The Electric Cards
Ten cards are handed to a spectator on a tray with a request for him to take two. These are duly noted and placed among the remaining eight. The performer now takes the cards, two
at a time, and passes one in front of the other. This is repeated until, when in the act of passing the cards, flashes of fire shoot forth from the two cards, which, upon being
turned with their faces to the audience, are found to be the two cards selected.
This somewhat startling effect is brought about by preparing ten cards as follows:
The front top corner of each card is coated with potash and sugar, and the corresponding back corner is covered with sulphuric acid (see Fig. 40).
Figure 40
These are laid out on a tray with the prepared ends toward the performer. The spectator selects two. Meanwhile, the performer changes the tray from the right to the left hand,
thereby reversing the position of the cards, so that when the chosen ones are returned the artiste knows that the only cards with the prepared corners toward himself are the two
selected. In passing the cards he is careful only to rub the tops, not the bottoms, so that when he comes to the chosen ones and rubs them, they emit flashes of fire, and upon being
turned to the audience are found to be the correct ones.
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