you prepare a board or an ornamental vase full of 
 holes, you can place the plume3 upright as you take 
 them out. 
 
 HOW TO CUT OFF YOUR NOSE. 
 This feat, though it has a very horrifying appear- 
 ance, need cause no alarm, as it is one of the simp- 
 lest tricks which can be attempted. The performer 
 ought to be a short distance from the company 
 when it is to be performed, and must be provided 
 with two clasp-knives, one of which must have a 
 small semi-circle cut out of it — the other being a 
 common knife — of course you show the latter to 
 the company as the only instrument in your posses- 
 sion ; you must also provide yourself with a small 
 piece of sponge soaked in wine, and having caused 
 an individual to sit down, you immediately proceed 
 to work, by slipping the true knife into your pocket, 
 and producing the other in its place ; then put your 
 left hand with the sponge in it upon the person's 
 brow, and pass the knife gently over his nose, so 
 that the semi-ckcle which is in the knife will cause 
 it to descend, and to all appearance cut into his 
 nose, while you squeeze the sponge gently, so that 
 it may appear to bleed. 
 
8 PRESTIDIGITATION, 
 
 HOUDIN'S NUT TRICK. 
 
 AS PERFORMBD BY BOBSRT HOUDIW. 
 
 Make a calico bag large enough to hold the nuts 
 and sweetmeats you intend to distribute, exactly to 
 the pattern of a night-cap, or the letter A ; a small 
 selvage is turned up at the bottom of the bag ; pro- 
 cure two pieces of watch spring, and bend them 
 quite flat, each spring to be exactly half the diame- 
 ter of the bag. These are put into the selvage, and 
 sewn up firm. When the bag is opened, it will 
 close itself in consequence of the springs. A long 
 pin is passed through the top of the bag, and bent 
 round hook shape. If the bag be now filled with 
 nuts, &c., it may be suspended by the hook, with- 
 out any danger of the nuts or anything else falling 
 out; because, although the mouth of the bag is 
 downwards, the springs keep it shut. When this 
 trick is to be shown, the prepared bag is hung on 
 the side of the table that is away from the audience. 
 The plate is also placed on that side, and when the 
 handkerchief is laid over the plate, a portion is left 
 to fall over the side of the table. Now the kerchief 
 is picked up with the right hand, in the center, (just 
 as a lady does when she wishes to exhibit the lace 
 edge) and with it the bag of nuts ; the folds of the 
 cambric hide the bag. The left hand is now used 
 to draw over the handkerchief, and to press the 
 bag ; this causes the springs to open, and out fall 
 the " good things " upon the plate. This causes 
 sufficient diversion for the merest tyro of a conjuror 
 to drop the bag behind the table, unseen, while he 
 advances to the audience, politely inquiring, " Will 
 you take a few nuts or sweetmeats f 
 
OR, MAGIC VADB SJLST. 9 
 
 TO MAKE A ROOM APPEAR ON FIRE. 
 
 Take sal-ammonkc, half an ounce ; camphor, one 
 ounce ; aquavitse, two ounces ; put them into a 
 round earthen pot, narrow upon the top ; then set 
 fire to it, and the room will appear to, be all in 
 flames and the spectators will actually appear to be 
 enveloped in them, to their great terror ; but there 
 is no danger to be apprehended, as it is just the re- 
 flection of the combustibles, but it would be advisa- 
 ble to withdraw any children from the room during 
 the performance of the trick, as it might frighten 
 them. 
 
 TO WALK UPON A HOT IRON BAR. 
 
 Take half an ounce of camphor, dissolve it in two 
 ounces of aquavits6, add to it one of quicksilver, one 
 ounce of liquid storax, which is the droppings of 
 myrrh, and prevents the camphor from firing ; take 
 also two ounces of hematis, which is red stone, to 
 be had at the druggists ; and when you buy it let 
 them beat it to a powder in their great mortar, for, 
 being hard, it cannot well be reduced in a small 
 one ; add this to the ingredients already specified, 
 and when you purpose to walk upon the bar, annoint 
 your feet well with it, and you may then put the 
 trick into execution without the slightest danger. 
 
 THE ENCHANTED COCK. 
 
 Bring a cock into a room with both your hands 
 close to its wings, and hold them tight ; put him 
 on a table, and point his beak down as straight as 
 possible ; then let any one di*aw a line with a piece 
 of chalk directly from its beak, and all the noise you 
 can possibly make will not disturb him for some 
 
10 PKBSTIDIGITATIOK, 
 
 time, from the seeming lethargy • which that poai- 
 tion you had lain him in has effected. 
 
 THE MINIATUKE RIVER ON FIRE. 
 
 Let fall a few drops of phosphorized ether on a 
 lump of Igaf sugar, place the sugar in a bowl of 
 warm water, and a beautiful appearance will be in- 
 stantly exhibited ; the effect will be increased if the 
 sm-face of the water, by blowing gently with the 
 breath, be made to undulate. 
 
 TO MAKE SPORT WITH AN EGG. 
 
 Provide a pennyworth of quicksilver in a quill 
 sealed at both ends with good hard wax ; cause an 
 egg to be roasted or boiled, and take off a small bit 
 of the shell of the narrow end ; then thrust in your 
 quill of quicksilver, and lay the egg on the ground ; 
 you shaH have sport enough, for it will never leave 
 tumbling about as long as there is any heat in it. 
 So, likewise, if you put quicksilver into a sheep's 
 bladder and blow it up, and then go to the fire and 
 warm the bladder, and fling it on the ground, it will 
 jump and skip about for a long time. 
 
 TO BOIL A LIQUID WITHOUT FIRE. 
 
 Put into a thin phial two parts oil of vitriol, and 
 add to it one part of water ; by agitating them to- 
 gether, the mixture instantly becomes hot, and ac- 
 quires a temperature above that of boiling water. 
 
 THE ENCHANTED COINS. 
 
 Put 15 pieces of money into a hat, take out 5 
 and mysteriously pass them back into the hat, and 
 it ooveredL To do this trick you must have in your 
 
OR, MAGIC MADK BA5r. 11 
 
 left hand a plate, and under the plate and in your 
 left hand have previously placed 5 pieces of coin 
 such as you will have placed in the hat ; after you 
 have counted the 15 pieces into the hat, you then 
 ask the person whom you have selected from the 
 audience to assist you in performing the tricks, to 
 count the money out of the hat into the plate, to 
 see that there is no mistake, after which you turn 
 the money out of the plate into the hat, and at the 
 same time letting fall the 5 pieces you have secret- 
 ed in your hand under the plate ; you then ask him 
 to draw out five pieces which will still leave 15 ; 
 you take the five that are drawn out and place 
 them in a drawer (see umbrella factory) then you 
 go through the magic words. Presto^ Pascillo^ Pass, 
 you then open the drawer, (after placing your fin- 
 ger on the spring to hold the inside di'awer in 
 which the five pieces were placed,) and show the 
 audience that the five pieces are gone ; you then 
 tell him to get the hat and see how many pieces 
 are in it ; he gets the hat, and to the surprise of 
 all, he counts the original number, 15. 
 
 TO MAKE A LOAF DANCE WHILE IT IS BAKING 
 IN THE OVEN. 
 
 Put in the dough a nutshell filled with live sul- 
 phur, saltpetre, and quicksilver, and stopped close ; 
 as soon as the heat comes to it, the bread will dance 
 in the oven, which is occasioned by the nature of 
 the quicksilver, for it can bear no heat without be- 
 ing in a continual motion. Thus, by the means of 
 quickuilver put into a pot where peas are to be 
 boiled, all the peas will leap out of the pot as soon 
 as the water begins to heat. In like manner, quick 
 
1£ FRESTEDIOrrATION, 
 
 silver put into bread will make it dance up and^ 
 down the table. 
 
 THE INVISIBLE CHICKEN. 
 
 Pi'ovide two or three yards of calico, or printed 
 linen, and make a double bag. On the mouth of 
 the bag, on that side next to you. make four or five 
 little purses, putting two or three eggs in each 
 purse, and do so till you have filled that side next 
 to you, and have a hole in one end of it, that no 
 more than two or three eggs may come out at 
 once, having another bag exactly like the former, 
 that the one may not be known from the other ; 
 and then put a living hen into that bag, and hang 
 it on a hook near where you stand. Tlie manner 
 of performing it is this : — Take the egg-bag and 
 put both your hands in it, and turn it inside out 
 and say, '* Gentlemen, you see there is nothing in 
 my bag;" and in turning it again you must slip 
 some of the eggs out of the purses, as many as you 
 think fit ; and then turn your bag again, and show 
 the company that it is empty, and turning it again, 
 you command more eggs to come out : and when 
 all are come out but one, you must take that egg 
 and show it to the company, and then di*op away 
 your egg-bag and take up your hen-bag, shaking 
 out yom- hen, pigeon, or any other fowl. This is a 
 noble fancy if well handled. 
 
 TO RENDER FACES HIDEOUS IN APPEARANCE. 
 Steep some saffron (hay saffi'on) in some alcohol, 
 (spirits of wine,) for tweh^e hours, then add some 
 common salt to it, which when dissolved must be 
 poured upon some toiv and set fire to, when all those 
 in company who are fair in complexion will appear 
 
0«9 MA0IC XADB MAST. IS 
 
 ^reen, and thoBe who are ruddy will assnme a deep 
 olive color : the red of the lips and cheeks will, in 
 all cases, appear of a deep olive tint 
 
 HOW TO EAT FIRE. 
 
 AnDoint your tongue with liquid storax, and you 
 may put a pair of red hot tongs in* your mouth with- 
 out hulling yourself, and lick them till they are cold, 
 by the help of this ointment ; and by preparing your 
 mouth thus, you may take wood-coal out of the fire, 
 and eat it as you would bread. If you dip the coal 
 into brimstone powder, the fire will seem more 
 strange : but the sulphur puts out the coal, and by 
 shutting your mouth you extinguish the sulphur also. 
 You may also put a piece of lighted charcoal into 
 your mouth, and suffer any one to blow a pair of 
 bellows into your mouth for some time, without re- 
 ceiving any hurt : but your mouth must be quickly 
 cleaned, otherwise it will cause a salivation. 
 
 TO MELT LEAD Ds" A PAPER. 
 
 Wrap up a very smooth ball of lead in a piece of 
 paper, taking care that there he no wrinkles in it, 
 and that it be everywhere in contact with the ball ; 
 if it be held in this state over the flame of a taper, 
 the lead will be melted without the paper being 
 burnt. The lead, indeed, when once fused, will not 
 fail in a short time to pierce the paper, and, of 
 course, run through. 
 
 THE MAGIC S^'OWEALL. 
 
 Take a cup and fill it with rice, then change it 
 into a handkerchief. To do this trick you have two 
 cups (tin) made to fit one within the other, but let 
 
14 PREernDIGITATION, 
 
 the outside cup be about two inches deeper than the 
 inside one, let the rimi^ be turned square down all 
 round, but let that of the inside cup be a trifle larger 
 than the outside one, so that when the tin cover 
 (which you must also have) is put over them it will fit 
 sufficiently tight to Uft out the inside cup when it is 
 taken off. Previous to performing this trick you 
 must place in the bottom of the deep cup a white 
 pocket handkerchief, then place the other cup in it, 
 after which bring it out in presence of the audience, 
 then fill the inside cup (which to the audience ap- 
 pears to be the only cup,) with rice, place the cover 
 over it, after which repeat the mystic words Presto^ 
 Piiscillo^ Pass, then remove the cover and the inside 
 cup will have stuck to it and be concealed from 
 view ; now take out the handkerchief, and it will 
 greatly astonish tliosc who see it. 
 
 TO CHANGE SALT TO SUGAK. 
 
 This, as the two precec¥ng tricks, and many oth- 
 ers that might be mentioned if necessary, is done 
 with the same box, except after you have placed a 
 cup of salt in the box, and you have tied the hand- 
 kercliief over it as in the bird trick, you then take a 
 little lump of sugar and place it on the top of the 
 box, after which say some mystic words, then take 
 the handkerchief off, and ask some one to take the 
 top off and hft out the cup of salt, which to their as- 
 tonishment is a cup of sugar. 
 
 TURNING A GLOVE INTO A BIRD, &C. 
 
 This is done precisely in the same way, and with 
 the same box that restoring Ufe to the bird is done, 
 except instead of killing a bird, you borrow a glove 
 
OK, MAGIC MAI>E EAST. 15 
 
 from a lady present, and drop it into the box, then 
 proceed as in the above trick. 
 
 TO PUT AN EGG m A BOTTLE. 
 
 Soak the egg in strong vinegar ; and in process 
 of time its sheU will become quite soft, so that it may 
 be extended lengthways without breaking ; then in- 
 sert it into the neck of a small bottle, and by. pour- 
 ing cold water upon it, it will re-assume its former 
 figure and hardness. This is really a complete curi- 
 osity, and baffles those who are not in the secret to 
 find out how it is accomplished. 
 
 THE MAGIC GUN. 
 
 Having provided yourself with a fowling-piece, 
 permit any person to load it, retaining for yourself 
 the privilege of putting in the ball, to the e\ddent 
 satisfaction of the company, but instead of which 
 you must provide yourself with an artificial one made 
 of black lead, which may be easily concealed between 
 your fingers, and retain the real ball in your posses- 
 sion, producing it after the gun has been discharged ; 
 and a mark having been previously put upon it, it 
 will instantly be acknowledged. This trick is quite 
 simple, as the artificial ball is easily reduced to a 
 powder on the apphcation of the ramrod ; besides, 
 the smallness of the balls precludes all discovery of 
 the deception. 
 
 TO KILL A BIRD AND RESTORE IT TO LIFE 
 AGAIN. 
 
 To do this trick you must have a box put together 
 with screws ; one end, however, has but one screw 
 <m eadb side, which acts as a hmge for the end to 
 
U PRBSTEDIGrrATIOlf, 
 
 Tfork on, Kut, that it may have the appearance of 
 being solid, you put in two false screws below those 
 on which the end works ; in each end of the box 
 there is a ring. To make it appear to the audience 
 that you actually restore life to a bird, you must have 
 two bkds just alike, you have one secreted under 
 the table, (trick table,) you then in presence of the 
 audience loll the other, and request some one to put 
 it in this box and put the top on the box ; after they 
 have put the top on, you take the box and set it on 
 your trick table, then take your handkerchief and tie 
 one corner to the ring that is in the solid end of the 
 box, and then bring your handkerchief over the top 
 of the box and pretend to be tying the other comer 
 to the other ring, but before you tie it, push the end 
 of the box in and take out the dead bh-d, at the same 
 time put in the Uve one, then catching the liug, pull 
 out the end aild tie the handkerchief in that ring 
 also ; then take the box and tm^n it over a time or 
 two, after which remove the handkerchief and ask 
 some one to take the top off the box, and as he does, 
 out flies the living bii'd, which greatly astonishes 
 those who witness the ti'ick. 
 
 TO MAKE WATER REMAIN IN A VESSEL WITH 
 HOLES AT THE BOTTOM OF IT. 
 
 This miraculous wonder may be performed by 
 providing a smaU tin vessel five or six inches in 
 height, and two or thi^ee in diameter, with a number 
 of very small holes in the bottom of it, of a size suf- 
 ficient to admit of a common sewing needle, and ob- 
 serve the following direcUuns :- — Plunge the vessel 
 in water, with its mouth open, and when fiill corjt it 
 while in th« water, and take it out again, and n© 
 
OR, MAOIO HADS KA3T. 17 
 
 water will escape by the holes so long as it remains 
 corked ; but as soon as it is uncorked, the water will 
 immediately issue from its bottom. The operator 
 must take care not to make the holes too large or 
 neither too numerous. A recreation similar to this 
 is made with a wide-mouthed glass, filled with wa- 
 ter, over which a piece of paper is placed ; for if the 
 glass be then inverted, and the paper drawn dexter- 
 ously away, the water will remain in the glass. 
 
 TO MAKE SPORT WITH A TOBACCO-PIPE. 
 
 Take saltpetre one ounce, cream of tartar one 
 ounce, beat them to a powder singly, then mix them 
 together, and put the powder in a paper in your 
 pocket. Tou may then convey a grain into a pipe 
 of tobacco, and when it takes fire it wiU give the re- 
 port of a musket, but not break the pipe. Or you 
 may put as much as may he on your nail in a piece 
 of paper, and setting fire to it, there will be the re- 
 port of so many great guns, without producing any 
 bad Qonsequences. 
 
 TO MAKE AN EGG STAND ON ONE END. 
 
 To make an egg stand on one end on ^ny polished 
 surface seems very extraordinary, yet it can be done, 
 even on a looking-glass ; now, from the form of an 
 egg, nothing is more liable to roll, and on nothing 
 more so than oil a looking-glass ; to accomplish \ its 
 trick, let the performer take an egg in his hand, r. iid 
 while he keeps talking and staring in the face of the 
 audience, give it two or three hearty shakes ; this 
 will break the yolk, which will siuk to one end, and 
 consequently n^ake it more heavy, by which when ii 
 is settled you may make it, with a steady hand, 
 
 3 
 
IS PRESTTOIGrrATION, 
 
 stand upon the glass; this would be impossible 
 while it continued in its proper state. 
 
