You ask a person to draw a card, which he does, and putting the pack of
cards in a boy’s mouth, you tell him that card only shall remain there.
You then give the card a blow, and all fall down except the card that
was drawn.
_Explanation._—Having forced a particular card upon a lady or gentleman,
you take care to put this card only between the boy’s teeth, and the
rest you can easily jerk away.
_Variation._—You may put the cards into the boy’s pocket, and ask the
lady or gentleman whether you shall draw that card out, or leave it by
itself. Whichever is desired, you can easily do, having already
separated the card from the pack while putting them into the pocket.
_Improvement._—Your confederate is prepared by filling his pockets with
cards. On his being called in, you send him among the audience to let
several cards be selected. You pretend then to shuffle the selected
cards into the pack but you (knowing them from the first, though even
this is not necessary) really place them in order at the top or bottom
of the pack. The whole pack is then placed in the confederate’s breast
coat-pocket. He is then asked to draw the cards out one at a time, and
show them to the audience, who recognize their selection. This being
done, you ask your man to hand you the pack. He does so.
You tap the outside of the pocket, and say, “You have not given me all.”
He denies that he omitted to empty his pocket, but on trial, discovers
another entire pack. This can go on as long as his supply lasts, and you
conclude by inserting your left hand in the man’s pocket (up the sleeve
of your left arm are several packs) as if merely to keep it open, while
with your right hand you shower out several hundreds of the cards.