The Transmuted Cards
In a common pack of cards let the ace of hearts and nine of spades be
something larger than the rest. With the juice of lemon draw over the
ace of hearts a spade, large enough to cover it entirely, and on each
side draw four other spades.
Present the pack to two persons, so adroitly, that one of them shall
draw the ace of hearts, and the other the nine of spades, and tell him
who draws the latter, to burn it on a chafing-dish. You then take the
ashes of that card, put them into a small metal box, and give it to
him that has the ace of hearts, that he may himself put that card into
the box and fasten it. Then put the box for a short time on the
chafing-dish, and let the person who put the card in it take it off,
and take out the card, which he will see is changed into the nine of
spades.