"The Boy Magician"

[Lisa Cousins]

Through the Collector's Marketplace of this Forum, it was my good fortune to obtain a file of "The Boy Magician" (1909-1910) from Brad Jeffers. Since this is a periodical aimed at youths, I expected to come across a few tricks that my sons would enjoy learning. Perhaps they'd like "TO CUT A GLASS BOTTLE," for example. Let's see: "Pour oil into the bottle until it reaches the point at which you wish it to be cut clean through, then stand it upon a table and plunge suddenly into the oil a red hot poker." Of course, I consider my sixteen-year-old responsible enough to go around brandishing a red hot poker, but what about the little guy? Ten seems kind of young. Probably better to go for a time-tested classic of magic, such as "LIVE RABBIT PRODUCTION." Here's how: "Get a live rabbit, kill it, then have the skin tanned." This really should have been called "DEAD RABBIT PRODUCTION," and it hardly seems like family fun. "BREAKING A GLASS WITH THE VOICE" could be interesting, as long as the first instruction to "Borrow a cut glass goblet" is adhered to: since the climax of the trick is to shatter the glass into pieces, I don't want the boys using one of mine. But let's face it - even if it's my neighbor Sandy's goblet in pieces on my floor, shards are shards, and I'd prefer a trick less likely to produce a bloody outcome. "TO PASS A COIN INTO A BALL OF WOOL" sounds safe enough, but you must "First, get a tinsmih to make a flat tin tube." Our tinsmith has very limited hours.

Cards are readily available, and so are ribbons, so it looks like "FINK'S CARD CHANGING TO A BUNCH OF RIBBONS" is the trick to try. It even includes patter. Once the boys master the mechanics, I can see them in their school cafeterias saying "I will endeavor to show you a trick which will come in very handy when you need the necessary requirements that most all must have. All that is necessary to do when you need money is to grab into the air. When you need a hat, just grab for it; or when you need a lot of ribbons for anything, you just take a card and pass your hand over it when you have just what you want. Is it not simple?"

Ah, the necessities of life: money, a hat, and a lot of ribbons. The guys at school will be so impressed.

[Guest]

Now that's funny.

Don't try the "Butcher Knife Thru Arm" trick, it has a messy ending... "First find a butcher..."

[Guest]

Lisa, I guess turn of the century boys were a hardier lot, than the boys of today. Being a "boy magician" was a tough job in 1910 ... although I seem to recall having a few close calls with an Adam's finger chopper, when I was a youngster. But that's the price we pay for our art! (I knew I should have sent a disclaimer with those magazines!)
;)

[ January 23, 2002: Message edited by: Brad Jeffers ]