Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

These two covers are beforehand prepared for the trick by filling the two compartments of each, one with wine, and the other with water. The air-holes are stopped with pellets of wax, but for the sake of distinction the “wine” compartment of each is plugged with red wax, and the “water” compartment with white wax. Any other distinguishing mark is, of course, equally good. So long as the air-holes are thus stopped, there is no fear of the liquid running out. The performer, having filled the glasses as already described, mixes the contents in the decanter, and in placing the latter on the stand, removes the wax plug from the bottom, thus allowing the wine to run out, and to percolate through the above-mentioned holes into the stand, where it remains. He next places the empty glasses on their respective stands, and places the covers over them. He then asks the audience into which of the glasses they desire that the wine shall travel, and into which the water. When they have made their decision, he has only to remove the red pellet from the cover which is over the glass into which the wine is to pass, and the white pellet from the opposite cover. The tying of the tape from cover to cover is merely designed to give time for the liquids to reach their respective destinations, and is, indeed, altogether dispensed with by many performers. The air-holes may be stopped by means of tinfoil pasted over them, instead of the wax, if preferred. The foil is instantly removeable by scraping with the nail.