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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
335
CHAPTER
XI.
TRICKS
WITH
HANDKERCHIEFS.
We
have
already
discussed
a
good
many
tricks
in
which
handkerchiefs
are
employed
in
one
way
or
another.
The
present
chapter
will
be
devoted
to
those
feats
in
which
the
handkerchief
forms
the
sole
or
principal
object
of
the
illusion.
Where
practicable,
the
handkerchief
used
should
always
be
a
borrowed
one
(so
as
to
exclude
the
idea
of
preparation);
and
in
borrowing
it
will
occasionally
be
necessary
to
use
a
little
tact
in
order
to
make
certain
of
getting
the
right
article
for
your
purpose,
without
admitting,
by
asking
specially
for
any
particular
kind
of
handkerchief,
the
limited
extent
of
your
powers.
Thus,
whenever
the
trick
depends
upon
the
substitution
of
a
handkerchief
of
your
own,
it
is
necessary
that
the
borrowed
handkerchief
should
be
of
a
plain
white,
so
as
not
to
have
too
marked
an
individuality,
and
of
a
small
size,
so
as
to
be
easily
palmed
or
otherwise
concealed.
These
desiderata
you
may
secure,
without
disclosing
that
they
are
desiderata,
by
asking
if
a
lady
will
oblige
you
with
a
handkerchief,
ladies’
handkerchiefs
being
invariably
white,
and
of
small
size.
If
a
lace
handkerchief
(which
would
be
inconveniently
distinguishable
from
your
substitute)
is
offered,
you
may
pretend
to
fear
the
risk
of
injuring
the
lace,
and
on
that
account
to
prefer
a
less
valuable
article.
In
“knot”
tricks,
on
the
contrary,
you
should,
if
possible,
use
a
silk
handkerchief,
which,
from
its
softer
nature,
will
be
found
more
tractable
than
cambric.
We
will
begin
by
describing
a
couple
of
little
“flourishes,”
which
may
be
incidentally
introduced
in
the
performance
of
more
ambitious
tricks,
and
which
will
sometimes
be
found
useful
in
occupying
the
attention
of
the
audience
for
a
moment
or
two
while
some
necessary
arrangement
is
being
made
behind
the
scenes
for
the
purpose
of
the
principal
illusion.
The
first
we
will
call--
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