 TO TELL AT WHAT HOUR A PERSON INTENDS 
 TO RISE. 
 
 Let the person set the hand of the dial of a watch 
 at any hour he pleases, and tell you what hour that 
 is ; and to the number of that hour you add in your 
 mind 1 2 ; then tell him to count privately the num- 
 ber of that amount upon the dial, beginning with 
 the next hour to that on which he proposes to rise, 
 and counting backwards, first reckoning the num- 
 ber of the hour at which he has placed the hand. 
 For example : 
 
 Suppose the hour at which he intends to rise be 
 8, and that he has placed the hand at 5 ; you will 
 add 12 to five, and tell him to count 17 on the dial, 
 first reckoning 5, the hour at which the index stands, 
 and counting backwards fi'om the hour at which he 
 intends to rise ; and the number 17 will necessarily 
 be at 8, which shows that to be the hour he chose. 
 
 HOW TO EAT TOW, AND SET IT ON FIRE IN 
 YOUR MOUTH. 
 
 Take a handful of tow in your left hand, then 
 take a part of it with your right hand and put it 
 into your mouth, chew it and seem to swallow it ; 
 and when your mouth cannot hold more, put the 
 bundle of tow you have in your left hand to your 
 mouth, in order to eat more, then disgorge what 
 you have in your mouth. All this while you must 
 have a piece of touchwood lighted, and wrapped in 
 fome joa have to eat 
 
OR, MAGIC MABE SA8T. 19 
 
 TO GIVE A PARTY A GHOSTLY APPEARANCE. 
 
 Take a half pint of spirits, and having warmed 
 it, put a h9,ndful of salt with it into a basin ; then 
 set it on fire, and it will have the ejQfect of making 
 every person within its influence look hideous. 
 This feat must be performed in a room. 
 
 HOW TO CUT GLASS. 
 
 Having privately dipped a thread in sulphur, 
 wrap it round the part of the glass you wish to cut, 
 then set fire to it, and by immersing it smartly into 
 cold water, it will immediately cut in the way re- 
 quired. This may cause a good deal of curiosity, 
 and is likewise very useful on some occasions. 
 
 TO MAKE A BIRD APPEAR DEAD. 
 
 To make a bird appear dead and immediately 
 bring it to life again, it simply requires to be laid 
 on a table, and a small feather waved over its eyes, 
 when, to the astonishment of the spectators, it will 
 appear quite dead, but by removing the feather it 
 will revive again. Let it lay hold of the stem of 
 the feather with its feet, and it will twist and turn 
 about, and may be rolled on the table at pleasure. 
 
 TO COPY WRITING. 
 
 If a little sugar be added to the ink, a copy of 
 the writing may easily be taken off, by laying a 
 sheet of unsized paper, damped with a sponge, on 
 the written paper, and passing lightly over it a flat 
 iron very moderately heated. 
 
 TO TAKE A SHILLING OUT OF A HANDKER- 
 CHIEF. 
 
 You muit hare a curtain ring about the size of a 
 
80 PRBSTIDIGITATIOlf, 
 
 shilling. At first you put the shilling into the hand* 
 kerchief, but when you take it out again to conyince 
 the company that there is no deception^ you slip in 
 the curtain-ring in its stead, and while the person is 
 eagerly holding the handkerchief, and the compa- 
 ny's eyes are fixed upon the form of a shilling, you 
 seize this opportunity of putting it into a hat or 
 elsewhere. When you get possession of the hand- 
 kerchief again, you slip away the curtain-ring. 
 
 TO MELT STEEL AS EASILY AS LEAD. 
 
 Make a piece of steel red in the fiLre, then hold it 
 with a pair of pincers or tongs ; take in the other 
 hand a stick of brimstone, and touch the piece of 
 steel with it. Immediately after their contact, you 
 will see the steel melt and drop like a liquid. 
 
 TO MAKE FIEE BURN UNDER WATER. 
 
 Take three ounces of powder, of saltpetre one 
 ounce, sulphur-vivium three ounces ; beat, sift and 
 mix them well together, fill a pasteboard or paper 
 mould with the composition, and it wiU burn under 
 water tiU quite spent. 
 
 TO MAKE FIRE-PROOF PAPER. 
 
 To accomplish this simple feat you must previous- 
 ly dip a sheet of paper in a strong solution of alum 
 water, and when dry repeat the process two or three 
 times, when, as soon as again dry, you may put it 
 into the flame of a candle, and it will not burn. Of 
 course you must keep your friends ignorant of the 
 process your sheet of paper has undergone^ or it 
 will cauM no Boiprise. 
 
OHy MAGIC MADE EAST. 21 
 
 IRON TRANSFORMED INTO COPPER. 
 
 Dissolve blue vitriol in water till the water is well 
 impregnated with it, and immerse into the solution 
 small plates of iron, or coarse iron filings. These 
 will be attacked and dissolved by the acid of the 
 vitriol, while the copper naturally contained in the 
 vitriol will sink, and be deposited in the place of the 
 iron dissolved. If the piece of iron be too large for 
 dissolving, it will be so completely covered with par- 
 ticles of copper as to resemble that metal itself. 
 
 A LAMP THAT WILL BURN FOR A YEAR. 
 
 Take a stick of phosphorus, and put it into a large 
 dry phial, not corked, and it will afford a light suf- 
 ficient to discern any object in a room when held 
 near it. The phial should be kept in a cool place, 
 where there is no gi'eat current of air, and it will 
 continue its luminous appearance for more than 12 
 months. 
 
 TO TELL THE NUMBER THAT ANY PERSON 
 THINKS OF 
 
 Bid the person double the number he has fixed 
 on in his mind, which done, bid him multiply the 
 sum of them both by 5, and give you the product, 
 which they will never refuse to do^ it being so far 
 above the number thought of from which, if you 
 cut off the last figure of the product, will always be 
 a cypher or a 5, the number left will be that first 
 thought of As for example — let the number thought 
 of be 26, which, doubled, makes 52 ; that multiplied 
 by 5, produces 260 ; then if you take away the cy- 
 pher which is in the last place, there will remain 26, 
 the number thought of. 
 
22 PRESTTDIGITATION, 
 
 DESTRUCTION OF TWO FLUID BODIES, AND THE 
 
 FORMATION OF ONE NEW SOLID IN 
 
 THEIR STEAD. 
 
 Into a tumbler put about an ounce of the solution 
 of carbonate of potash — (recollect the solution must 
 be saturated) — and pour upon it half an ounce of 
 sulphuric acid; a violent commotion takes place, 
 and the produce is a solid salt. This experiment is 
 the more striking, as both substances were in a fluid 
 state. The salt formed will be found to have nei- 
 ther the sourness of the acid, nor the causticity of 
 the potash. The new body, or salt, is called sul- 
 phate of potash. 
 
 TO tae:e impressions of coins, metals, &C. 
 
 Cut fish glue or isinglass into small pieces, im- 
 merse it in clear water, and set it on a slow fire ; 
 when gradually dissolved, let it boil slowly, stirring 
 it with a wooden spoon, and taking off the scum. 
 When the liquid is found to be sufficiently adhesive, 
 take it off the fire, let it cool a little, and then pour 
 it on the medal or coin you wish to copy, having 
 first rubbed the coin over with oil. Let the compo- 
 sition lie about the thickness of a crown-piece on 
 the medal. Then set it in a moderate air, neither 
 too hot nor too cold, to let it cool and dry. When 
 dry, it will loosen itself; you will find the impres- 
 sion correct, and the finest strokes expressed with 
 the greatest accuracy. You may give a more pleas- 
 ing effect to the composition, by mixing any color 
 with it, red, yellow, blue, green, &c., and if you 
 add a little parchment size to it, it will make it 
 tuurder and better. Tbx» size in made by g^tly 
 
OBj MAGIO MADE EAST. 25 
 
 simmering the cuttings of clear white parchment in 
 a pipkin with a little water, till it becomes adhesive. 
 
 THE FLYING DIME. 
 
 Borrow two colored silk handkerchiefs from the 
 company, and have three dimes in your hand, but 
 show only two, keeping the other firmly fixed against 
 the first joint of the second and third fingers. You 
 must have a fine needle and thread stuck inside the 
 cuff of your coat. Then take one of the handker- 
 chiefs, and put in both dimes, but pretend that only 
 one is in the handkerchief ; then put the handkerchief 
 into a hat, leaving one corner hanging out. Now 
 hold up the third dime (which they will imagine is 
 the second,) and ask one of the company to lay the 
 second handkerchief over it. You then ask him to 
 hold the dime tight between the finger and thumb, 
 while you twist up the handkerchief While doing 
 so, with both hands concealed under the handker- 
 chief, you pass a few stitches under the dime, and 
 replace the needle. This being done, spread one 
 corner of the handkerchief over the hand of the per- 
 son who is still holding the dime, and, taking hold 
 of another corner, tell him to drop the dime when 
 you have counted three. At the word " three " he 
 lets go the dime, and you whisk the handkerchief 
 into the air, when the dime appears to have vanish- 
 ed, but is still really held in the handkerchief You 
 then tell the astonished person to di*aw the other 
 handkerchief out of the hat by the corner that is 
 hanging out. The two dimes are heard to fall into 
 the hat, and every one is persuaded that you have 
 conjured one of the dimes out of a person's han<l 
 and Mat it into a bat. 
 
%k FMESTmiGITATION, 
 
 ANOTHER METHOD. 
 
 Very likely the spectators may ask to nee it 
 again, or demand to mark the dime. In this case 
 you can vary it as follows : — Ask some one (always 
 choose the most incredulous,) to mark a dime of his 
 own, and give it to you. Take the same handker- 
 chief, and give him the dime to hold that is already 
 enclosed in it, as in the last trick, di'opping the 
 marked dime into the palm of yom* hand. Twist it 
 up as before, and leave it entirely in his hands. 
 Direct him to place it on a table, and cover it with 
 a basin or saucer. Ask him to give you a cup or 
 tumbler, and hold it under the table, beneath the 
 place where the saucer is. Then tell him to knock 
 three times on the saucer, and at the third knock let 
 the marked dime fall into the tumbler. Hand him 
 the tumbler, and while he is examining the dime to 
 see if it is the same one he marked, take up the 
 saucer, and shake out the handkerchief that is lying 
 under it as in the last trick. You must now return 
 the handkerchief, and while you pretend to be 
 searching for the marks, draw out the thread that 
 held the dime, and drop the coin into the palm of 
 your hand, taking care to rub between your finger 
 and thumb the spot where the threads have been, 
 in order to eradicate the marks. This variation 
 seldom fails to confuse the company. Remember 
 and never attempt these tricks until you have prac- 
 ticed them thoroughly. In performing this or any 
 other trick, remember and keep talking all the time, 
 and tr}^ to make a joke, or in any way atti'act the 
 audience's attention while you are making the 
 changes. 
 
OR, MAGIC UAJ>E KkST. 25 
 
 TO PUT NUTS INTO YOUR EAR. 
 
 Take three nuts in your left hand, show them, 
 and take out one of them between the first and third 
 fingers. This latter is not seen by the company. 
 You then put one of them in your mouth and retain 
 it there, unknown to the spectators, while you ex- 
 hibit the second as the one that you put into your 
 mouth. This second one you carry to your ear, as 
 if you meant to insert it there, and on replacing it 
 in your left hand, only two nuts will be left instead 
 of three, the third of which appears to have gone 
 into your ear. 
 
 THE TOPER'S STRATAGEM. 
 
 Get a bottle full of water, with the cork driven 
 tightly in, and the top of it level with the neck of 
 the bottle. You must remove the cork from the 
 bottle without touching the cork with anything, and 
 without injuring the bottle. To do this, wrap a 
 towel around the bottom of the bottle, and strike it 
 evenly and repeatedly, but not too hard, against a 
 wall, post, or tree, and after some time the cork will 
 be driven out of the bottle. 
 
 THE DISAPPEARING DIME. 
 
 Provide yourself with a piece of India rubbeir 
 cord about twelve inches long, and a dime with a 
 hole on the edge ; attach the dime to the cord with 
 a piece of white sewing silk, and after having done 
 this, sew the cord to your coat sleeve lining, but be 
 very careful and ascertain that the end upon which 
 the dime is attached does not extend lower than 
 within two inches of the extr^ne end of the sleeve 
 
J6 PRBSTIDIGITATION, 
 
 when the coat is on. It is better to have the dime ' 
 in the left arm sleeve. Having done this, bring 
 the dime with the right hand, and place it between 
 the thumb and index finger of the left hand, and, 
 showing it to the company, tell them that you will 
 give the coin to any one present who will not let it 
 sUp away. You must then select one of the audience 
 to whom you proffer the dime, and just as he is 
 about to receive it you must let it sUp from betv/'een 
 yom' fingers, and the contraction of the elastic cord 
 will make the coin disappear up your sleeve, much 
 to the astonishment of the person who thinks he is 
 about to receive it. This feat can be varied by pre- 
 tending to wrap the coin in a piece of paper, or a 
 handkerchief Great care should be taken not to 
 let any part of the cord be seen, as this would, of 
 course, discover the trick. This is one of the most 
 sm'prising feats of legerdemain, and its chief beauty 
 consists in its extreme simplicity. 
 
 THE DIME IN THE BALL OF COTTON. 
 
 Get a tinman to make a flat tin tube, which will 
 just allow a dime to pass through it. Wind a quan- 
 tity of worsted around it, so as to make it into a 
 ball. These preliminaries having been accomplish- 
 ed, perform any trick that will get a dime out of 
 sight, such as number 1 or 2. Then tell the specta- 
 tors that you will bring the marked dime into the 
 middle of a ball of worsted. Take down the ball 
 from the place where it is lying, drop the dime into 
 the tube, and withdraw the tube, leaving the dime 
 in the ball. A good squeeze or two will hold it 
 tight, and obliterate every mark of the tube. Place 
 the ball in a tumbler, take the end of the woipted. 
 
OR, MAGIC MADE EAST. 7r 
 
 and give it to some one to unwind. This being 
 done, the dime will be found in the very center of 
 the ball, with the end of the worsted wrapped tight- 
 ly around it. 
 
 THE MAGIC QUARTER. 
 
 Procure a small round box, about one inch deep, 
 to which fit accurately a quarter or cent ; line the 
 box with any dark paper, (crimson, for instance,; 
 and paste some of it on one side of the coin, so that 
 when it lies in the lower part of the box it shall ap- 
 pear like the real box. This quarter or cent is con- 
 cealed in the hand, and before performing the trick, 
 it will heighten the effect if a number of single quar- 
 ters or cents are hidden about the room, in places 
 known to yourself. Having borrowed a coin, you 
 dexterously place this on one side, and substitute 
 the prepared one ; and putting it gravely into the 
 box, ask all to be sure they have seen it enter. 
 When the lid is on, shake up and down — the noise 
 betrays the metal. Now command it to disappear, 
 and shake literally from side to side ; as the quarter 
 is made to fit accm'ately, no noise is apparent — the 
 coin seems to be gone ; in proof of which you open 
 the box, and display the interior ; the paper on the 
 coin conceals it, whilst you direct the audience to 
 look into a book, or a pak of slippers, for the mis- 
 sing quarter. The prepared coin can be slipped 
 out, and the box handed round for examination, in 
 which, of course, nothing will be found. 
 
 TO CHANGE A BLUE LIQUID TO WHITE. 
 
 Dii9iolye a small lump of indigo in su^huric aoid 
 
28 PRBSnDIGITATION, 
 
 ! 
 
 by the aid of moderate heat, and you will obtain an 
 icrtense blue color ; add a drop of this to half a pint 
 of water, so as to dilute the blue : then pour some 
 of it into strong chloride of lime, and the blue will 
 be bleached with almost magical velocity. 
 
 TWO COLD LIQUIDS MAKE A HOT ONE. 
 
 Mix four drachms of sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) 
 with one drachm of cold water, suddenly, in a cup, 
 and the mixture will be nearly half as hot again as 
 boiling water. 
 
 ^ TO HOLD A HOT TEA KETTLE ON THE HAND. 
 
 Be sure that the bottom of the kettle is well cov- 
 ered with soot ; when the water in it boils, remove 
 it from the fire, and place it upon the palm of the 
 hand ; no inconvenience will be felt, as the soot will 
 prevent the heat being transmitted from th« water 
 within and the heated metal to the hand. 
 
 INCOMBUSTIBLE LINEN. 
 
 Make a strong solution of borax in water, and 
 steep in it linen, muslin, or any article of clothing ; 
 when dry, they cannot be easily inflamed. A solu- 
 tion of sal ammoniac answers much better. 
 
 LAUGHING GAS. 
 
