You tell a person you will place him in the centre of a room, and
draw a circle of chalk round him, which shall not exceed three feet
in diameter, yet out of which he shall not be able to leap, though
his legs shall be perfectly free. When the party has exhausted his
ingenuity in trying to discover by what means you can prevent his
accomplishing so seemingly easy a task, you ask him if he will try, and
on his assenting, you bring him into the middle of the room, and having
requested him to button his coat tightly, you draw with a piece of
chalk, a circle round his waist, outside his coat, and tell him to jump
out of it!
It will greatly improve this trick if the person be blindfolded, as
he will not be aware of the mode of performing it till the bandage is
removed, provided his attention be diverted while you are drawing the
line round him.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: MELANGE.]
[Illustration: MELANGE.]