Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

THE MESMERISED WATCH. TO MAKE ANY WATCH A REPEATER.--This is a trick which may be incidentally introduced with advantage in the course of any illusion in which a borrowed watch is employed. The performer, addressing the owner, asks carelessly, “Is this watch a repeater?” The answer is in the negative, and the performer resumes, “Would you like it to become a repeater? I have only to mesmerise it a little.” So saying, he makes pretended mesmeric passes over the watch, every now and then holding it to his ear. At last he says, “I think it will do now. Let us try.” Taking the chain between his finger and thumb, he lets the watch hang down at full length in front of him. “Come, watch, oblige me by telling us the hour that last struck.” (We will suppose that the time is twenty minutes to nine.) To the astonishment of all, the watch chimes eight successive strokes, with a clear bell-like tone. “Now the last quarter.” The watch chimes “two” and stops. “You see, sir, that under the mesmeric influence your watch becomes a capital repeater. Let us test its intelligence still further. Here is a pack of cards; will you oblige me by drawing one. Now, watch, tell me what card this gentleman has taken; and answer in the proper spiritualistic fashion, by three strokes for ‘yes,’ and one for ‘no.’ Do you know the card?” The watch chimes thrice. “Very good. Is it a club?”