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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
555
THE
CHARMED
BULLET.--As
a
rule,
people
object
to
being
shot
at,
and
the
least
nervous
person
might
fairly
demur
at
facing
the
muzzle
of
a
loaded
pistol
at
six
paces’
distance;
but
the
magician
is
superior
to
such
weakness,
and
will
face
a
bullet
with
as
little
compunction
as
he
would
stop
a
ball
at
cricket.
Neither
must
it
be
imagined
that
there
is
any
“deception,”
at
any
rate
in
the
quality
of
the
articles
employed.
The
pistol
is
a
real
pistol,
the
powder
is
genuine
powder,
and
the
bullet--an
ordinary
leaden
bullet--is
chosen
and
marked
by
one
of
the
audience,
fairly
placed
in
the
pistol,
and
fairly
rammed
home.
The
pistol
is
fired
with
deliberate
aim
by
a
disinterested
spectator;
but
no
sooner
has
the
smoke
cleared
away
than
the
performer
is
seen
standing
unharmed,
with
the
marked
bullet
caught
between
his
teeth.
So
much
for
the
effect
of
the
trick;
now
for
the
explanation.
The
pistol
(see
Fig.
245)
is,
as
already
stated,
an
ordinary
weapon,
and
the
only
speciality
of
the
bullets
is
that
they
are
a
size
or
two
smaller
than
the
bore
of
the
pistol.
The
ramrod,
b,
is
a
plain
cylinder
of
wood
or
metal,
tapering
very
slightly
at
each
end.
The
secret
lies
in
the
use
of
a
little
metal
tube
a,
about
two
inches
in
length,
open
at
one
end,
but
closed
at
the
other.
This
tube,
which
is
of
such
a
size
as
to
fit
loosely
within
the
barrel
of
the
pistol,
but
tightly
upon
either
end
of
the
ramrod,
is
placed
in
the
right-hand
pochette
of
the
performer,
and
a
small
bag
of
bullets
in
the
pochette
on
the
other
side.
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