THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
43 
to fcxrm an angle. When these are fitted 
to the wicker basket, the one marked A 
forms a bottom for it, whilst B fits closely 
to the inside of that part that faces the 
audience, making a sort of false side. Hav- 
ing been fastened in the lower front cor- 
ners by large pins, that will allow it to 
work freely, the apparatus is complete. 
When the performer wishes to show the 
audience the inside of the basket he turns 
it over. In this position they see the 
whole interior and one side of B, which 
was the false side, but now appears to be 
the bottom. 
Supposing a person is in the basket and 
the performer wishes to show it to be 
near like the other as possible. The 
features need not be the same, as the 
handkerchief used in blindfolding hides 
those. 
When the first girl is brought on the 
stage the performer delays blindfolding 
her, so that the audience may get a good 
look at her and become familiar with her 
face. When she runs out she is brought 
back again, but when she runs out the 
second time the other girl is dragged on 
in her place, and being immediately 
forced into the basket the audience do not 
have time to notice the change. 
In arranging the basket it must be 
placed far enough back on the stage to 
THE BASKET TEICK. 
empty. The man who is inside sits still 
and the performer turns over the basket ; 
by this movement the person who was in- 
side is brought outside, but is hidden by 
the basket, behind which he is now ac- 
tually lying. 
The basket being provided, there yet re- 
mains three other necessary things before 
the trick can be performed. The first is a 
stand about a foot high, of the same 
length as the basket and a little more 
than double the width. The second is a 
young girl of prepossessing appearance, 
and the third is a second young girl of 
equally prepossessing appearance, and as 
prevent those who are sitting at the sides 
from seeing behind it, or else they will 
discover the girl. This may be prevented 
in a great measure, however, by arranging 
chairs and stands at the ends, as if for 
your own convenience, for instance : at 
one end a stand with drapery falling to 
the ground may be stood to hold the 
sword, whilst at the other a similar stand 
and a small footstool may be placed as if 
for steps leading to the basket. 
The blood which flows from between the 
crevices is caused by the girl who is inside 
squeezing a sponge filled with any good 
red fluid. 
