Curtis--I think that is the name of my rival--will be quite
at liberty to try his exposition of my tricks."
The performance then proceeded, and when it was over, Curtis, Hamar
and Kelson, accompanied by six of those of the audience who had
volunteered to act as referees, stepped on to the stage. Seats were
provided for the referees--three on the one side of the stage and
three on the other; and having seen that everything was fair and
square John Martin retired to the O.P. wing, behind which Gladys was
concealed.
A brief description of "The Brass Coffin" trick, which was the first
Messrs. Hamar, Curtis and Kelson proceeded to explain, will, perhaps,
suffice.
A massively constructed brass-bound coffin is handed round to the
audience, who carefully examine it, and being unable to discover
anything amiss, pronounce themselves satisfied that it is genuine.
The operator then summons an assistant, jokingly refers to him as "the
corpse"--puts him into a sack, made to represent a winding-sheet,
securely binds the sack with a piece of cord, and asks one of the
audience to seal it. The sack and its contents are then placed in the
coffin which is locked and corded. The operator then throws a sheet
over the coffin, lets it remain there for a few seconds, and on
removing it and opening the lid, the coffin, is found to be empty. A
shout from the front of the House makes every one turn round, when, to
their amazement, "the corpse" is seen standing up at the back of "the
Pit," holding the sack with the rope and seal--intact--in his hand.
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