Page:New hocus pocus.pdf/5

5 the miniature card which is found in the watch.

is a noble action if it be handled by a skilful hand. To show this feat of execution you must cause a board, a cloth, and a plate to be purposely made, and in cacheach [sic] of them to be made holes fit for a boy’s neck: the broad must be made of two planks, the longer and broader the better; there must be left within half a yard of the end of each plank, half a hole, so as both the planks being thrust together, there may remain two holes like the holes in a pair of stocks; there must be made likewise a hole in the cloth, a plate also must be set directly over or upon one of them, having a hole in the middle thereof, of the like quantity, and also a piece cut off the same as big as his neck, through which his head may be conveyed into the middle of the plate and then sitting or kneeling under the board, lctlet [sic] the head only remain upon the board, in the frame, then to make the sight more dreadful put a little brimstone into a chafing-dish of eoalscoals [sic], setting it before the head of the boy, who must gasp two or three times so as the smoke may enter his nostrils and mouth, which is not unwholesome, and the head presently will appear stark dead, if the boy set his countenance accordingly; and if a