_Requirements._ Card mat, loaded with a single known card (precise
nature optional). Pack of cards with corresponding card at top. A
horseshoe magnet, the larger the better for the sake of effect. The two
flower-pots, placed at some distance apart, preferably on separate tables.
We will suppose that the card selected for the purpose of the trick is
the ten of spades. Performer advances, and delivers patter to something
like the following effect.
“By way of a change, I should like now to show you a little experiment in
magnetism, but magnetism of a new kind. The old sort was a comparatively
poor affair. It was only useful with iron or steel. Anything else it
wouldn’t attract for nuts. My sort of magnetism is a very superior
article. It will attract all sorts of things, so long as they are not
too heavy, like a sack of coals, or a lawyer’s bill. So far, I have been
chiefly experimenting with cards, and I will show you how it works.
“I want three ladies each to choose a card from this pack.” (He forces
the ten of spades, allowing the other two cards to be chosen freely, and
takes all three back, face down, on the mat, keeping in mind which of
them is the forced card.) “I will take one of these cards.” (He picks
up the forced card, and holds it aloft.) “Please all notice what it is:
I don’t want to see it myself. I drop it into this pretty flower-pot”
(actually dropping it into the secret pocket). “And now as to these other
two.” (He picks them up and shows them, then replacing them on the mat.)
“These I will place in the other flower-pot. First, however, I will show
you that at present it is empty.” He does so, and then lets the two cards
slide off the mat into the pot, the concealed card going with them.
“Now I take this magnet. It is a very powerful magnet, and I make it
still more vigorous by rubbing it on my left coat sleeve. Do you know why
on the left? You all give it up? Because in this case the left happens
to be right. Simple, when you know it, isn’t it? Again, you will observe
that one-half of this magnet is painted red. Can you guess why that is?
It’s so that when it is wanted it is sure to be ‘reddy.’ I hear a lady
smile! Thank you _so_ much! This is the eleven hundred and third time I
have let off that little impromptu joke, and no one has ever laughed at
it till now.
“Well, as I was saying, or as I was going to say when the lady
interrupted me--I mean complimented me, by smiling--Upon my word, I’ve
forgotten for the moment what I _was_ going to say, but I daresay it was
of no consequence, so we’ll skip it, and proceed at once to ‘business as
usual.’
“Observe, I just draw the magnet slowly across from the one flower-pot
to the other, when the single card, being naturally the weaker, will be
drawn out of its own flower-pot, and join the other two.” (Looks into
flower-pot holding the pair.)
“Yes, it has found its way, as you see.” (Lifts the pot, and shows that
the third card is on the table with the other two.) “And as it’s a
well-known fact that nobody but a bird can be in two places at the same
time, it naturally follows that it is no longer in this other pot, which
is once more empty.” (Lifts it up and shows that it is so.)
_Variation._ If the flower-pots are not available, the single card may be
placed in a card box, or other suitable appliance adapted for causing its
disappearance, the other two, with the concealed card, being dropped from
the mat into a borrowed hat.