 The above fanciful appellation has been given to 
 nitrous oxide, from the very agreeable sensations 
 excited by inhaling it. In its pure state it destroys 
 animal life, but loses this noxious quahty when in- 
 haled, because it becomes blended with the atmoa- 
 pheoric uir which it meets in thd lungs. This gas is 
 
OB, MAGIC HADE SAST. 29 
 
 made by putting three or four drachms of nitrate of 
 ammonia, crystals, iato a small' glass retort, which 
 being held over a spirit lamp, the crystals will melt, 
 and the gas be evolved. Having thus produced the 
 gas, it is to be passed into a large bladder, having a 
 stop-cock ; and when you are desirous of exhibiting 
 its effects, you cause the person who wishes to ex- 
 perience them, to first exhale the atmospheric air 
 from the lungs, and then quickly placing the cock 
 in his mouth you turn it, and bid him inhale the 
 gas. Immediately a sense of extraordinary cheer- 
 fulness, fanciful flights of imagination, an uncontrol- 
 able propensity of laughter, and a consciousness of 
 being capable of great muscular exertion, supervene. 
 It does not operate in exactly the same manner on 
 all persons ; but in most cases the sensations are 
 agreeable, and have this important difference from 
 those produced by spirituous liquors, that they are 
 not succeeded by any depression of mind. 
 GREEN FIRE. 
 
 A beautiful green fire may be thus made : — Take 
 of flour of sulphur thu'teen parts, nitrate of baryta 
 seventy-seven, oxymuriate of potassa five, metallic 
 arsenic two, and charcoal three. Let the nitrate of 
 baryta be well dried and powdered ; then add to it 
 the other ingredients, all finely pulverized, and ex- 
 ceedingly well mixed and rubbed together. Place 
 a portion of the composition in a small tin pan, and 
 set light to it ; when a splendid green illumination 
 will be the result. By adding a httle calamine, it 
 will burn more slowly. 
 
 BRILLIANTiRBD FIRE. 
 
 Weigh five ounces of dry nitrate of strontia, one 
 
30 PRESTIDIGITATION, 
 
 ounce and a half of finely powdered sulphur, five drs. 
 of chlorate of potash, and four drachms of sulphuret 
 of antimony separately, in a mortar, and mix them 
 on paper ; after which add them to the other ingredi- 
 ents, previously powdered and mixed. No other 
 kind of mixture is requked than inibbing together on 
 paper. For use mix with a portion of the powder a 
 small quantity of spuits of wine, in a tin pan resem- 
 bUng a cheese toaster, light the mixture, and it will 
 shed a rich crimson hue. When the fire burns dimly 
 or badly a very small quantity of finely powdered 
 charcoal or lamp black will revive it. 
 
 PURPLE FIRE. 
 
 Dissolve chloride of Uthium in spuits of wine, and 
 when Ughted, it will bm^n with a purplish flame. 
 
 FLAME UPON WATER. 
 
 Fill a wine glass with cold water, pour lightly upon 
 its surface a little ether ; hght by a sUp of paper, and 
 it will burn for some time. 
 
 ROSE-COLORED FLAME UPON WATER. 
 
 Drop a globule of potassium, about the size of a 
 large pea, into a small cup, nearly full of water, con- 
 taining a drop or two of strong nitric acid ; the mo- 
 ment the metal touches the Uquid, it will float upon 
 its surface, enveloped with a beautiful rose-colored 
 flame, and entirely dissolve. 
 
 TO SET A MIXTURE ON FIRE WITH WATER. 
 
 Pour into a saucer a little sulphuric acid, and place 
 in it a chip of sodium, which will remain uninflamed ; 
 but the addition of a di'op of water will set it on fire. 
 
OR, KAGIO HADE EAST. Si 
 
 TO MAKE A MOUSE COME OUT OF A PACK OF CARDS. 
 
 Procure a pack, the edges of which are gummed 
 together, while the interior is empty, like a box. One 
 perfect card must be gummed over those forming the 
 box, and a few loose ones left on the top, which you 
 will shuffle so as to make it appear that you have a 
 complete pack in your hand. Another perfect card 
 must be at the bottom, and this must be fastened at 
 one side only, so that it will give way on the other 
 three, at the slightest weight. It is, in fact, a door^ 
 opening and shutting with perfect ease. 
 
 Having yom- pack thus prepared, you open the 
 door, and slip in either a mouse, or anything else you 
 please, and shut it immediately, keeping the pack in 
 your hand, sufficiently firm to secure the bottom card 
 from being moved. You then tell some one to open 
 both his hands, and put them close together ; and 
 having placed the pack on them, tell him you have 
 the power of transforming a pack of cards into some- 
 thing very extraordinary. While chatting with him, 
 to distract his attention, pretend to be seeking in 
 your bag for some magic powder, and then instantly 
 take up the pack in the middle and throw it into your 
 conjuror's pocket. As the card at the bottom gives 
 way, from the weight of the mouse, it follows that 
 the little animal will remain in the hands of the per- 
 son who thought he was holding a pack of cards. 
 
 MAGIC MONEY. 
 
 Procm-e two quarters and a half-eagle; conceal 
 one of the quarters in the right hand ; lay the other 
 quarter and the half-eagle on a table, in foU view of 
 the audience; now ask for two handkerchiefs ; then 
 take the gold piece up, and pretend to roll it in one 
 
S2 FRESTEDIGITATION, 
 
 of the handkerchiefs ; but in heu thereof, roll up the 
 quarter, which you had concealed, and retain the gold 
 coin ; give the handkerchief to one of the company 
 to hold ; now take the quarter off the table, and pre- 
 tend to roll that up in the second handkerchief, but 
 put up the half-eagle instead ; give this handkerchief 
 to another person, and beg him to " hold it tight," 
 while you utter "Presto! fly!" On opening the 
 handkerchiefs the money will appear to have changed 
 places. This is one of the best tricks in the book. 
 
 THE MAGIC CUPS. 
 
 Procure two tin cups without handles, quite plain, 
 straight sides, with the bottoms sunk a quarter of an 
 inch. On the bottoms spread some glue, and com- 
 pletely cover the glue with some kind of birdseed, 
 only so as not to be seen when standing in an ordi- 
 nary position. Have ready a bag filled with the same 
 kind of seed as you used in covering the bottoms. 
 Put the cups on the table ; also two hats. Put one 
 cup then into the bag, appear to fill it, and take it out 
 tm-ned bottom upwards, when it will look as if it had 
 been filled. Put it in that position xmder one hat, in 
 doing so turn it over. Then take the other empty 
 cup, put that under the other hat ; and, in doing so, 
 turn that over, which, of course, must be invisible to 
 the audience. Then remove the hats, and the cups 
 will appear to have changed places. 
 
 THE DOUBLED COIN. 
 
 Half fill a glass of water, and put a dime on a quarter 
 into it ; cover the glass with a plate, upon which place 
 one hand, while you hold the glass with the other. 
 Turn the glass upside down, so that none of the wa- 
 
ox, MAGIC MADB SA9T. SS 
 
 ter may escape ; place it on a table, and yon will see 
 the coin at the bottom larger than it is in reality, and 
 another will appear of the natm'al size, a little above it. 
 
 MAGIC MILK. 
 Lime water is quite transparent, and clear as com- 
 mon spring water, but if we breathe or blow into it, 
 the bright liquid becomes opalescent and as white as 
 milk. The best way to try this simple experiment, 
 is to put feoine poAvdered quick-lime into a wine bot- 
 tle full of cold water ; shake them well together now 
 and then for a day ; then allow the bottle to remain 
 quiet till the next day, when the clear lime-water may 
 be poured ofl" from the sediment. Now fill a wine 
 glass or tmnbler with the lime-water thus made, and 
 blow through the liquid with a glass tube, a piece of 
 new tobacco-pipe, or a clean straw, and in the course 
 of a minute or so, as the magicians say, "the water 
 will be turned into milk." By means of this pastime 
 "Wise Men" can ascertain which yoimg ladies are 
 in love and which young gentlemen are not. With 
 a shrewd guess they present, as a test, a glass of 
 lime-water to the one, and of piu^e water to the other, 
 with unerring effect. 
 
 THE RING SUSPENDED BY A BURNT THREAD. 
 
 Put a teaspoonfhl of salt in a wine glass full of wa- 
 ter ; stir it up and place in it some coarse sewing cot- 
 ton, No. 16 ; in about an hour take out the thread 
 and dry it. Tie a piece of this prepared cotton to a 
 small ring, about the size of a wedding-ring, hold it 
 up, and set fire to the thread. When it has bmut 
 out the ring will not fall, but remains suspended, to 
 the astonishment of all beholders. Philosophers ac- 
 count for this effect by stating that the salt in th^ 
 
 S 
 
34 PRESTIDIGITATION, 
 
 thread forms, with the ashes of the cotton, a fine film 
 of glass, which is strong enough to support the ring, 
 or any other small weight. 
 
 A COLOR WHICH YOU CAN CAUSE TO APPEAR OR 
 DISAPPEAR. 
 
 Take a glass botttle put into it some volatile alkalie, 
 in which you have dissolved copper fiUngs. This will 
 produce a blue liquid. Present the bottle to some 
 one to cork, jesting a Uttle with him, and to the great 
 surprise of the company, it will be observed that the 
 color disappears as soon as the cork is put in. You 
 easily make it re-appear by uncorking the bottle, 
 which does not seem the last surprising part of the 
 matter. 
 
 THE MAGIC PORTRAIT. 
 
 Take a glass, such as is generally used to cover a 
 porti'ait or hau- devices in a bracelet, and which is al- 
 ways slightly concave, and another piece of the same 
 eize, but of ordinaiy glass, and as thin as possible; 
 cover the concave side of the first with a composi- 
 tion made of lard and a very little white wax, 
 mixed together. Fasten the two glasses very ex- 
 actly, the one over the other, so that this composi- 
 tion is between them ; and join them by binding 
 the edges together with a bit of bladder, fastened 
 with isinglass. Let it get perfectly dry ; and after 
 having cleaned the glasses well, put a portrait, or 
 any other picture you please, under the flat side. 
 Afterwards have it put into a frame, which will en- 
 ' tirely conceal the binding of the edges. 
 
 Experiment. — When you warm the picture a little, 
 the composition you have introduced between the 
 two gla«868 becoming liquid, is also rendered eniirelf 
 
OR, MAGIC MADE EAST. 35 
 
 transparent, and you perceive the subject of the pic- 
 ture with perfect clearness. Otherwise it conceals 
 the portrait, just as if there were a piece of white 
 paper under the glass. It will appear or disappeai 
 as often as you choose, on making it warm, or let 
 ting it get cold. 
 
 THE WONDERFUL HAT. 
 
 Upon a table place three pieces of bread, or any 
 other eatable, at a little distance from each other, 
 and cover each ^vith a hat. Take up the first 
 hat, and removing the bread put it into your mouth, 
 letting the company see that you swallow it, then 
 raise the second hat and eat the bread which was 
 under that, then proceed to the third hat in the same 
 manner. Having eaten the three pieces, ask any 
 person in the company to choose which hat he would 
 like the pieces of bread to be under, and when he 
 has made his choice of one of the hats, put it on 
 your head, and ask him, if he does not think they 
 are under it, 
 
 THE SELF-BALANCED PAIL. 
 
 You lay a stick across the table, letting one-third 
 of it project over the edge ; and you undertake to 
 hang a pail of water on it, without either fastening 
 the stick on the table, or letting the pail rest on any 
 support ; and this feat the laws of gravitation will 
 enable you literally to accomplish. 
 
 You take a pail of water, and hang it by the hand- 
 le upon the projecting end of the stick in such a 
 manner that the handle may rest on it in an inchned 
 position, with the middle of the pail within the edge 
 of the table. That it may be fixed in th^ situation, 
 place another stick with one of its e^ ds resting 
 
86 PKESTII>IGITATION, 
 
 against the side at the bottom of the pail, and its 
 other end against the first stick, where there should 
 be a notch to retain it. By these means the pail 
 will remain fixed in that situation, without being 
 able to incline to either side, nor can the stick slide 
 along the table, or move along its edge, without rais- 
 ing the centre of gravity of the pail and the water it 
 contains. 
 
 TO RAISE UP A HEAVY METAL MORTAR OR THE LIKE, 
 WITH A WINE GLASS. 
 
 Having inverted the mortar, spread on its bottom, 
 or at least where the brim of the glass is to be placed, 
 a little paste of flour and water. Then pour some 
 spirits of wine into a small cup, set fire to it and 
 hold the glass over it, so that the flame shall ascend 
 into the glass, and heat and dilate the air within. 
 When the air is sufliciently dilated, place the glass 
 without delay on the paste and press it tight against 
 the bottom of the mortar, so that no air can pass in 
 from without. Let it remain thus till the air within 
 the glass is cooled ; and then, if you lift up the glass 
 it will raise the mortar with it. You may use a 
 piece of wet leather instead of the paste ; but the lat- 
 ter is preferable, because the brims of common 
 glasses are not always sufficiently level to press close 
 to leather in every part, and a heated glass will be 
 apt to crack when it comes in contact with wet 
 leather. 
 
 TO PRODUCE ARTIFICIAL CLAPS OF THUNDER. 
 Mix well together three ounces of nitre, two ounces 
 of salts of tartar, and one ounce of sulphur ; of which 
 take a quantity about the size of a nut, and placing 
 it in a ladle or shovel over the fire, the explosion will 
 resemble a loud clap of thundtr.* A much more yi- 
 
OK, HAGIC MADE EAST. 37 
 
 olent commotion will be produced if double or treble 
 the quantity of the last experiment be used. Sup- 
 pose, for instance, we put two or three ounces of the 
 mixture into the shovel ; but for fear of accidents it 
 should not be done in the house, but in the open air, 
 standing at a great distance oif, by placing a shovel 
 over a chafing dish of very hot coals. Common pru- 
 dence will dictate the necessity of using care in the 
 above experiments, as an accident may happen if a 
 person does not use great precaution in getting out 
 of the way before the composition explodes 
 
 THE CONJUROR'S JOKE. 
 
 This is a complete trick, but may afford some 
 amusement. You offer to bet any person that you 
 will so fill a glass of water that he shall not move it 
 off the table without spilUng the whole contents. 
 You then fill the glass, and laying a piece of thin 
 card over the top of it, you dexterously turn the 
 glass upside down on the table, and then draw away 
 the card, and leave the water in the glass, with its 
 foot upwards. It will therefore be impossible to re- 
 move the glass ficom the table without spilhng every 
 drop. 
 
 TO LOCK A PADLOCK ON YOUR CHEEK. 
 
 The padlock for this purpose has a bow with a di- 
 vision which admits the cheek, so contrived that 
 when locked it may neither pinch too hard, nor yet 
 hold so slightly as to be drawn off. There should 
 be a variety of notches on it, that the place of the 
 division may not be noticed. This invention, which 
 ift very curious^ can never be detected. 
 
38 PRESTIDIGITATION, 
 
 TO MAKE A €ARD JUMP OUT OF THE PACK AND BE 
 SEEN UPON THE TABLE. 
 
 This feat, if' well managed, will appear marvellous. 
 Having forced a card upon one of the company, af- 
 ter shuffling it up with the rest of the pack, you will 
 know the card by feeling. You then take a piece ol 
 wax and put it under the thumb nail of your right 
 hand, and by this wax you fasten an end of a hair to 
 your thumb, and the other to the chosen card : by 
 these means, when you spread the cards upon the 
 table, by drawing about your right hand, the chosen 
 card is conducted round the table. 
 
 TO PREPARE A FOUNTAIN OF FIRE. 
 
 Take two parts of zinc, finely granulated, and add 
 to it two parts of phosphorus (say ten grains of phos- 
 phorus and twenty of zinc,) and pour on it half an 
 ounce of water, with a quarter of an ounce of sul- 
 phuric acid (oil of vitriol,) and in a short time phos- 
 phuretted hydrogen gas will be produced ; extinguish 
 the lights, and beautiful jets of blue flame will be 
 seen to dart from the bottom of the liquid, while its 
 surface will be covered with a luminous smoke. This 
 is a beautiful experiment, and easily performed. 
 
 THE OBEDIENT WATCH. 
 
 Borrow a watch from a person in company, and 
 request the whole to stand around you. Hold the 
 watch up to the ear of^he first in the circle, and com- 
 mand it to go ; then demand his testimony to the 
 fact. Remove it to the ear of the next, and enjoin 
 it to stop ; make the same request to that person, 
 and so on throughout the entire party. You must 
 take care that the watch is a good one. Conceal in 
 your hand a piece of loadstone, which so soon as you 
 
OK, MAGIC MADE EASY. M 
 
 apply it to the watch, will occasion a suspension of 
 the movements, which a subsequent shaking and 
 withdrawing of the magnet will restore. For the 
 sake of shifting the watch from one hand to the other, 
 apply it when in the right hand to the left ear of the 
 person, and when in the left hand to the right ear. 
 
 TO MAKE A CARD PASS FROM ONE HAND INTO THE 
 OTHER. , 
 
 Take two aces, the one of spades and the other of 
 hearts ; then put on that of spadej? the mark of hearts, 
 and of that of hearts the mark of spades; which you 
 will do easily, by splitting a card of each color, which 
 you are to cut with dexterity, in order that the mark 
 be very neat ; then rub lightly on the back of the 
 spade and heart that you have cut, a little soap or 
 very white pomatum ; put the mark of hearts on the 
 ace of spades, and the mark of spades on the ace oi 
 hearts, taking care to let the one cover the other 
 completely, and make all your preparations before 
 you begin your experiments. 
 
