Sew a halfpenny in the corner of your handkerchief and place the latter
in your pocket ready for the trick. Borrow a shilling and request the
lender to put a private mark on it. Take out your handkerchief and
pretend to place the shilling under it, instead of which pick up the
corner containing the halfpenny, place it in the centre and grasp it
through the handkerchief with your left hand, while you let the marked
shilling drop in the palm of your right. Ask a member of the company to
hold the shilling (the halfpenny in the centre) in the handkerchief a
few inches above the table. Then pick up an empty glass with your right
hand, hold it under the table, and request the person who holds the
handkerchief to let it fall on the table. The coin in the handkerchief
will be heard to strike the latter and at the same time you drop the
shilling from the palm of your right hand into the glass and place the
latter on the table, while with your left hand you pick up the
handkerchief and shake it, being careful not to allow the halfpenny to
strike the table again while you are doing so. Request the person who
lent the shilling to take it out of the glass and say if it is the one
bearing his private mark.