_Requirements._ Two or three yards of half-inch tape or ribbon, wound
on a reel, to which its inner end is secured, and having a loop on its
outer end. Coin mat made adhesive, and two packs of cards, which we will
call A and B respectively. From pack A take a court card (say the queen
of diamonds), and press it face down against the waxed side of the mat:
then turn this over, and place the rest of the pack upon its unprepared
side. On the top of pack B lay the corresponding card, in readiness for
forcing. This pack also to be placed on table.
_Presentation._ Advance with pack A on the mat. Invite a gentleman to
take it in his own hands and after shuffling, to pick out a card, and
without looking at it, lay it face down on the mat. Remark: “I have asked
you not to look at the card, because I find people fancy I find out by
what is called thought-reading, and if you don’t know the card yourself,
I can’t find it out that way, can I? You are sure you don’t know what
card you have taken? I can honestly say that I don’t. Now please notice
that I don’t look at it, or even touch it--I will place it here, where
you can all keep an eye on it. You had better keep the other eye on me.”
You accordingly place the mat on the table, in transit keeping the card
just laid upon it in place by the pressure of the thumb, and just as you
reach the table, under cover of your own body, turn over the mat, so as
to bring the adhering card uppermost.
You then say, picking up the reel, “I must now introduce to your notice
my telepathic tape. Like myself, it isn’t anything particular to look
at, but it has an extraordinary talent for finding out things; even
secrets that people don’t know themselves. Now you will admit that the
name of that card on the table is at present an A1, copperbottomed
secret. Even the gentleman who chose the card doesn’t know what it is;
you don’t know; in fact nobody knows. Nothing could well be more secret
than that. But this tape will find it out. Will you, Sir,”--(addressing
the gentleman who chose the card) “be kind enough to pass this loop over
your left little finger. Thank you, and now I want some lady to assist
me. Perhaps you will oblige, Madam?” A sufficient length of the tape is
unrolled, and the reel placed in the lady’s hands. “And now I will ask
you to do me the further favor of taking a card from this other pack.”
(The second queen is forced on the lady.)
“Now, Madam, what was the card the gentleman chose? You don’t know? Oh,
yes, you do. The tape has told you. Unless it has betrayed me for the
first time in my experience, it will have compelled you by an effect of
sympathy to draw the very same kind of card as the one freely chosen, as
you will remember from the other pack. What card did you draw? The queen
of diamonds?” (Goes to table, and turns up card on tray.) “The tape was
right, you see. The card the gentleman drew is also a queen of diamonds.”
In default of the card mat, the trick can be equally well performed by
the aid of the card-box, or any other appliance for “changing” a card.