 Then divide your pack of cards in two parcels and 
 under each parcel put one of yom* two aces thus pre- 
 pared ; afterwads take with your right hand the par- 
 cel under which is the ace of hearts, and with your 
 left that where the ace of spades is. 
 
 Then show to the company that the ace of hearts 
 is on the right hand and the ace of spades on the left ; 
 and when everybody is convinced of it, say, '' Ladies 
 and gentlemen, I command the ace of hearts, which 
 is in my right hand, to pass to my left, and the ace 
 of spades to take its place." It may be proposed to 
 have both arms tied, to prevent their joining and 
 communicating. 
 
 All the secret consists in making a quick move- 
 
40 FRESTIDIOITATION, 
 
 ment, when you give your command. Dming this 
 movement you must slip with dexterity your Uttle 
 finger over each of the marks, in order to rub it off, 
 whereby the marks of spades and hearts that were 
 sticking to the two cards by the means explained be- 
 fore, will be displaced, you then show to the com- 
 pany that the cards have obeyed your command, by 
 passing them from the right to the left, and from the 
 left to the right, without your hands communicating. 
 This trick, done with dexterity and subtlety, will 
 appear very singular although it is very simple. 
 
 TO BRING A PERSON DOWN UPON A FEATHER. 
 
 This is a practical pun : — You desire any one to 
 stand on a chair or table, and will tell him that, not- 
 withstanding his weight, you will bring him down 
 upon a feather. You then leave the room, and pro- 
 curing a feather from a feather-bed, you give it to 
 him, and tell him that you have performed your prom- 
 ise, — that you engaged to bring him down upon a 
 feather, w^hich you have done ; for there is the feath- 
 er, and, if he looks, he'll find down upon it. 
 
 THE IMPOSSIBLE OMELET. 
 
 Produce some butter, eggs, and other ingredients 
 for making an omelet, together with a frying-pan, in 
 a room where there is a fire, and offer to bet a wa- 
 ger, that the cleverest cook will not be able to make 
 an omelet with them. The wager is won by having 
 previously caused the eggs to be boiled very hard. 
 
 GO, IF YOU CAN. 
 You teU a person that you will clasp his hands to- 
 gether in such a manner that he shall not be able to 
 leave the room without unclasping them, although 
 
OR, MAGIC MADE EAST. 41 
 
 you will not confine his feet or bind his body, or in 
 any way oppose his exit. 
 
 This trick is performed by clasping the party's 
 hands around the pillar of a large circular table, or 
 other bulky article of furniture, too large for him 
 to drag through the doorway. 
 
 MAGIC CIRCLE. 
 
 You tell a person you will place him in the centre 
 of a room, and di*aw a circle of chalk round him, 
 which shall not extend three feet in diameter, yet 
 out of which he shall not be able to leap, though 
 his legs shall be perfectly free. When the party 
 has exhausted his ingenuity in trying to discover by 
 what means you can prevent his accomplishing so 
 seemingly easy a task, you ask him if he will try, 
 and on his assenting, you bring him into the middle 
 of the room, and having requested him to button 
 his coat tightly, you draw with a piece of chalk, a 
 circle round his waist, outside his coat, and tell him 
 to jump out of it. 
 
 It will greatly improve this trick if the person be 
 blindfolded, as he will not be aware of the mode of 
 performing it till the bandage is removed, provided 
 his attention be diverted while you are drawing the 
 line round him. 
 
 TO TELL THE HOUR OF THE DAY OR NIGHT BY A 
 SUSPENDED SHILLING. 
 
 SHng a shilling or a sixpence at the end of a piece 
 of thread by means of a loop ; then, resting your 
 elbow upon a table, hold the other end of the thread 
 betwixt your forefinger and thumb, observing to 
 let it pass across the ball of the thumb, and thus 
 suspend the shilling in am empty goblet. Observe, 
 
42 FRESTIDiGITATIO^, 
 
 your hand must be perfectly steady, and if you find 
 it difficult to keep it in an immovable posture, it is 
 useless to attempt the experiment. Premising that 
 the shilling is properly suspended, you will find that 
 when it has recovered its equilibrium, it will for a 
 moment be stationary ; it will then, of its own accord 
 and without the least agency from the person hold- 
 ing it, assume the action of a pendulum, vibrathig 
 from side to side of the glass, and after a few sec- 
 onds will strike the hour nearest to the time of day ; 
 for instance if the time be twenty-five minutes past 
 six, it will strike seven, and so on of any other hour. 
 It is necessary to observe that the thread should lie 
 over the pulse of the thumb, and this may in some 
 measure account for the vibration of the shilling, 
 but to what cause its striking the precise hour is to 
 be traced, remains unexplained ; for it is no less as- 
 tonishing than true, that when it has struck the 
 proper number its vibration ceases, it acquires a kind 
 of rotary motion, and at last becomes stationary as 
 before. 
 
 THE GAS CANDLE. 
 
 Provide a strong glass bottle which will contain 
 about eight ounces, or half a pint, into which put a 
 few pieces of zinc, then mix half an ounce of sul- 
 phuric acid with four ounces of water, and pour it 
 into the bottle upon the zinc ; fit the mouth closely 
 with a cork, through which put a metal tube which 
 ends upwards in a fine opening ; the mixture in the 
 bottle will soon effervesce, and hydrogen gas will 
 rise through the tube. When.it has escaped for 
 about a minute, apply a Ughted paper to the tube, 
 and the gas will bmn like a candle, but with a pale 
 
OR, MAGIC MADE EAST. 4S 
 
 flame. Its brightness may be increased to brilliancy 
 by sifting over it a small quantity of magnesia. 
 
 TO KEEP A STONE IN PERPETUAL MOTION.. 
 
 Put very small filings of iron into aquafortis, and 
 let them remain there until the water takes off the 
 iron requisite, which it will do in seven or eight 
 hours. Then take the water and put it into a phial 
 an inch wide, with a large mouth, and put in a stone 
 of lapis calaminaris, and stop it up close ; the stone 
 will then keep in perpetual motion. 
 
 TO CRACK WALNUTS IN YOUR ELBOW. 
 
 Conceal a very strong walnut in your right hand, 
 and take two other walnuts out of the dish. Place 
 one of them on the joint of your arm, and say that 
 you are going to break it by the power of your mus- 
 cles. You will now have one walnut in your arm 
 and two in your right hand. Close your left arm, 
 and strike it an appanently violent blow with your 
 right hand, at the same time clenching the right 
 hand violently, which will smash the second walnut 
 in it, and the spectators hearing the crash will be 
 sm'e to fancy that it is caused by the demolition of 
 the walnut in your arm. Then open your arm veiy 
 gently (for fear of dropping any of the fragments, 
 you must say), and, when pretending to take out the 
 walnut which you had placed there, you substitute 
 for it the broken one from your right hand. 
 
 THE KNOTTED HANDKERCHIEF. 
 
 This feat consists in tying a number of hard knots 
 fn a pocket-handkerchief borrowed from one of the 
 company, then letting any person hold the knots, 
 
44 PRBSTmiGITATION, 
 
 
 and by the operator merely shaking the handker- 
 chief, all the knots become unloosened, and the hand- 
 kerchief is restored to its original state. To per- 
 form this excellent trick, get as soft a handkercnief 
 as possible, and taking the opposite ends, one in each 
 hand, throw the right hand over the left, and draw 
 it through, as if you were going to tie a knot in the 
 usual way. Again throw the right hand end over 
 the left, and give the left hand end to some person 
 to pull, you at the same time pulling the right hand 
 end with your right hand, while your left hand 
 holds the handkerchief just behind the knot. Press 
 the thumb of your left hand against the knot to pre- 
 vent its slipping, always taking care to let the per- 
 son to whom you gave one end pull first ; so that, in 
 fact, he is only pulling against your left hand. 
 
 You now tie another knot exactly in the same 
 way as the first, taking care always to throw the 
 right-hand end over the left. As you go on tying 
 the knots, you will find the fight-hand end of the 
 handkerchief decreasing considerably in length, 
 while the left-hand one remains nearly as long as at 
 first ; because in fact, you are merely tying the right 
 hand end round the left To prevent this fi'om being 
 noticed, you should stoop down a little after each 
 knot, and pretend to pull the knots tighter ; while, 
 at the same time, you press the thumb of the right-* 
 hand against the knot, and with the fingers and palm 
 of the same hand, draw the handkerchief, so as to 
 make the left-hand end shorter, keeping it at each 
 knot as nearly the length of the right-hand end as 
 possible. 
 
 When you have tied as many knots as the hand- 
 kerchief will admit of, hand them round for the com- 
 
OR, MAGIC MADE EAST. 45 
 
 pany to feel that they are firm knots ; then hold the 
 handkerchief in your right-hand, just below the knots, 
 and with the left-hand turn the loose part of the cen- 
 ter of the handkerchief over them, desmng some 
 person to hold them. Before they take the hand- 
 kerchief in hand, you draw out the right-hand end 
 of the handkerchief, which you have in the right-hand, 
 and which you may easily do, and the knots being 
 still held together by the loose part of the handker- 
 chief, the person who holds the handkerchief will de- 
 clare he feels them ; you then take hold of one of 
 the ends of the handkerchief which hangs down, and 
 desire him to repeat after you, one, two, three ; then 
 tell him to let go, when, by giving the handkerchief 
 a smart shake, the whole of the knots will become 
 unloosed. Should you, by accident, whilst tying the 
 knots, give the wrong end to be pulled, a hard knot 
 will be the consequence, and you will know when 
 this has happened the instant you try to draw the 
 Handkerchief shorter. You must, therefore, turn this 
 mistake to the best advantage, by asking any one of 
 the company to see how long it will take him to un- 
 tie one knot, you counting the seconds. When he 
 has untied the knot, your other knots .will remain 
 right as they were before. Having finished tying 
 the knots, let the same person hold them, and tell 
 him that, as he took two minutes to untie one knot, 
 he ought to allow you fourteen minutes to untie the 
 seven ; but as you do not wish to take any advan- 
 tage, you will be satisfied with fourteen seconds. 
 
 You may excite some laughter during the perform- 
 ance of the trick, by desiring those who pull the 
 knots along with you, to pull as hard as they please, 
 and not to be afraid, as the handkerchief is not yours ; 
 
46 PRESTIT>IOITATI0M, 
 
 you may likewise go to the owner of the handker-j 
 chief, and desire him to assist you in pulling a knot, I 
 saying, that if the handkerchief is to be torn, it is 
 only right that he should have a share of it ; you 
 may likewise say that he does not pull very hard, 
 which will cause a laugh against him. 
 
 TO TELL A LADY IF SHE IS IN LOVE. 
 
 Put into a phial some sulphuric ether, color it red 
 with orchanet, then satm^ate the tincture with sper- - 
 maceti. This preparation is sohd ten degrees above 
 freezing point, and melts and boils at twenty degrees. 
 Place the phial which contains it in a lady's hand, and 
 tell her that if in love, the solid mass will dissolve. 
 In a few minutes the substance will become fluid. 
 
 LIGHT UNDER WATER. 
 
 Rub two pieces of fine lump sugar together in the 
 dark, and a bright electric light, will be produced. 
 The same eflFect, but in a more intense degree, may 
 be produced with two pieces of silex or quartz,- the 
 white quartz being best for this purpose. The same 
 effect may also be witnessed by rubbing the pieces of 
 quartz together under water. 
 
 THE MYSTERIOUS BOTTLE. 
 
 Pierce a few holes with a glazier's diamond in a 
 common black bottle ; place it in a vase or jug of wa- 
 ter, so that the neck only is above the surface. Then, 
 with a flannel, fill the bottle and cork it well, while 
 it is in the jug or vase. Take it out, notwithstanding 
 the holes in the bottom, it will not leak ; wipe it dry, 
 and give it to seme person to uncork. The moment 
 the ooit is drawn, to the party's astonishment, the 
 
OS, MAGIC MADS EAST. 47 
 
 water will begin to run out of the bottom of the 
 bottle, 
 
 THE OLD WOMAN AND HER EGGS. 
 
 At a time when eggs were scarce, an old woman 
 who possessed some remarkably good-laying hens, 
 wishing to oblige her neighbors, sent her daughter 
 round with a basket of eggs to three of them ; at 
 the first house, which was the squire's, she left half 
 the number of eggs she had and half a one over ; at 
 the second she left hall* of what remained and half an 
 egg over ; at the third she again left half the remain- 
 der and half a one over ; she returned with one egg 
 in her basket, not having broken any. Required — 
 the number she set out with. Am, 15 eggs. 
 
 THE TAPE TRICK. 
 
 This trick consists in suffering a person to tie your 
 thumbs together tightly, and yet that you shall be 
 able to release them in a moment, and tie them to- 
 gether agaiQ. The mode of performing this trick is 
 as follows : Lay a piece of tape across the palms of 
 your hands, placed side by side, letting the ends hang 
 down ; then bring your palms quickly together, at 
 the same time privately catching hold of the middle 
 of the tape with your fourth and fifth fingers. Then 
 direct any person to tie yom- thumbs together as tight 
 as he pleases, but he will not, of course, in reality be 
 tying them, because you have hold of the tape, yet it 
 will nevertheless appear to him that he is doing so. 
 Request him to place a hat over your hands ; then 
 blow upon the hat, and say, " Be loose," slipping your 
 thumbs from under the tape ; direct him to remove 
 the hat, and show your tmimbs fre<e. You then re- 
 
4S PKESTTDIGITATION, 
 
 quest the hat may again be placed over your hands, 
 and blowing upon it, you say, "Be tied," slipping 
 your thumbs under the tape again ; and when the 
 hat is removed, youi- thumbs will appear tied as at 
 fast Alter perfonning the tiick, convey the tape 
 away, lest it be detected. 
 
 CURIOUS METHOD OF MEASURING THE HEIGHT OF 
 A TREE. 
 
 To ascertain the height of an object, a peculiar 
 method of measurement is in use among the Isthmus 
 Indians. In measui'ing the height of a tree, for in- 
 stance, a man proceeds fiom its base to a point where, 
 on turning the back towards it, and putting the head 
 between the legs, he can just see the top ; at the spot 
 where he is able to do this he makes a mark on the 
 ground to the base of the tree ; the distance will be 
 equal to the height. 
 
 THE ERRATIC EGG. 
 
 Transfer the egg from one wine glass to another, 
 and back again to its original position, without touch- 
 ing the egg or glasses, or allowing any person or any 
 thing to touch them. To perfomi this ti'ick, all that, 
 you have to do, is to blow smartly on one side of the 
 egg, and it will hop into the next glass ; repeat this 
 and it will hop back again. 
 
 ADVANTAGEOUS WAGER. 
 
 Request a lady to lend you a watch. Examine it, 
 and give a guess as to its value : then offer to lay the 
 ownerawaffer, considerably below the real value of 
 the watch, tiiat she will not answer to three questiona 
 
OR, MAGIC MADE EAST. 49 
 
 which you will put to her consecutively, "My watch.'* 
 Show her the watch, and say, " What is this I hold 
 ip my hand ?" she, of course, will not fail to reply, 
 ^ My watch. " Next present to her notice some other 
 object, repeating the same question. If she name 
 the object you present, she loses the wager ; but if 
 she be on her guard, and remembering her stake, 
 she says, " My watch," she must of course, win ; and 
 you therefore, to divert her attention, should observe 
 to her, " you are certain to win the stake, but sup- 
 posing I lose, what will you give me f and if confi- 
 dent of success, she replies for the third time, '' My 
 watch," then take it and leave her the wager agreed 
 on. 
 
 TO CAUSE WINE AND WATER TO CHANGE PLACES. 
 
 Fill a small narrow-necked bulb with port wine, 
 or with water and colored spirit of wine, and put the 
 bulb into a tall, narrow glass jar, which is then to be 
 filled up with cold water ; immediately, the colored 
 fluid will issue from the bulb, and accumulate on the 
 surface of the water in the jar, while colorless water 
 will be seen accumulating at the bottom of the bulb. 
 By close inspection, the descending current of the 
 water may also be observed, and the colored and the 
 colorless Uquids be seen to pass each other in the 
 narrow-neck of the bulb without mixing. The whole 
 of the colored fluid will shortly have ascended, and 
 the bulb will be enth-ely filled with clear water. 
 
 THE MIRACULOUS APPLE. 
 
 To divide an apple into several parts, without 
 breaking the rind. Pass a needle and thread under 
 the rind of the apple, which is easily done by putting 
 the needle in again at the same hole it came out of; 
 
 4 
 
*0 PRESTIDiaiTATION, 
 
 and so passing on till you have gone round the ap- 
 ple. Then take both ends of the thread in your 
 hands and draw it out, by which means the apple 
 will be divided into two parts. In the same manner 
 you may di\ide it into as many parts as you please, 
 and yet the rind will remain entire. Present the ap- 
 ple to any one to peel, and it will immediately iall to 
 pieces. 
 
