Hand the pack (a full one) to be shuffled by as many spectators
as wish; then propose that someone takes the pack in his hand and
secretly chooses a card, not removing it, but noticing at what number
it stands counting from the bottom; he then returns the pack to you.
Now you have to tell what number the card is from the top. You ask
any one of the spectators to choose any number between 40 and 50, and
whatever number is chosen the card will appear at that number in the
pack. Let us suppose the number chosen is 48.
You then say that it is not necessary for you to even see the cards,
which will give you a good excuse for holding them under the table,
or behind your back. Now subtract the number chosen, 48, from 52,
which gives remainder 4, count off that many cards from the top, and
place them at the bottom. You next say to the gentleman who chooses
the card, that “it is now number 48, according to the general desire,
would you please let us know at what number it originally stood?”
Suppose he answers 7. Then, in order to save time, you commence
counting from the top at that number, dealing off the cards one by
one, calling the first card 7, the next 8, and so on. When you reach
48, it will be the card the gentleman had chosen. It is not necessary
to limit the choice of position to between 40 and 50, but it is
better for two reasons.
First, that the number chosen be higher than that at which the card
first stood, also the higher the number chosen, the fewer cards are
there to slip from the top to the bottom.
36. Divide a St. George cross, by two straight cuts, into four
pieces, so that the pieces, when put together, will form a square.
[Illustration]