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The Card In The Opera Glass


Procure an opera-glass, two inches and a half long; the tube to be

made of ivory, so thin that it may appear transparent. Place it in a

magnifying glass, of such a power, and at such a distance, that a

card, three-quarters of an inch long, may appear like a common-sized

card. At the bottom of the tube lay a circle of black pasteboard, to

which fasten a small card, with the pips, or figures, on both sides,

and in such a
manner, that by turning the table, either side of the

glass may be visible.



You then offer two cards to two persons, similar to the double card in

the glass. You put them in the pack again, or convey them to your

pocket; and after a few flourishing motions you tell the persons you

have conveyed their cards into the glass; then you show each person

his card in the glass, by turning it in the proper position.



You may easily induce the parties to draw the two cards you wish, by

placing them first on the top of the pack, and then, by making the

pass, bringing them to the middle.



When you can make the pass in a dexterous manner, it is preferable to

the long card, which obliges the operator to change the pack

frequently, as, if the same card is always drawn, it may excite

suspicion.



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