 THE FLYING COINS. 
 Take two eagles, or rather brass imitations, and 
 grind them down until they are reduced to half their 
 thickness. Do the same with two quartei' dollars, 
 and fasten them accurately together, so that you 
 will have tAvo coins, each having one silver face, and 
 one brass face. Take one of them in each hand, 
 showing the silver side of one and the brass side of 
 another, and offer to change them vidthout moving 
 your arms. Shut your hands and the coins will timi 
 over. Then, on opening them again, they will ap- 
 pear to have changed from one hand into the other. 
 
 THE HATCHED BIRD. 
 Separate an egg in the middle as nearly as possi- 
 ble, empty it, and then, with a fine piece of paper 
 and a little glue, join the two halves together, having 
 fii'st put a live canary bird inside it, which will con- 
 tinue unhurt in it for some time, provided you make 
 a small pin hole in the shell to supply the bu'd with 
 air ; have, also, a whole egg in readiness. Present 
 the two eggs for one to be chosen; put the egg, 
 which contains the bu*d, next to the person who is 
 to choose, and for this purpose be sure to select a 
 lady ; she naturally chooses the nearest to her, be- 
 eauge, having no idea of the trick to be performed, 
 
OR, MAGIC MADE EAST. 51 
 
 there is no apparent reason to take the fiirtSier one ; 
 at any rate, if the wrong one be taken, yon do not 
 fail in the trick, for you break the egg, and say, 
 " You see that this egg is fair and fresh madam, so 
 you would have found the other, if you had chosen 
 it. Now, do you choose to find in it a mouse, or a 
 canary bird f She naturally declares for the bird ; 
 nevertheless, if she ask for the mouse, there are 
 means to escape ; you ask the same question of sev- 
 eral ladies, and gather the majority of votes, which, 
 in all probability, will be in favor of the bird, which 
 you then produce. 
 
 MAGIC BREATH. 
 
 Half fill a glass tumbler with lime-water s breathe 
 into it frequently, at the same time stirring it with a 
 piece of glass. The fluid, which before was perl'ect- 
 ly transparent, will presently become quite white, 
 and if allowed to remain at rest, real chalk will be 
 deposited. 
 
 TWO BITTE^RS MAKE A SWEET. 
 
 It has been discovered that a mixture of nitrate of 
 silver with hyposulphate of soda, both of which are 
 remarkably bitter, will produce the sweetest known 
 substance. 
 
 VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. 
 
 Write with French chalk on a looking-glass ; wipe 
 it with a handherchief, and the lines will disappear ; 
 breathe on it, and they will re-appear. This alterna- 
 tion will take place for a great number of times, and 
 after the lapse of a considerable period. 
 
5X PRKSTIDIGrrATION, 
 
 TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF FLOWERS. 
 
 Hold over a lighted match a purple columbine, or 
 a blue larkspur, and it will change first to pink and 
 then to black. The yellow of other flowers, held as 
 above, will continue unchanged. Thus, the purple 
 tint will instantly disappear from a heart' s-ease, but 
 the yellow will remain ; and the yellow of a wall- 
 flower will continue the same, though the brown 
 streak will be discharged. K a scarlet, crimson or 
 maroon dahUa be tried, the color will change to yel- 
 low, a fact known to gardeners, who by this mode 
 variegate their growing dahlias. 
 
 THE MAGIC WHHILPOOL. 
 
 Fill a glass tumbler with water, throw upon its 
 surface a few fi^agments or thin shavings of camphor, 
 and they will instantly begin to move, and acquire a 
 motion both progressive and rotary, which will con- 
 tinue for a considerable time. During these rota- 
 tions, if the water be touched by any substance 
 which is at all greasy, the floating particles will quick- 
 ly dai-t back, and as if by a stroke of magic, be in- 
 stantly deprived of their motion. In like manner, if 
 thin slices of cork be steeped in sulphuric ether in a 
 closed bottle for two or three days, and then placed 
 upon the water, they will rotate for several minutes, 
 like the camphor, until the slices of cork having dis- 
 charged their ether, and become soaked with water, 
 they will keep at rest. If the water be made hot, 
 the motion of the camphor will be more rapid than 
 in cold water, but it will cease in proportionately less 
 time Thus provide two glasses, one containing wa- 
 ter at fifty-eight degrees, and the other at two hun- 
 
OR, MAGIC HADS EAST. 5B 
 
 dred and ten degrees ; place raspings of camphor 
 upon each at the same time ; the camphor in the first 
 glass will rotate for about five hours, until all but a 
 minute portion has evaporated, while the rotation of 
 the camphor in the hot water ^vill last only nineteen 
 minutes ; about half the camphor will pass off, and 
 the remaining pieces, instead of being dull, white 
 and opaque, will be vitreous and transparent, and 
 evidently soaked with water. The gyrations, too, 
 which at first will be very rapid, will gradually de- 
 cUne in velocity, until they become quite sluggish. 
 The stilling influence of oil upon Avater has become 
 proverbial ; the extraordinary manner in which a 
 small quantity of oil instantly spreads over a very 
 large surface of troubled water, and the stealthy 
 manner in which even a rough wind glides over it, 
 must have excited the admiration of all who have 
 witnessed it. By the same princi})lc a drop of oil 
 may be made to stop the motion of the camphor, as 
 follows : — Throw some camphor, both in slices and 
 in small particles, upon tlie surihce of water, and 
 while they are rotating., dip a glass rod into oil of 
 tm-pentine, and allow a single drop thereof to trickle 
 down the inner side of the glass to tlie surface of the 
 water ; the camphor will instantly dart to the oppo- 
 site point of the liquid surface, and cease to rotate. 
 If a piece of hard tallow or lard be employed, the 
 motion of the camphor will be more slowly stopped 
 than by oil or fluid grease, as the hitter spreads over 
 the surface of the water with greater rapidity. 
 
 If a few drops of sulphuric or muriatic acid be let 
 fall into the water, they will gradually stop the mo- 
 tion of the camphor; but if camphor be dropped into 
 nitric acid diluted with its own bulk of watei;;, it will 
 
54 prestu)igitatio:n, 
 
 rotate rapidly for a few seconds and then stop. If a 
 piece of the rotating camphor be attentively exam- 
 ined with a lens, the currents of the water can be 
 well distinguished, jetting out, chiefly from the cor- 
 ners of the camphor, and bearing it round with ir- 
 regular force. The currents, as given out by the 
 camphor, may also be seen by means of the micro- 
 scope ; a drop or two of pure water bemg placed up- 
 on a slip of glass, with a particle of camphor floating 
 upon it. By this means the current may be detect- 
 ed, and it will be seen that they cause the rotations. 
 Or a flat watch-glass, called a lunar, nmy be employ- 
 ed, raised a few inches, and supported on a wire ring, 
 kept steady by thrusting one end into an upright 
 piece of wood, like a retort stand. Then put the 
 camphor and water in the watch-glass, and place un- 
 der the frame a sheet of white paper, so that it may 
 receive the shadow of the glass, camphor, &c., to be 
 cast by a steady light placed above, and somewhat 
 on one side of the watch-glass. On observing the 
 shadow, which may be considered a magnified rep- 
 resentation of the object itself, the rotations and cur- 
 rents can be distinguished. 
 
 TO MAKE ARTIFICIAL MAGNETS. 
 
 This may be done by stroking a piece of hard steel 
 with a natural or artificial magnet Take a common 
 sewing-needle, and pass the north pole of a magnet 
 from the eye to the point, pressing it gently in so 
 doing. After reaching the end of the needle, the 
 magnet must not be passed back again towards the 
 eye, but must be lifted up and applied again to that 
 end> the friction being always in the same direction. 
 
OR, MAGIC MADE EAST. 55 
 
 After repeating this for a few times, the needle will 
 become magnetized, and attract ii'on filings, &c. 
 
 THE MAGIC com. 
 
 Among the numerous experiments w^ith which sci- 
 ence astonishes and sometimes even strikes terror 
 into the ignorant, there is none more calculated to 
 produce this effect than that oY displaying to the eye 
 in absolute darkness the legend or inscription upon 
 a coin. To do this, take a silver coin, an old one, 
 and after polishing the surface as much as possible, 
 make the parts of it which are raised, rough by the 
 action of an acid, the parts not raised, or those which 
 are to be rendered darkest, retaining their poUsh. If 
 the coin thus prepared is placed upon a mass of red- 
 hot u*on, and removed into a dark room, the inscrip- 
 tion upon it will become less luminous than the rest, 
 so that it may be distinctly read by the spectator. 
 The mass of red-hot iron should be concealed from 
 the observer's eye, both for the purpose of rendering 
 the eye fitter for observing the effect, and of rei^c''^- 
 ing all doubt that the inscription is really read in the 
 dark, that is, without receiving any light, direct or 
 reflected, from any other body. If, in place of pol- 
 ishing the depressed parts, and roughening its raised 
 parts, we make the raised parts polished, and rough- 
 en the depressed parts, the inscription will now be 
 less luminous than the depressed parts. 
 
 THE ROPE-TYmG FEAT. 
 
 The rope should be of a firm, smooth quality, about 
 five or six yards long. Take it by the left hand in 
 the centre, holding it between the left thumb and 
 for^l^ger perpendicularly before you. Tak© hoid 
 
66 PRESTIDIGITATION, 
 
 with the right hand of the upper end of the rope, 
 about a foot above where you are holding with the 
 left hand ; bring the two thumbs together, placing 
 the portion of rope in the right hand behind the por 
 tion akeady under the left thumb ; this will make a 
 loop about fom- inches in diameter, leaning on the 
 left hand side of the first end of the rope, which is 
 still hanging straight before you ; then pass the sec- 
 ond end over the thumb and through the loop, and 
 pull the end through ; then pass the right hand about 
 six inches along the second end, and double it into 
 a loop, and pass the double portion held in the right 
 hand under the portion covering the left thumb, in 
 the direction of the loop abeady formed in the left 
 hand, letting the second end hang down in the cen- 
 tre by the side of the first end ; pull tight the two 
 side portions of the loops, and the knot is complete. 
 You will ttien have two looj^s large enough to pass 
 the hands through, and the two long ends which 
 will slip freely to and fi^o when you hold the knot. 
 When the lights are extinguished, the operator first 
 of all makes the knot ; he then passes one of the 
 ends of the rope through each of the holes in the 
 seat, or through the curved back of a chair He 
 then knots the two ends together, a few inches un- 
 derneath. This is apparently to prevent the operator 
 rising from his seat, but it also enables him to get a 
 straight, even pull on both loops. He then seats 
 himself, the cords are tied tight round the ankles, 
 then brought up to the knees, fastened securely round 
 them and the ends fastened anywhere, it does not 
 matter where, so that they cannot be reached by the 
 mouth. The operator then thrusts his hands into 
 the loops, extends his legs an inch or two, the knot 
 
OR, MAGIC MADB EAST. 57 
 
 is drawn tight, the lights are called for, and he is 
 found, not only apparently, but really, tightly bound. 
 Extinguish the lights, and in the twinkling of an 
 eye the legs are relaxed, the loops slackened, the 
 hands withdrawn, and the operator is free to wave 
 guitars, to play tambourines, to take off his coat, to 
 touch anybody he can reach, to strike objectionable 
 committee-men sharply on the head, and in fact to 
 do anything that the spiritual agency or the new 
 physical force is supposed to do for him. 
 
 A HANDKERCHIEF MARKED, CUT, TORN, MENDED 
 
 Two persons in the company are requested to 
 come forward to the stage. Put into their hands a 
 handkerchief which they are to hold by the four cor- 
 ners. Then beg several other handkerchiefs among 
 the audience, and as you receive them, put them in- 
 to the first, to make a parcel of When you have 
 accumulated a dozen, the two persons who hold the 
 heap shall desire a third spectator to draw out one 
 at hazard. He is desired to examine the mark and 
 number (if there be any) and to cut off a Uttle bit 
 with a pair of scissors. Others may then also cut 
 off pieces, if they wish, and finally the handkerchief 
 is torn to pieces. You collect all these shreds and 
 rags, on which you throw some drug or spirits ; fold 
 them up ; tie them strongly with a ribbon, to com- 
 press them into a small compass, and put them un- 
 der a glass which you warm with your hands. At 
 last, after an interval of a few seconds, you remove 
 the handkerchief to fold it ; every one recognizes 
 the mark, and the audience are amazed not to find 
 the slightest tear in it. This operation, which has 
 produced so general a deception, is very simple. 
 
58 PRESTIDIGITATION, 
 
 You have an understanding with some one in the 
 company, Avho having two handkerchiefs precisely 
 similar, has akeady given one to the confederate be- 
 hind the curtain, throws the other on the stage, for 
 the performance of the trick. You manage that this 
 one shall lie at the top of the others, although pre- 
 tending to mingle them by chance. The person to 
 whom you apply to select one, naturally takes the 
 uppermost; you beg him to turn them topsy-turvy, 
 pretending to make the trick more difficult, and hav- 
 ing done so yourself, to replace at the top the one 
 required. You address some one more good-natured 
 and less cleai'-sighted^ who will naturally take the 
 one most easily got at. When the handkerchief has 
 been torn and folded, you put it under a glass on a 
 table, near a partition (or near the curtain.) A small 
 trap, beneath which is a drawer to receive the hand- 
 kerchief, is on the spot, on which you place the glass. 
 The confederate, concealed behind the curtain, puts 
 his arm under, to exchange the one handkerchief for 
 the other. He then closes the trap, wliich, fitting 
 exactly ^vith the hole it covers, only appears to be 
 part of the table top, and thus deceives the most in- 
 credulous and clear-sighted of the spectators. 
 
 TO GUESS THE CARD THOUGHT OF. 
 
 To perform this trick, the number of cards must 
 be divisible by 3, and it is more convenient that the 
 number should be odd. Deshe a person to think of 
 a card ; place the cards on the table with theii* faces 
 downwards, and taking them up in order, an-ange 
 them in three heaps, with their faces upwards, and 
 in such a manner that the first card of the pack shall 
 be fiist in the first heap, the second the first in the 
 
OR, MAGIC MADE EASY. 59 
 
 second heaj), and the third the first of the third ; the 
 fourjththe second of the first, and so on. When the 
 heaps are completed, ask the person in which the 
 card he thought of is, and when he tells yon, place 
 that heap in the middle ; then turning up the packet, 
 form three heaps, as before, and again inquire in 
 which heap the card thought of is ; form the three 
 heaps afresh, place the heap containing the card 
 thought of again in the centre, and ask which of 
 them contains the card. When this is known, place 
 it as before, between the otlier two, and again form 
 three heaps, asking the same question. Then take 
 up the heaps for the last time, put that containing 
 the card thought of in the middle, and place the 
 packet on the table with the faces downwards, turn 
 up the cards till you count half the number of those 
 contained in the packet, twelve, for example, if there 
 be twenty-four, in which case the twQlfth card will 
 be the one the person thought of If the number of 
 the cards be at the same time odd, and divisible by 
 three, such as fifteen, twenty-one, twenty-seven, &c., 
 the trick will be much easier, for the card thought of 
 will always be that in the middle of the heap in 
 which it is found the third time, so that it may be 
 easily distinguished without counting the cards ; in 
 reality, nothing is necessary but to remember, while 
 you are arranging the heap for the third time, the 
 card in the middle one of each. Suppose, for exam- 
 ple, that the middle card of the first heap be the ace 
 of spades ; that the second be the king of hearts ; 
 and that the third be the knave of honrts ; if you are 
 told that the heap containing the required card* is the 
 third, that card must be the knave of hearts. You 
 may therefore have the cai'ds shuffled, without troub- 
 
60 rHESTIBIGITATION, 
 
 ling them any more ; and then, looking them over 
 for form's sake, may name the knave of hearts when 
 it occm-s. - * 
 
 THE CIKCLE OF FOUETEEN CARDS. 
 
 To turn down fourteen cards which lie in a cii'cle 
 upon the table, observing to turn down only those 
 cards at which you count the number seven. To do 
 this you must bear in mind the card wliich you first 
 turn down. Begin counting fi-om any card from one 
 to seven, and turn the seventh card down, etc., etc. 
 When you come to the card which you first turned 
 down, you skip it, passing on to the next, and so on 
 until all the cards are turned. This is a very enter- 
 taining trick. 
 
 TO GUESS THE CARDS WHICH FOUR PERSONS HAVE 
 FIXED THEIR THOUGHTS UPON. 
 
 You take four cards, show them to the first person, 
 request him to select one of them in thought, and lay 
 them aside. Then take four other cards, let a sec- 
 ond person choose one of them, place these fom- cards 
 upon the table beside the first four, but a little apart. 
 Proceed in the same way with the third and fourth 
 pei^on. You now take the first person's four cards, 
 and lay them separately, side by side. Upon these 
 fom' cards you place the four cards of the second per- 
 son in the same order, and so with the fbur cards of 
 the third and fourth person. You now show each 
 pile to the four persons, one afber the other, asking 
 each in which pile he finds the card he has thought 
 of. As soon as you know this you discover the cards 
 thought of in the following order • — The card thought 
 of by tJae first person, is of com-se, the first in the 
 
OR, MAGIC MADE EAST. 61 
 
 pile in which he says it is contained ; the second per- 
 son's the second in the pile, so also the third and 
 fourth person's card is the thkd and fourth of the 
 pile. 
 
