Card table

“ The cards must be arranged in sets, as soon as they have been picked up off the table. If a player has only two cards of one set, he must hand an isolated card to the player on his right, who takes it, if it is of any service to him, and, in his turn, hands one of the cards in his hand to his neighbour on the right. ”

“ All of us, as children, have amused ourselves with the game of "card friars." A number of cards, as many as possible, are bent lengthwise into a semi-cylinder. They are placed on a table, one behind the other, in a winding row, the spaces in which are suitably disposed. The performance pleases the eye by its curved lines and its regular arrangement. It possesses order, which is a condition of all animated matter. ”

“ While this is done, performer palms the three known cards, and when the pack is returned, proceeds to force them on different members of the company. Each of the drawers is requested to allow his or her card to lie for a few moments face down on the palm of the outspread hand. The cards drawn are then returned to the pack, which [71] is again shuffled, and spread face upward on the table. ”

“ For the top of the table select a rather large card, but not too wide. Cut one slash on each side of the centre of one of the lengthwise edges. This will make three divisions. Cut corresponding slashes, but much deeper, in one of the short ends of a smaller card, which is to be the mirror. Trim off the end of the middle division in the table top and slide the two cards together, bringing the B and B divisions (Fig. 157) of the mirror well forward, so that the top of the table extends back beyond the mirror; then bend up the B and B divisions of the mirror, as in the photograph. ”

“ The pack of thirty-two selected cards, as in the foregoing method, is taken, shuffled and cut; then the four aces are taken out, the significator, or the person for whom the dealer is acting, and anything he wants to know about—such as money, then the ten of diamonds would be selected; if about a man, any king; if about a woman, any queen; if about business, the ten of clubs. These are shuffled after having been withdrawn, without cutting, and the nine of spades, which is the disappointment card, is also added to the aces, etc., in all seven cards, laying them face downwards on the table. ”

“ Four cards are dealt to each player, and four more are turned face upwards in the middle of the table. The elder hand then looks at his cards to see if he can build, combine, or match any of his own cards with those turned up on the table. ”

“ Performer lifts flower-pot, with fingers inside pressing against pocket, and shows it apparently empty. “And here, in the other flower-pot” (lifts it and shows the four cards lying together on table) “are all four Kings. One more score to black. You didn’t see the cards go? Of course you didn’t; because they fly horizontally, like the aeroplanes, and they go so fast that they get there almost before they have started.”
SYMPATHETIC CARDS
Preparation. Card mat loaded with two cards of different denomination, say the queen of clubs and the knave of diamonds, taken from the pack. ”

“ As the number of cards in the three hands is twenty-one and six are open on the table, the undealt cards also number twenty-one; and as every player matches or throws down a card in his hand and opens one of the pile, the last card of the last player is played when the last of the pile is turned up. ”

“ Continue doing this until the pack is finished. Then shuffle all the discarded cards together, until you have 21 cards or more on the table. If 3 cards of any suit appear, or 3 cards of the same value, they must all be taken.
A card must now be selected to represent the inquirer. If she be fair of complexion she selects Diamonds; if medium fair, Hearts; if of brown hair, she selects Clubs; and if very dark, Spades. A man selects the King and a woman the Queen. This representative card is shuffled with the others and taken out when it is the highest of its suit. ”

“ Second Method.—Proceed as above, but instead of opening the pack to get sight of the card, bring it secretly to the bottom by the pass, and offer the cards to be shuffled, holding them at the upper end between the thumb and first and second finger of the right hand, and slanting from you at an angle of 45°, as in Fig. 15. As the faces are towards you, you have a full view of the card. Even if it should suggest itself to the audience that you are able to see the bottom card, as they are not aware that the chosen card is now in that position, there is nothing to excite their suspicion. ”

“ After he has well regarded the cards, you take them from him, and putting them into different parts of the pack, shuffle them, or give them to him to shuffle. During which you recollect by the foregoing line all the cards he took out; and as you lay them down, one by one, you name each card.
THE CARD IN THE MIRROR. Provide a mirror, either round or oval, the frame of which must be at least as wide as a card. The glass in the middle must be made to move in the two grooves, and so much of the quicksilver must be scraped off as is equal to the size of a common card. ”

“ The foundations follow suit. Only cards in the highest or lowest rows are available, until a card from any other row is released, by the removal of cards either above or below it, the principle being that no card can be used that is not free either from the top or the bottom. Small crosses are placed on the tableau to mark the cards that are available. ”

“ In this case the performer secretly takes an ordinary card, say the knave of spades, and tears off one corner, which he carefully preserves. The card thus mutilated he places in a card-box, or other similar piece of apparatus. Pack in hand, he advances to the company, and “forces” the knave of spades, having, meanwhile, the little corner piece of the concealed card hidden between the second and third fingers of his right hand. The card having been drawn, he requests the drawer to tear it up, and place the pieces on a plate, which he hands him for that purpose. ”

“ It must open and alone abide as it is; and the Seven Master-Cards, counted downward on the Square's left Edge, make what is called the Master-Column.
If you have no other card of the same Suit as your right-ward card—or none save those of the Master-Column—let it lie. But if you can lay it on another, not a Master-Card, of any degree in the Suit—for observe the degree here matters not—so do. And then mark if, leftward and toward the Master-Card of the Row, lies another of the same Suit. If so, take up the two cards you laid together; and lay them on this third one. Look again and carefully ”

“ Price cards shown in the center of the reproduction were made of white cardboard. Numerals were written in with black ink with model “B” speed ball pen. Each card features a different colored, flat band border of dark blue, tangerine, maroon, orange, mauve and bright yellow, respectively. This border is made by “chiseling” the brush out perfectly flat and laying it full width, or whatever width may be desired, on the edge of the card and dragging it steadily down on each edge of the card. Colored borders on price cards add much to their attractiveness. ”