Page:New hocus pocus.pdf/19

19 bottom; you must try to be perfect in this mode of shuffling, and having once obtained it, you may do almost what you please; for whatever pack you make, though it is ten, twelve, or twenty cards, you may still keep it next the bottom, and shuffle them often to please the curious.

This trick, which requires very little practice to perform, is done in the following manner. Have privately seen a card, put it at the bottom of the pack, then shuffle the cards till it comes to the bottom again, then put the cards behind you; and say here I call for naming the bottom card which you have seen, and as you hold them behind you, turn the top card with the face upwards, then hold forth the cards, and as you hold them you may see what the next card is; then put the cards behind you again, and take the top card, and put at the bottom, with its face downwards, and turn the next card with its face upwards, and whilst you are doing this, say, here I call for, naming the card, you saw last; then hold forth the cards again, showing the bottom card which will be that you call for; then put the cards behind you again and proceed in the same manner as you did before; you may by this method go through them all, and call for all the cards in the pack, to the admiration of the beholders, who