 TO PLACE TWELVE CAEDS IN SUCH A MANNER THAT 
 YOU CAN COUNT FOUR IN EVERY DIRECTION. 
 
 You take twelve cards in your hand, and lay nine 
 of them in a square, that is, three by three, in a row. 
 The remaining three cards you distribute in the fol- 
 lowing manner : — One of them you place upon the 
 right hand card of the upper row, the second upon 
 the middle card of the middle row, and the third 
 upon the left hand card of the lowest row. In this 
 way you can count four cai'ds in every direction. 
 
 TO SHOW IN YOUR HAND A CARD THAT YOU HAVE 
 JUST THROWN OUT OF THE WINDOW. 
 
 You allow one of the company to draw away any 
 card he pleases ; you then thi'ow it out of the win- 
 dow, and exclaim that you have it in the pack again. 
 You let the same person or another draw a card 
 again, and, strange to say, the card which he draws 
 will be the one you have just thrown out of the win- 
 dow. This trick is a very easy one, as the entke 
 pack consists of similar cards. It is necessary, how- 
 ever, to have an ordinary pack at hand, (in which 
 this particular card is wanting,) in order to substi- 
 tute it for the prepared pack and exhibit it to the 
 company. 
 
 TO EAT A PECK OF PAPER SHAVINGS, AND CONVERT 
 THEM INTO RIBBON. 
 
 Shouts of laughter generally arise from the audi 
 
62 FREBTIDiaiTATION, 
 
 ence while the magician "stows away" down his 
 bottomless throat the heaps of paper before him ; but 
 when he '* brings up" yards upon yards of, ribbon, 
 as a proof of bad digestion, the " splitting sides bm^st 
 with applause." This, -like all the best illusions, is 
 exceedingly simple ; but, to carry it off well, requires 
 a little gesticulation and comic spirit in the illusion- 
 ist. Procure fifteen separate yards of different col- 
 ored ribbon, of that width as is sold at about three 
 cents a yard ; sew them together to form one length, 
 joining the contrasting colors ; then roll it up neatly 
 round itself, and it will be about the size of four half 
 dollars put together. Now obtain some white paper 
 shavings from a book-binder ; shake them up lightly, 
 and they will look like a bushel. When you begin 
 the trick, take the roll of ribbon in the left, hand, 
 which with a few shavings is effectually hidden ; then 
 "set to" and eat your paper ; as you feed, by pre- 
 tending to thrust an extra handful down the throat 
 from time to time, you can easily manage to with- 
 draw masticated portions unseen and cany them 
 down to the ground, as you lift other " titbits " to 
 your mouth. After this has continued long enough, 
 that is, when your visitoi*s have laughed " till their 
 sides ache," the shavings are now and then pressed 
 up, which gives the appearance of diminished quan- 
 tity ; finally a last effort is made to " finish it," and 
 you then pop the roll of ribbon in the mouth, and 
 throwing the reijiaining shavings on the floor, you 
 take hold the end of the ribbon, and begin to unwind 
 it ; by di^awing it gradually from the mouth, it will 
 appear as though it came from the stomach ; the 
 teeth must be kept close enough to prevent the en- 
 tire roll from being pulled out altogether. When 
 
OR, MAGIC MADE EAJ5T. 65 
 
 cleverly performed, this trick is one of the best pieces 
 of fun the magician exhibits. 
 
 TO RAISE FIRE BY COMMAND. 
 
 A vessel containing a certain white powder is placed 
 upon the table by the wizard — the man who is held 
 in great awe by the juveniles on account of his seem- 
 ing supernatural powers, and yet beloved by them 
 because he affords them much pleasure by the exhi- 
 bition of his talent, to say nothing of the bon-bons, 
 apples, oranges, almonds, and sugar plums which he 
 causes to issue* from an apparently empty drawer or 
 handkerchief, and upon which they are allow^ed to 
 feast. This said wizard having placed the above 
 mentioned pow^der on the table, now advances, wav- 
 ing his wand and uttering the magic words, '' Cassa 
 felto presto^ aldihoronliphosJcophorniostkos^^^ when lo ! of 
 a sudden the room is lit up with a brilliant light, so 
 effulgent that it dims the eyes of the spectators ! 
 The secret is this : — The powder is composed of 
 equal weights of loaf sugar and chlorate of potash, 
 separately reduced to fine powder, and then well 
 mixed together. This is placed in some vessel, such 
 as a cup, or in fact anything that will prevent the 
 fire from injuring the table. When this powder is 
 touched with the least drop of sulphuric acid, it will 
 instantly burst into a flame ; if, therefore, the end of 
 the glass rod be dipped in the acid immediately be- 
 fore use, it will, on being brought into contact with 
 the deflagrating powder, cause it to ignite. 
 
 TO LIGHT A CANDLE WITHOUT TOUCHING THE WICK. 
 
 Let a candle burn until it has a good long snuff, 
 then blow it out with a sudden puff, a bright wreath 
 
64 FRESTIDIGITATION, 
 
 of white smoke will curl up from the hot wick ; now, 
 if a flame be appHed to this smoke, even at a distance 
 of tw^o or three inches from' the candle, the flame 
 will run down the smoke and re-kindle the wick in 
 a very fantastic manner. To perform this experi- 
 ment nicely, there must be no di*aught or '' banging 
 doors " while the mystic spell is rising. 
 
 THE THREE SPOONS. 
 
 This is a most capital trick, but it requnes a con- 
 federate's aid. Place three spoons crosswise on a 
 table, request any person to touch one, and assure 
 him you w^ill find out the one he touched by a single 
 inspection ; although you will leave the room w^hile 
 he does so, and even if he touches it so gently as 
 not to disarrange the order in which they are once 
 put in the slightest degree. You retire ; and when 
 he gives you notice to enter, walk up to the table 
 and inspect the spoons, as if trying to ascertain 
 whether there are any finger-marks upon them, and 
 then decide. Your confederate, of coiu'se, makes 
 some sign, previously agreed upon, to give you no- 
 tice which is the identical spoon ; the actions may 
 be, touching a button of his jacket for the top spoon, 
 touching his chin for the second, and putting his 
 finger to his lips may signify the lowest ; but the 
 precise actions are immaterial, so that the spoon they 
 indicate be understood. 
 
Fancy !Pliotograplis, 
 
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 STATUARY, GLASSfCAL, GRA6EF11L ANB NUBE 
 
 Figures, Comic and Faney Pieture$, &,c. Price only 15 eti. m 
 
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 Any of the following books will be securely wrapped and 
 sent by mail post-paid to any address on receipt of the printed 
 price which is in no case higher than the same would cost at 
 the publishers counter. Order your books (of any and all 
 kinds) only of the old established dealers. 
 
 HUNTER & CO., Hinsdale, N. H. 
 
 The^eoret Out; or One Thousand Tricks idth Cards. A 
 Book which explains all the Tricks and Deceptions with Play- 
 ing Cards ever known or invented. This book contains, in ad- 
 dition to its numerous Card Tricks above described, full and 
 easily understood explanations of some two hundred and forty 
 of the most curious, amusing, and interesting Sleigh t-of-Hand 
 Tricks ever invented, and wiiich are illustrated by Engravings 
 to make each Trick understood with ease. Illustrated by 
 about 300 Engravings, and bound in a handsome gilt binding. 
 It contains about foiir hundred images. Price $1.S9 
 
 The Magician's Own Book, containing several hundred 
 amusing Magnetical, Electrical and Chemical Experiments, 
 Sleight-of-Hand and Card Tricks, Perplexing Puzzles, Enter- 
 taining Tricks and Questions in Numbers, Secret Writing ex- 
 plained. Illustrated with over 500 Wood Engravings, 12mo, 
 cloth, 'gilt side and back stamp, 400 pages. Price $1.50 
 
 The Art of Dancing. Historically Illustrated. By 
 Edward Ferrero. To w^hich are added Hints on Etiquette — 
 the Figures, Steps, and Necessary Instruction for the Perform- 
 ance of tiie most Modern Dances. Also, 108 pages of Dancing 
 Muslc"for the Piano, consisting of the most Fashionable Quad- 
 rilles, Schottisches, Waltzes, Kedowas, Polkas, and other pop- 
 ular fancy dances. 12mo, clotb, illustrated. Price $1.5C 
 
 The S.^ciable ; or^ One Thousand and One Home Amusements. 
 Containing Acting Proverbs, Dramatic Charades, Acting Char 
 ades, or Drawing-room Pantomimes, Musical Burlesques, Tab 
 leaux Vivants, Parlor Games, Games of Action, Forfeits, Sci 
 encc in Sport and Parlor Magic, and a choice collection of cur 
 ious mental and mechanical puzzles, &c., illustrated with 
 nearly 800 Engravings and Diagrams, the whole being a fund oj 
 never CD ding entertainment. Bj^ the author of "The Magi- 
 cian's Own Book." Nearly 400 pages, 12mo, cloth, gilt side 
 stamp. '• The Sociable ; or, One Thousand and One Home 
 Amusem^cnts,' is a repertory of games and other entertainments, 
 calculated for the use of family parties, the fireside circle, or 
 or those social gatherings among friends and neighbors which 
 pass away the winter evenings with so much animation and de- 
 light. It is impossible for any company to exhaust all the 
 Bouurces of irreproachable mirth and mutual enjoyment produced 
 in this volume. Price $1.50 
 
 Send all orders only to 
 
 5 HUNTER & CO., Hinsdalo, N. H: ~ 
 
HAND-BOOKS FOE EVEEYBODY. 
 
 Only 15 Ccuts each; £ight for %1, 
 
 How TO Dress with Taste. Containing nmis upon the 
 harmony of colors, the theory of contrast, the complexion, 
 shape or hight, &c. This little volume forms a most suitable 
 companion for the toilet tahle ; and every Lady and Gentleman 
 should possess a copy. Price 15 cents. 
 
 Mind Your Stops. Punctuation made plain, and Compo- 
 sition simplified for Readers, Writers and Talkers. This little 
 book is worth ten times the price asked for it, and will teach 
 accuracy in everything, from the direction of a friendly letter 
 to the composition of a learned treatise. Price 15 cents. 
 
 Hard Words Made Easy. Rules for Pronunciation and 
 Accent, with instructions how to pronounce French, Italian, 
 German, Russian, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, and 
 other foreign names. A capital work. " Everybody, learned 
 or unlearned, should purchase this little Brochure — the only 
 cheap guide to pronunciation." Price 15 cents. 
 
 Courteney's Dictionary of Abbreviations: Literary, 
 Scientific, Commercial, Ecclesiastical, Military, Naval Legal and 
 Medical. A book of reference — 3000 abbreviations — for the so- 
 lution of all literary mysteries. By Edward S. C. Coukteney, 
 Esq. •' This is a very useful book. Everybody should get a 
 copy Price 15 cents. 
 
 Five Hundred French Phrases. Adapted for those -who 
 aspire to speak and write French correctly. The phrases here 
 given are selected for their general usefulness, and will greatly 
 assist the learner in his first efforts to converse in F'rench. 
 Nobody should be without a copy of this useful book. Price 
 16 cents. 
 
 Blunders in Behavior Corrected. A concise code of 
 Deportment for both sexes. " It will polish and refine either 
 Bex, and is Chesterfield superseded." — Home Companion. Price 
 15 cents. 
 
 How TO Detect Adulteration in our Daily Food and 
 Drink. A complete analj^sis of the frauds and deceptions 
 practised upon articles of consumption by storekeepers and 
 manufacturers ; with full directions to detect genuine from 
 spurious, by simple and inexpensive means. Price 15 cents. 
 
 The Young Housekeeper's Book; or, How to Have a Good 
 Living on a Small Income. Price 15 cents 
 
 How to be Healthy. Being a complete Guide to Long Life. 
 ^yA^.®^^<i_?^ysician.^' _6_ Price 15 cente^ 
 
Fun ! Fun ! ! Fun ! I I 
 
 LAUGH AND GROW FAT. 
 
 The Harp of a Thousand Strings ; or Laughter for a Life- 
 time,, A large book of nearly 400 pages. By the author of 
 Mrs. Paftington's Carpet Bag of Fun. Bound in a handsome 
 gilt cover. Containing more than a million laughs, and crowd- 
 ded full of Funny Stories, besides being Illustrated with over 
 Two Hundred Comical Engravings, by Darley, McLennan, Bel- 
 lew, etc. This is a perfect Ma^-azine of Fun, Frolicsome Fancy 
 and Folly ; of Load Laughable Laxatives for the Lachrymose ; 
 of Droll Doings for the Dolorous ; Ticklish Titterings for the 
 Tetchy ; and Robust Rollicks for the Rollicking. In short, it 
 is a complete Reservoir of Mirth-iorovoking, Care-killing, 
 Laughter-breeding, Merry-making, Fun-hatching, Jolly-good 
 Stories, Tough Yarns, Jokes, Travesties, Doggerels, and apt 
 Hits at the Times. The pictures are all original, designed by 
 some of our best Artists (including Darlty,) and the collection 
 of droll conceits and queer stoi^ies is unsurjDassed, having been 
 several years in preparation. It is a book of nearly four hun- 
 dred pages, with tinted frontispiece by Darley. Price $1.50 
 
 The Plate of Chowder ; A Dish for Funny Fellows^ Ap- 
 • propriately Illustrated with 100 Comic Engravings. By the 
 author of Mrs. Partington's Cai-pet-Bag of Fun. If you want 
 the drollest and most comical collection of Stories and Jokes 
 ever printed, and laughable pictures to match, buy this book. 
 We defy any x^erson to keep a straight face, or his buttons on 
 his clothes, either, when he reads any of the Queer Tales in the 
 Plate of Chowder. It will soften the countenance ot the Sour- 
 est old hunker — make a vinegar visaged ancient maiden smile 
 — drive away the blues from a hypochondriac — and cause even 
 a defeated candidate for Congress to laugh out the ri^ht side 
 of his mouth. 12mo, paper cover. Only 25 cents. 
 
 The Extroadinary and Mirth-Provoking Adventures^ 
 BY Sea and Land, of Oscar Shanghai. Illustrated by nearly 
 200 engravings. All told in a series of nearly two hundred of 
 the most risible, quizzable, provoking, peculiar, saucy, and spi- 
 cy cuts ever gathered within the leaves of any one book. All 
 fond of a hearty laugh, here is amusement for many a merry 
 hcmr. Price 30 cents. 
 
 Charley White's Ethiopian Joke Book. Being a perfect 
 Casket of Fun, the first and only work of the kind ever pub- 
 lished. Containing a full expose of all the most laughable 
 'Jokes;^ Stories, Witticisms, &c., as told by the celebrated 
 Ethiopian Comedian, Charles White. 18mo., 94 pages. Pric§ 
 
THfi TWO GllEAT BOORS. 
 
 THE ROGUES AND ROGUERIES 
 
 OF NEW YORK. 
 
 Containing Exposures of all the Traps and Pitfalls of New York and other 
 great cities, and of all the Swindles carried on through the mail. Many 
 thousand copies of this work have been sold, and the testimony in its favor 
 is universal. Itshowsupfhe Secret Side of Rascality, explains how all 
 Humbugs are carried on, and is full of Stories and Anecdotes about Ras- 
 tals and Humbugs If you Avant to know about any particular "dodge," 
 ©r if you wish to know who and what persons and things are "Catch-pen- 
 nies " Or " Gouges," read ''Rogues and Rogueries." It is Interesting 
 us well as Instructive. 124 large pages. P ice only 30 cents. 
 
 ALSO, JUST PUBLISHED, 
 
 UNIFORM WITH 'ROGUES AND ROGUERIES, THE 
 
 Mght Side of New York. 
 
 A MOST INTENSELY INTERESTING WORK. 
 
 Depicting, in vived rnd glowing style, the varied sights and scenes of the 
 Great Metropolis after dark. Here will be found descriptions of the 
 Haunts of the Pugilist and 1 hief *, the Gilded Saloon wt ere the Fashiona- 
 ble Gainbler plucks his Fat Pigerns ; as well as the low Gamblii g Hells, 
 where the Three-Penny Faro Keeper robs ' his victims 5 The Fashionable 
 Club-Houses, and the squalid Dens of Misery and Crime; The Minstrel 
 Headquarters, afi^er the cork is off; The Tombs; The Station-Houses ; 
 The C( ck-pits ; The Palaces of Yice, and the Vile Dens of Jnfani^^ ; The 
 Gin-Mills and Drinking Holes ; Scenes of Fashionable Life among the 
 '^ Upper Ten ;" and all the p- culiarities of the Great City at Night. Every 
 scene described, r^nd every statement made in this book, is strictly true. 
 There is no exaggeration, for none is needed. The simple narration of 
 facts is more powt rful and entrancing than any fiction could possibly be. 
 The wcrk shows you New York just as it is ; and every one who desires to 
 be " posted," Avill read it. There is no pandering to a vitiated taste; but 
 the vilest and most iniquitous scenes are described in an unexceptional 
 manner. A large book printed on fine paper. Price 30 cents mailed free. 
 Either of the above books will be mailed to any address poet-paid for 30 
 cents each or both together for only 50 cents. Address 
 
 HUNTER & CO, 
 
 Publishers, 
 8 Hinsdale, N. H. 
 
