MYSTIC 



THE illusion about to be described, 

 although embodying several old 

 principles in the art of magic, never- 

 theless produces a very startling effect 

 on the average audience. The presenta- 

 tion is as follows : 



The performer first directs the atten- 

 tion of the audience to a cabinet which 

 is about four feet square and mounted 

 on roller casters. The cabinet is then 

 placed on a small platform so that it can 

 be revolved and at the same time it can 

 be proven that no trap doors are used. 

 In the center of the cabinet is placed a 

 row of electric lights mounted in front 

 of suitable reflectors, and extending 

 from top to bottom. There are also two 

 doors placed on the back of the cabinet 

 which serve the purpose of proving to 

 the audience that the cabinet is empty. 



The row of lights is illuminated and 

 the performer, stepping inside the 

 cabinet, holds a piece of black cloth so 

 as to hide the front, but as he is thus 

 holding the cloth a form is seen to shape 

 itself in the cloth and a moment later 

 the person thus produced steps down 

 from the cabinet and crouches in front 

 of the footlights, with the cloth still 

 over him. Another piece of cloth is 

 taken and a second person produced in 

 a similar manner, followed by a third. 



The performer's lady assistant then steps 

 into the cabinet and also produces a 

 person in the same manner as the per- 

 former. She then steps from the cabinet, 

 whereupon the two rear doors are opened 

 and the cabinet revolves, thus showing 

 it to be empty. The wonder of the 

 trick is that the audience has been able 

 to see beneath the cabinet during the 

 entire time, and that the cabinet being 

 placed ten feet or more in front of the 

 back curtain has rendered it impossible 

 to place a plank from the rear to gain 

 access to its interior. 



After the cabinet has been proven 

 empty, the performer steps into the 

 cabinet, which is then given a turn, and 

 as the front of it meets the eyes of the 

 audience the performer is missing. His 

 lady assistant then vanishes in the same 

 manner. At this point of the illusion an- 

 other assistant fires a pistol and, to the 

 amazement of all, two of the figures pre- 

 viously produced from the cabinet jump 

 up and throw off their cloths, and prove 

 to be the performer and his assistant. 



As mysterious as the illusion may 

 seem, it is very simple to produce, the 

 main requisites being two substitutes 

 one for the performer and the other for 

 the lady assistant and two mirrors. The 

 interior of the cabinet must be lined 



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