IN-DOORS

PARLOR MAGIC

By Ellis Stanyon

The first of this series of papers on Magic, commencing with the March number, included directions to the beginner for Palming and the Pass.

The Penetrating Coin.—This coin trick may be performed anywhere, and requires no special preparation. A borrowed Derby hat is placed upon the mouth of a tumbler (Fig. 8). Three half-dollars are now borrowed and tossed into the hat, whereupon one of the coins is seen to penetrate the crown of the hat, and drop visibly and audibly into the tumbler beneath. It is thus explained: In the act of placing the hat on the glass, secretly and without jingling slip a coin of your own between the rim of the glass and the hat. The weight of the latter will retain the coin in its position, which, of course, is on the side of the hat farthest from the spectators. The dropping of the borrowed coins in the hat will disturb the balance of the secret half-dollar, causing it to fall into the tumbler. It is hardly necessary to remind the student that the fourth coin must be gotten rid of unbeknown to the audience, otherwise the effect is destroyed. In putting the hat in position two hands may be used. This will greatly facilitate the placing of the coin on the rim of the tumbler. You should lay stress on the fact that it is necessary to get the hat evenly on the glass. As simple as this trick seems in explanation, it is nevertheless wonderfully illusive, and can be especially recommended to the amateur.

Fig. 8

An excellent trick, to be used in conjunction with the preceding, is the following: The performer shows a coin and forthwith proceeds to pass it into the hat by way of the crown. That there may be no doubt as to the actual passing of the coin, it is left sticking halfway through the hat; a final push and it is heard to fall inside. The coin used is a trick one, constructed as follows: A groove is first turned round its extreme edge deep enough to conceal a small India-rubber band. It is next cut in half across its diameter. A hole is drilled in the centre of one half, in which is inserted a needle point. In the other half a slot is cut to admit the needle. The two halves are now placed together and kept in position by passing the band round the groove afore mentioned (Fig. 9). While giving the final push it is, of course, withdrawn and palmed.

Fig. 9