A BOOK FOR EVERY BOY. 
 BOYS! FARMERS! HUNTERS! 
 
 Hii-iitiiig, FisKing", Trapping:. 
 
 i77oiF?FLDl:¥lv[VB^^ 
 
 AND 
 
 rRAPPER'S COMPANION. 
 
 The only Cheap work on Hunting, Fishing, Trapping, &c., &c, 
 Ind the best book on the subject, at any price. Do not pay ^1 
 er $2 for other books — printed in larger type — but buy this for 
 only 26 cents, — which contains all that is useful and worth 
 knowing. A.s proof of its immense success, we would state, 
 that from Oct. 1st to Feb. 1st, the Publishers sold over fifteen 
 thousand copies. 
 
 Read the following partial table of contents ; 
 
 To the Reader, Preface, Season for trapping, The Art of Trap- 
 ping, Poisoning, How it is done, The **Dead Fall," and how it 
 ie made, Steel Traps, how to make and use them, Why Traps 
 are the best. The Sliding Pole, Baiting Animals, How to Attend 
 Traps, How Many One Man can Attend to, Capturing Animals. 
 The Mink, how to bait and catch it, The Muskrat, The Marten, 
 The Sable, The Fisher, The Fox, The Otter, The Beaver, The 
 Raccoon, The Wolf, The Bear, The Badger, The Wild Cat, The 
 Lynx, The American Panther and the Wolverine, The Skunk, 
 The Opossum, The Squirrel, The Woodchuck, The Deer, and 
 the Moose. Do you want to know the habits of these animals, 
 also, how to hunt, trap and catch them, read the Hunter's 
 Guide. It tells how to Cure Skins, — all about Stretching Skins, 
 — the Board-Stretcher, the Muskrat-Stretcher. Particular Di- 
 rections and Secrets how to Dress and Tan the Hides of the 
 Muskrat, Otter, Fox, Beaver, Mink, Raccoon, Bear, &c., &c.; 
 All about Dyeing Hides, — to color Buckskin Buff, Black, 
 Brown, Remarks on Tanning, on Oil Dressing, Dressing Deer 
 Skins ; The Vade-Mecum, or Useful Companion, — how to make 
 ttie Birch Canee, the Dug-Out, or Log Canoe, Batteaux; The 
 (12) (See next pape.) 
 
Profits of Trapping,— How much you can make, Late Price filst 
 of all Furs, &c., from Bear to Rabbit and Skunk ; Fishing, — 
 Fishing in Winter, Fishing with Nets, Spearing Salmon, Trout; 
 Half a Dozen Secret Arts, — Chinese Art of Fishing ; Trapping 
 and Hunting JsTarratives, — Head Waters of the Penobscot, by . 
 Rer. John Todd ; A Young Trapper's Experience, by John P. 
 Hutchins, (worth a dollar to any boy.) The book also contains 
 many other desirable features. If you want ** Hunter's Se- 
 crets," ''Fishing Secret?'* "Tanning Recipes," don't pay $1 to 
 $5. Buy this book for h "quarter." There are three recipes iii 
 it that cost FIVE dollars each. It will tell you all any book 
 can, and instead of being got up in large type and heavy cov- 
 ers, &c., &c., to 7nake money on j it is got up in fine type, 64 
 pages, paper cover, for ONLY 25 CENTS. We have, however, 
 printed an edition on Elegant, White Paper, bound in Cloth, 
 Full Gilt, which we sell at 50 cts. per copy. This edition will 
 suit those who wish a Nice Book to keep ; but the contents are 
 the same as the 25 cent edition. Do you want to know all 
 aJbout Hunting, Trapping, &c., read this book. It will tell you 
 all about Traps, all about the Characters of different Animals, 
 all about how to Tan and Cure all kinds of Hides and Furs, 
 and how to Color them. It gives directions in plain words, 
 that any boy can understand, and it will prove of great value. 
 A Veteran Trapper, who bought one of these books in Novem- 
 ber, 1868, writes us January 23d, 1869, saying: "Your book is 
 valuable. I've tried Hunting and Trapping for thirty-seven 
 years, and already by the use of some of the directions in your 
 book, I have caught morQ game in one month, than I usually 
 did in the whole seasoa. It will revolutionize Hunting and 
 Trapping." Remember, it costs, 
 
 Paper Cover, 25 Cents. Cloth, Gilt? 50 Cents, 
 
 SOLD BY ALL BOOKSTORES AVD NEWSDEALERS. 
 
 MAILED POSTPAID FOE 25 CENTS. 
 
 Every Dealer should order a supply. Every boy will buy it 
 who sees it. 
 
 Every dealer should order it from the Wholesale dealer. 
 All the News Companies sell this work. 6 copies sent postpaid 
 for only $1. Send for it. Address all mail orders to the pub- 
 Ushers, 
 
 IIirjVTEB & CO., Hinsdale, N. H. 
 
 (13) 
 
Patented December 24, 1867, and October 13, 1868, in the United State«. 
 
 Patented in England, October 13, 1868. Patented also in France 
 
 and other Foreign Countries. 
 
 Will Color Gray Hair a Permanent Brown or Black. 
 
 The Invention consists of a concentrated, solidified, Chemi- 
 cally Prepared Dye, that contains no Poison, and will in no way 
 ipjure the Hair, the Health, or Skin. The Preparation is per- 
 fectly harmless, with which the Teeth of the Comb are covered. 
 
 Directions. — Wash the Hair clean with soap and water, 
 while the Hair or Beard is wet ; First, use the A side of the 
 Comb upon it ; second, the B side, thereby depositing a small 
 portion of the Dye upon the Hair, which will produce a per- 
 manent glossy 
 
 BLACK ORBROW^N. 
 
 As you choose, that will not fade or grow dim. Full directions 
 accompany each Comb, plainly printed on the box. We do 
 know, when carefully and properly used, it is the cheapest Dye 
 ever used, as well as the neatest and most perfect Dye in the 
 world ; and is so compact, that it can be carried in the pocket, 
 with no fear of breaking. No slop or stain arising from its use. 
 Buy one and you will forever discard all other Mair Dyes. 
 
 • ♦ 9 
 
 Be^vrare of* Oounterfeits I 
 
 None Genuine, unless they bear our Trade Mark, on the Comb and Box. 
 Whoever will send us proof that other parties, than the Magic Comb Company, 
 are making Magic Combs, will be liberally rewarded, as we shall prosecute any 
 infringements upon our patents, to the extent of the law. 
 
 Fob Sale by all respectable Druggists, General and Fancy Stores. Ask for the 
 Comb, and if they have not got them, tell them where to send and get them for 
 you. 
 
 One Coub sent by mail, post-paid, to any address, on receipt of $1.25. Price 
 List sent to Dealers, when desired. All communications must be addressed to 
 HUNTER & CO., Gener»l Agents, Hinsdale, N. H. 
 
 ■ ♦ • ■ 
 
 OPINIONS OF THE PRESS, 
 
 The Comb is at once so convenient and effective, that its merits are immedi- 
 ately appreciated, and its popularity at once achieved.— <S^rtnft^eW Bepvblican. 
 
 It is the cheapest method oi dyeing the hair and whiskers, and has oeen thor> 
 onghly tested —^ar</ord Times, 
 
 It tu^ been thoroughly tested, and has the advantage over the usual method* 
 of colohng that any one can use it. — Springfield Union. 
 
 It leaves ttxe hair as soft and glossy, as if no dye had been applied.— .^m«rtc<m 
 Artizan. 
 
 It is free from poisonous substances; it is small, convenient to carry, and de- 
 cidedly ahead of any liquid dye in the market.— iSprt«fl/ieW Evening Kew$. 
 
 One Magic Comb will go as far in coloring hair, or beard, as two Dottles of or- 
 dinary hair dye, — Religio-Philosophical Journal. 
 
 The Magic Comb is one of the neatest and most valuable inventions of the day. 
 Wherever introduced it is having a large and steadj' sale, for the good reason 
 that it does away with all necessity for the use of poisonous and disagreeable hair 
 dyes.— iTett; Hampshire Sentinel, Feb. 4, 1869. 
 
 It is the very paragon ; it is the means of toilet, disguise, contrast and increase 
 of beauty as you ^'m.— Springfield Evening Newt, (I4> 
 
Clark's Patent Indelible Pencil, 
 
 For Marking Linen, &o* 
 » ♦ > 
 
 This pencil is Bimilar to the ordinary lead pencil, and will make a clear blaek 
 mark that will remain after years of wear and washing. It is a great improve- 
 ment over ink, as it will not dry up; and can be used with much greater dis- 
 patch and economy, aa there is no risk in blotting. No preparation being re- 
 quired except the dampening of the fabric to be marked, and no troublesome di- 
 rections to be followed in its use, it will save much inconvenience to hoiue- 
 keepers, and all who have occasion to mark their clothing. 
 
 Notices of the Press: 
 
 "The marking inks so commonly ueed for marking linen and other fabrics Mre 
 inconvenient and troublseome, each bottle being accompanied by a numoer of 
 "directions," which considerably bother the brams of housekeepers. The Indel- 
 ible Pencil will prevent this, as all the preparation neeessar^ is the dampeaing of 
 the fabric which is to be marked thereupon."— [Scientific American. 
 
 "Ladies will be pleased with the Indelible Pencil, a new invention for markinf 
 clothes, indelibly without risk of blotting. It will abolish the old plan ot using • 
 pen with a bottle."— [N. Y. Evening Post. 
 
 "We have seen samples of permanent marking with this pencil, which cannot 
 be washed out."— [Boston Journal. 
 
 "This is the largest invention for a small one that we have leen for a long time. 
 It does away with the bother, inconvenience, and difficult mode of marking witt 
 ink."— [Literary Museum." 
 
 *^ Clark's Patent Indelible Pencil.— V^q have tried this celebrated pencil for 
 marking linen, &c.j and found it to be all that is claimed for it. No family shevld 
 be without it. It is greatly superior to any indeLble ink that we have ever 
 tried."— [Cincinnati National Union. 
 
 "A desirable, convenient and useftil household article."— {Springfield, MaM^ 
 Republican. 
 
 ONE PENCIL WILL MA.RK 1,500 ARTICLES. 
 
 After the above recommendations trova. the leading journals, including tlie 
 "Scientific American," it is useless for us to add anything. This we will say. 
 These pencils are absolutely indelible, they ctre just what tney are represented te 
 be, and we will refund the money to any one who finds them ofherwise. They 
 •re in a splendid case and sent post-free anywhere for the regular retail price, 
 50 C£NTS, 3 for $1, $3.50 a dozen, in case. 
 
 These pens are warranted not to corrode with proper usage, and are superior to 
 any Metalic Pen ever before introduced to the public. The Peculiarities of the 
 60LD«N Pens are numerous; thej/ are well tempered and smooth, are made of the 
 finest material, and then plated and pointed with the best gold finish, giving them 
 a most attractive and beautiful appearance; will not corrode with proper usage, 
 and have never yet failed to give perfect satisfaction. 
 
 Nothing except the finest Gold Pen ever before invented in the pen line, can com- 
 pare with them in Appearance, Quality, Economy, Saleability, or Cfieapnees. They 
 are, indeod, by many, preferred to a Solid Gold Pen. 
 
 They are put up in Pocket Form, a new and most attractive style, being in MettU 
 Boxes, Oilt to resemble gold, each box containing one dozen Pens. 
 
 We are selling immense quantities of these Pens. They cannot b« told ftt>in 
 »olid gold pens. We will send one box, containing One Dozen Golden Pens, «• • 
 sample, postpaid, to any address, on receipt of priee, 50 cents; half dozen for SO 
 cents; quarter dozen, 15 cents. Agents are selling these pens rapidly. Send all 
 oraers only to 
 
 HUNTER & CO., Hinsdale, N. H. 
 
 (15) ' ' 
 
A. CXJICXOUS BOOK. 
 
 THE WIZARD'S WAND! 
 
 A complete Fortune Teller, Dieam Book, and Cabinet of 
 Conjurations. To which is added, A complete Dream Book, 
 Napoleon's Oraculum and the Book of Forfeits. A complete 
 collection of the Games and Pastimes of social life. 
 
 A new edition of this wonderful book is now ready, f y ymk 
 want to know the meaning of all your dreams, this book wiU 
 tell you. If you want to tell Fortunes or read your own, this 
 book will tell you how to do it. It explains N^eviology, or 
 telling Fate by Moles. Also, Cardiology, or the science of 
 telling Fortunes by Cards. It also contains Napoleon's Cele- 
 brated Oraculum, in which the great General placed implicit 
 confidence, and never began any great undertaking until 
 he had consulted the oraculum. The Book of Forfeits contains 
 many social games, &c., &c., which will be of very great value 
 to persons who wish games, &c., to while away an evening. 
 Altogether, this is a most fascinating volume, and not only is it 
 a large bound book of over 250 pages, but instead of placing 
 the price at a dollar it is pat at 
 
 Every one interested in .Fortune Telling, Interpretaiios* ^ 
 Dreams, Scientific Predictions, &c., &c , cannot fail to read this 
 unique work. Price 50 cts., 3 for .f 1, 10 copies for $3. AU 
 sent post free, on receipt of price. To be had only of 
 
 HUNTER & CO., Publishers, Hinsdale, N. H. 
 
 That Rieli, Racy and Rare IVovele«i<tf« 
 
 Or, The Maid of the Housatonic. 
 
 A real live story— What is it ? Bamum is a character. Chief 
 of Police, Matsell, the Vidocq of America, figures in its pages. 
 Do you wish a splendid tale, startling, full of wit, humor and 
 real human nature, then read KATIC VAUGH— A LIFE 
 TALE. Nine large editions have already been sold. Don't 
 fail to read it and you*ll say it is the best story that you ever 
 read, — and it costs only 15 cts., mailed free, or ten for otis dol- 
 lar. Send for one to 
 
 HUNTER & CO., Publishers, Hinsdale, N. H. 
 
HUNTER 80 CO.^S 
 
 ITew and Enlarged Catalogue 
 
 SPLENDID COLORED ENBRAViNeS. 
 
 Size 13x18. Suitable for Framing. 
 
 For five vearR v e haye been adding: to our list of e-ej^ant colored prints— until, 
 with our pres' lit cataloffue, we f^ive a libt unequalled in America. Nearly all oujr 
 Engravirisrs are new. No old fashioned style, but fresh, new subjects; nearly all 
 of which Jiave been published in the past six months. We keep all these con- 
 stantly in stock, and sell singly or by 100 or 1000. Thert^ are no prints eo desira- 
 ble, and the price is nothing, ( jt should be 50 cents each,) but we ask only 15 cts. 
 each, or 10 for $1. At wJ.r.lesale^S.SO per 100 and sent postpaid bv mail, anywhere. 
 Try o?iie and ycu will have a dollars worth at least. Agents, Peddlers, &c., &c., 
 will find these Engravings a money making article. We seil thousands weekly- 
 keep tens of thousands in stock, and fill all orders by return mail. At least try 
 one. Our variety is immense— everybody can be suited— only \5 cents each, 10 
 for $1, $8.50 per '100, ])repaid enywhere. J3i(y one. No other house has an 
 equallv good assortment. Address ail orders to 
 
 HUNTER & CO., Hinsdale, N, JQ. 
 
 Oeder Plainly. The Numbek is all that we need. Each Engraving 
 elegantly colored— 13x18 inches. 
 
 Beantifnl G-irls,Peinale Heads, &c. 
 
 Thf se ideal subjects are entirely new, 
 beautifully coioied, and their equal 
 does not exist even et <e?i times the price. 
 They are splendid, natural, life-like. 
 
 1 The American Beauty— A repre- 
 sentative American Girl. Splendid 
 curls, laughing eyes, imagine the rest 
 or buy her for 15 cents. 
 
 2 The Royal Beauty— A splendidly 
 dressed English Girl, fit for a queen, 
 and crowned as she is has a fine appear- 
 ance. 
 
 3 The Indian Beauty- A beautiful 
 Indian Maiden, true to life. 
 
 4 The Egyptian Beauty— A sweef 
 face but rather peculiarly dressed. 
 
 5 The Sleeping Beauty— A young 
 girl asfleep, with two old bachelors peep- 
 ing at her. 
 
 6 The Northern Beauty— A splendid 
 girl, life size. If you want a "perfect 
 picture" of a Yankee Girl, here she is 
 for only 15 cents. 
 
 7 The Southern Beauty— Black hair 
 and eyes, with roses on her cheeks and 
 a beautiful face indeed, is this picture 
 of u Southern Girl. 
 
 8 The Eastern Beauty— Our pen 
 fails us when we try to describe the 
 charms of the elegant form, blue eyes 
 and cherry lips of the "Eastern Beau- 
 ty." 
 
 9 The Western Beauty— "No you 
 don't" is pretty plainly written on the 
 features of this splendid girl. She will 
 suit the Western boys. 
 
 10 The i5 tar of Beauty— A genuine 
 "girl of the period." As Jones says, 
 "sh«?'s a stunner." 
 
 11 The Dark Eyed Beautv— Wicked, 
 decidedly, is the look of this "dark 
 eyed" maiden. 
 
 12 The Queen of Beauty— Golden 
 hair, rosy Ciieeks, and blue eyes are 
 combined to make a per/ect specimen 
 of feminine loviiness. 
 
 13 The Beautiful Persian— A fair Per- 
 sian Maid with her pet grayhound. 
 
 14 The Queen of Love — A pensive 
 maiden with clustering rint^lets, pretty 
 and loveable. 
 
 15 The Star of Nighf>-A dark haired 
 beauty— perfectly bewitching. 
 
 16 A Broadway Belle— The most 
 "stylishly" dressed young lady on our 
 list. We rather like this "Broadway 
 Bcile." 
 
 17 Black Eyed Susan— A very pretty 
 black eyed girl- will suit everybody. 
 
 18 The Beautiful Blonde— Decided- 
 ly a "girl of the period," golden hair, 
 and rather low necked dress. 
 
 19 The Beautiful Brunette— A com- 
 
 S anion picture to the beautiful blonde* 
 ut of a diiferent style of beauty. 
 
20 The Morning Star— A beautiful 
 pirl reclining in bed playing with her 
 pet dog. 
 
 21 The Evening Star— Another girl, 
 has read herself asleep, forgetting to put 
 out the light, not thinking our artist 
 was watching. 
 
 22 My Sweetheart— This is a picture 
 of a beautiful young lady, almost the 
 prettiest we ever saw, and one of which 
 any one might be proud of, either as 
 friend o^ sweetheart. 
 
 23 My Favorite— Another elegant 
 girl, with curls, necklace, black hair, 
 &c., &-C. She looks as if she might 
 speak as sweetly as she looks. 
 
 \. oth above are colored, 15 cents each. 
 
 24 The Morning of Love— This is a 
 splendid picture, A beautiful lady is 
 sittin.u' in an arbor thinking of her lover. 
 lo cents 
 
 25 The Evening of Love— The same 
 lady is watching' the stars as she wats 
 for her loA'er's coming. The t:bove are 
 matched pictures, and very pretty. 
 
 26 The Fairest of the Fai*-— Another 
 pretty maiden, who will please many— 
 as she is really pretty, and costs only 15 
 cents. 
 
 27 S pring— Beautifully colored, 
 twined with roses and flowers, is this 
 beautiful young girl emblematical of 
 Sprir.g. 
 
 28 Summer— An equally pretty 
 maiden represents Summer, with char- 
 acteristic costume. 
 
 • 29 Autumn— Another season, well 
 represented by a pietty Miss, and 
 
 30 Winter— Closes up the series by 
 a chilly representation of that chilly 
 season. 
 
 Above four all colored, and cost only 
 ]5 cents each. 
 
 31 America— A splendid portrait of 
 an American girl. 
 
 32 Europe— A beautiful English girl. 
 
 33 Asia— An elegantly dressed Turk- 
 ish girl. 
 
 34 Africa— A fair but rather dark 
 skinned African girl, true to life. 
 
 Beautiful Girls. 
 
 We can supply almost any kind of 
 girl you want, and numerous name?. 
 AH these portraits are new, elegantly 
 dressed, stylish, and "just the thing" 
 for framing. We have the toliowing 
 names on hand. Cannot describe each 
 separately. They are every one beau- 
 ties. Try one and see the style.- 
 
 35 Alice. 36 Amelia. 87 Ann. 38 
 Clara. 39 Caroline. 40 Ella. 41 
 Eliza. 42 Elizabeth. 43 Emma. 44 
 Emeline. 45 Fannie. 46 Helen. 47 
 Hattie. 48 Jane. 49 Jennie. 60 
 Kate. 51 Mary. 52 Maria. 58 Mar- 
 
 tha. 54 Margaret. 65 Nellie. M 
 Sarah. 57 Virginia. 
 
 Choose the one you likt, and we guar- 
 antee that the picture will please. On- 
 ly 15 cents each, 10 for $1. 
 
 Love Scenes, Etc. 
 
 58 The Parting Hour— A cavalier 
 bidding adieu to his lady love. 
 
 59 The Stolen Interview— A scene 
 from "Romeo and Juliet." 
 
 60 Kiss Me Qu?ck— A fine picture, 
 very natural. 
 
 61 The Day Before Marriage — A 
 beautiful girl in an arm chair is dream- 
 ing of the coming year. 
 
 62 The Year After Marriage— Shows 
 what came of it. 
 
 63 The Elopement— A runaway pair 
 of fleet, horses, but p.re pursued by the 
 "old man." 
 
 64 The Pursuit— Shows the lovers 
 ahead while the old gent has little 
 chance of catching them. 
 
 65 The Sailors adieu— A manly sail- 
 or lad bidding adieu to hi» lady love. 
 
 66 The Sailor's Return— The same 
 sailor is warmly greeted on his return. 
 These pictures beautifully colored. 
 
 67 i he Carrier Dove ; the departure 
 
 Two pretty givls send out a dove with 
 
 a 1- tter to their lovers. 
 
 68 The Carrier Dove ; the return — 
 The dove returns and brings a letter, 
 which the girls a'^e reading. 
 
 69 Popping the Question— Natural as 
 life. A bp.shful youth and a pretty girl. 
 The old story. 
 
 70 The Lover's Quarrel— This shows 
 how lovers occasionally quarrel. 
 
 71 The Reconciliation — And how 
 easily they "kiss and become friends 
 again." 
 
 72 The Lover's Adieu— A parting 
 scene between a pair of lovers. 
 
 73 The Lover's Return— And how 
 fondlj' they meet upon the lover's re- 
 turn. 
 
 74 The Betrothed— A handsome 
 young Indy is holding the picture of 
 her intended in her hand as she waits 
 for his coming. 
 
 75 The Marriage Morning— A splen- 
 did looking young Ijdy on her brdal 
 morning, just before she is to be "swung 
 off." 
 
 76 The MarriageEvening- The same 
 lady and her husband with a gay party 
 of ffiends. 
 
 77 The Wedding Day— An elegant 
 gentleman and his intended bride en- 
 tering church on their wedding day. 
 
 78 The Marriage— Shows what hap- 
 pened m church— Priest and all. 
 
 79 The Highland Lovers— A pretty- 
 couple dressed in hignland costume. 
 
 80 The Fair Equestrian— A lady on 
 a fleet pony, sings "Over the Hills and 
 Far Away." 
 
81 Why Don't He Come— A lady go- 
 ing to meet her lover is first at the ren- 
 dezvous. He is seen in the distance. 
 
 Juvenile Subjects — all 
 kinds. 
 
 We have an immense assortment^ of 
 pictures of children, &c, a few c f which 
 we name briefly. Every engraving is 
 perfect, elegantly colored, and only 15 
 cents each. Pictures of little girls as 
 follows : 
 
 82 Little Annie, our darling. 
 
 83 " Emma, going to school. 
 
 84 " Liazie. with boquet. 
 
 85 " Bluebell, with flowers. 
 
 86 " Carrie. 
 
 87 " Ancie and her kittie. 
 
 88 " Ella, at church. 
 
 89 " Julia, rosebuds, &c. 
 
 90 " Neilie. at play. 
 
 91 " Jane, cherries. 
 
 92 " Jenriie and her dove. 
 
 93 " Mary and her lamb. 
 
 94 " Katie and a watch. 
 
 95 " Minnie taking tea. 
 
 96 " Maggie and her roses. 
 
 97 '* Martha, our pet. 
 
 LITTLE BOYS, AS FOLLOWS. 
 
 98 Little Johnny and his top. 
 
 99 " Charley, the prize boy. 
 
 100 '* Georgie, our bov. 
 
 101 " Willie, the highlander. 
 
 102 " Harrj' and his kitten. 
 
 103 " William and Mary. 
 
 H'4 Johnny and Besoie, a brother's 
 help. 
 
 105 The Little Brothers— Two beau- 
 tiful boys, seven a^d nine years old; 15 
 cents for the two. 
 
 106 The Little Sisters— Two pretty 
 little girls, seven and nine years old. 
 A pretty picture; both only 15 cents; 
 
 107 Little Brother and Sister— A fine 
 boy and girl, seven and nine years old. 
 Both only 15 cents. 
 
 108 Little Sister— A pretty little girl 
 in an arbor of flowers. 
 
 109 Little Brother— A splendid little 
 fellow, eight years old. 
 
 110 The Children in the Wood— A 
 pretty picture, and the best colored of 
 any on our list. 
 
 111 Little Bed Riding Hood— Splen- 
 didly colored, and a fine engraving, 
 
 112 Rub-a-Dub — Or Young America 
 and his drum. A spirited picture. 
 
 113 Papa's Darlings— Little boy and 
 girl. 
 
 114 Mama'b Darlings— Two little girls 
 
 115 Young Ireland— A fine looking 
 Irish lad— wid his stick. 
 
 116 The Young Chieftain— A boy clad 
 as a Highlander. 
 
 117 The Young Sailoiv-A boy clad as 
 a sailor. 
 
 118 The Best Scholar— A splendid 
 
 little girl. 
 
 119 The Birds Nest— And the boy 
 that found it. 
 
 120 The Morning Prayer— Little boy. 
 
 121 The Evening Prayer— Little girl. 
 
 122 Firt^t Prayer— A pretty little child. 
 
 123 My Highland Boy— In costume. 
 
 124 My Highland Girl— In costume. 
 
 125 Father's Pride — Hearing my 
 watch tick. 
 
 126 Mother's Joy— Companion pic- 
 ture. 
 
 127 Grandpa's Love— Little boy. 
 
 128 Grandpa's Spec's— Little girl. 
 
 129 Grandma's Spec's — A little girl. 
 
 130 Young America — (Celebrating 
 the 4th.) 
 
 131 Little Hero— With gun, &c., &c. 
 
 132 The Little Emperor- A fine fel- 
 low. 
 
 133 That Blessed Baby— Natural aa 
 life. The'happy father is trying to keep 
 
 I the baby still, and is likely to succeed— 
 
 134 "See-Saw"— A very natural pic- 
 ture; two boys playing at ''Bee-saw.'' 
 
 1.85 Love id the Lightest— Showing 
 that the little boy Cupid is lighter than 
 a tiny butterfly. 
 
 i.36 Little Volunteer— Gun, knap- 
 6d.ck &c 
 
 137 The Young Cavalier — With 
 sword, &c. 
 
 138 The Little Students— The child- 
 ren at study. 
 
 139 My Little Playfellow— Little girl 
 and dog. » 
 
 140 Mv Little Favorite— Little girl' 
 and her favorite dog. 
 
 141 The First Care— Mother and babe 
 
 142 The First Step— Mother and 
 child and dog. 
 
 143 Household Treasures— Children, 
 pets. &c. 
 
 144 The Light of the Dwelling— Or, 
 our little girl 
 
 145 Bed-Time — Mother and her 
 children. 
 
 146 A Speaking Likeness— A little 
 gi' 1 looking through an oval frame. 
 
 147 Look at Papa— Little boy looking 
 at papa 
 
 148 Look at Mama— Little girl look- 
 ing at mama. 
 
 149 The Young Mother — In the 
 woods with the baby. 
 
 160 Household Pets— Child, kitten, 
 dog, &c. 
 
 161 Good Night, Little Playfellow- 
 Pretty. 
 
 152 Little Fairy— Little girl as a fairy. 
 
 153 Peek-a-boo— Children playing. 
 
 154 The First Party— The prepara- 
 tion. 
 
 165 The First Flirtation- Natural aj 
 life. 
 
 156 Thel^ittle Frnit Girl- The lint 
 fruit. 
 
POPULAR BOOKS 
 
 The Magician's Own Book, 400 pp., $1.50 
 
 The Secret Out, or 1000 Tricks with Cards, 1.50 
 
 Book of 1000 Tales, 1.50 
 
 The Sociable, or 1001 Home Amusements, 1.50 
 
 The Art of Dancing, 1.50 
 
 The Dictionary of Love, 1.50 
 
 Anecdotes of Love, by LolaMontbz, 1.50 
 
 10,000 Wonderful Things, 1.50 
 
 Every Woman her own Lawyer, 1.50 
 
 The Corner Cupboard, Facts for Everybody, 1.50 
 
 Inquire Within, 3,700 Facts for All, 1.50 
 
 The Perfect Gentleman, 1.50 
 
 That's It, or Plain Teaching, 1.50 
 
 Adventures and Travels in Africa, 1.50 
 
 Medical Common Sense, 400 pages, 1.50 
 
 The Game of Billiards, by Plielan, 1.50 
 
 La Cour on the Manufacture of Liquors, 2.50 
 
 Bordeaux Wine and I^iquok Dealer's Guide, 2.50 
 
 Hillgrove's Ball Room Guide, .75 
 
 The Family Aquarium, .75 
 
 Live and Learn, or 1000 Mistakes Corrected, .75 
 
 Converse's Complete Banjo Instructor, .50 
 
 Complete Farrier and Horse Tamer, .50 
 
 The Arts of Beauty, by Lola Montez, .50 
 
 Richardson's Masonic Monitor, .50 
 
 The Game of Checkers, .50 
 
 How TO Write Short Hand, .50 
 Le^Marchand's Fortune Teller & Dreamer's Dictionary, .40 
 
 Golden Wheel Fortune Teller, .40 
 
 Pbtte^igill's Perfect Fortune Teller, .40 
 
 Chesterfield's Etiquette and Letter Writer, .40 
 
 Brisbane's Golden Ready Reckoner, .40 
 
 Book op Fireside Games, .35 
 
 Parlor Tricks with Cards, .35 
 
 Book of Riddles, 500 Home Amusements, .35 
 
 The Parlor Magician, .35 
 
 Book of 500 Curious Puzzles, .35 
 
 Parlor Theatricals, .35 
 
 Thb Hand Book of Billiards, ' .35 
 
 Any of the above Books mailed, postpaid, on receipt of price. 
 Send cash ord*»rs to 
 
 R^%^^k^«n 
 
 HUNTER & CO., Publishers. 
 
 Hinsdale, N. H. 
 
 ' *'* > ^i^^i m^m^i ^%^^^^^^ »i'%«'^%<^^»%/w^^^ 
 
!^r— 
 
 GOOD BOOKS 
 
 SENT FREE OF POSTAGE, AT THE PRICES MARKED. 
 
 CTS. 
 
 Chesterfield's Art of Letter Writing, 15 
 
 How to Woo and How to Win, 15 
 
 Bridal Etiquette, with Rules eor Bridesmaids, 15 
 
 How TO Behave, 15 
 
 How TO Dress with Taste, 15 
 
 Hard Words made Easy, 15 
 
 Blunders in Behavior Corrected, 15 
 
 500 French Puiiases, or How to Learn Fbekoh, 15 
 
 Young Housekeeper's Book, 15 
 
 How TO Cut and Contrive Children's Clothes, 15 
 
 How TO Talk and Debate, 15 
 
 Boxing made East, 15 
 
 ; Courtship MADE Easy, 15 
 
 Chairman and Speaker's Guide, 15 
 
 Young Bride's Book, 15 
 
 The Games of Whist, Loo, Euchre and Pokbr, 15 
 
 Horse Taming by a New Method, 15 
 
 Knowlson's Farrier and Complete Horse Doctob, 15 
 
 How to be Healthy, 15 
 
 etlquette and the u sages of society, 15 
 
 Charley White's Ethiopian Joke Book, " 15 
 
 Black Wit and Darkey Con vers ationC 15 
 
 Kirk's Exposition of Odd Fellowship, .15 
 
 Boxing without a Master, .15 
 
 Three Thousand Abbreviations, .15 
 
 Broad Grins of the Laughing Philosophbk, .15 
 
 Fox's Ethiopian Comicalities, .15 
 
 Carey's Rebellion Record, .20 
 
 The Poet's Companion, or Rhyming Dictionabt, .25 
 The Al-ma-kan-tur Circle, or Hovr to win a Sweetheart, .25 
 Old Block's Sketch Book, Life in Californla., 
 Rogues and Rogueries of New York ; A New Book, 
 Chips from Uncle Sam's Jack Knife, 
 Laughing Gas, Wit, Wisdom and Wind, 
 Plate of Chowder ; A Dish for Funntt Fellows, 
 Morgan's Free-Masonry Exposed and Explainbd, 
 Gbeat Wlcard's Hand Book of Magic, 
 Everlasting Fortune Teller and Dream Book, 
 Gambler's Tricks Exposed and Explained, 
 Laws of Love, 
 
 Send cafih orders to 
 
 HTINTEE & CO., Publishers, 
 
 Hinsdale, N. H, 
 
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