A Paradoxical Perplexity
Dr. Samuel C. Hooker's Phenomenal Presentation of “IMPOSSIBILITIES” with “MILTIADES III.”
Reported by OSCAR S. TEALE
As reported in the January issue of M. U. M., this program consists of a most phenomenal series of effects with cards in combination with psychromantic, sibylline (???). The oracular power of "Miltiades" apparently coping with the "Cumsean Sibyl" of ancient mythology. "Impossibilities," demonstrating the possibility of seeming impossibilties. While "Miltiades" affords apparent evidence of the absolute intelligence of the positively and physically unintelligent inanimate thing it in reality is—an artificial head, a cross between the black bear and the fox—which rests loosely upon a skeleton table without drapery. The jaws and eyes respond to the bidding of the wizard and the head inclines, recedes and rotates in compliance to interrogation and requirement of the forces of human intelligence in command.
In anticipation of coming events we hold a printed program which reads:
"IMPOSSIBILITIES" WITH "MILTIADES III."
1—Miltiades Awakes.
2—The Queen's Greeting.
3—The King Arrives in His Aeroplane.
4—Arrival of the Queen's.
5—The Parade.
6—A Romance and a Tragedy.
7—The Troublesome Joker.
8—An Interesting Experiment.
9—Seeing is Believing.
10—Follow Your Leader.
11—The Encircling Ring.
12—A Positive Test.
13—The Dance.
14—The Signed Card.
15—How Many ?
16—The Mystery Deepens.
17—And Still the Mystery Grows.
18—Miltiades III.
19—The Conquest of the Air.
20—Acrobats.
21—Midnight Frolic.
Time consumed by the rendition of this program is about one hour, and of all known cartomantic cardiognostic performances it must be acceded the Palm. None other has essayed such variety, continuity of effects in sequence, and in such manner as to hold the attention of scientific adepts in the art of mysticism in such hypnotic spell of bewilderment from start to finish, climaxed with unanimous acclamation of surprise and acknowledgment of the superiority and marvelousness of the mysteries involved. To the best knowledge and belief of the writer, no one has as yet vouchsafed a correct solution of the methods employed. Several, the writer included, have naturally prognosticated, or surmised, a solution for some of the minor details, but such theories have been utterly shattered on witnessing the performance a second time during which optic nerves and mental energy were concentrated on the "vulnerable (?) spots" merely to be boomeranged and result in "confusion worse confounded."
We are recording facts from personal observation, having been privileged to sit in the charmed circle or coterie of headliners (for whom a special night had been fixed, Feb. 5th, theatres being shut down by order of government authorities) which was my second privilege of witnessing the effects and at which time the performer negatived my theories, having been appraised of them by detailed analytic manipulation of the parts involved ; but space forbids the anticipated description of the program at this time and we must forego the pleasure for a short season, and in meantime "bask in the sunshine" or prolonged or deferred anticipated pleasure.
(To be continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 7, No. 59, in New York, February 1918.
Stage Setting. Miltiades in Suspension
(Continued from February Issue.)
The curtains are brushed aside, and four skeleton tables without drapery are in sight, one to the left holds a pack of cards and a card houlette, on the one to the right rests the head of Miltiades III. The remaining tables carry accessories for use in the various experiments.
The performer lifts the houlette from table and submits it for close inspection. It is a skeleton made of brass, open at top, front and back. The two sides and bottom are of glass; a broad base of brass insures firm bearing. There are two rings, one on either side, for suspension. After inspection, houlette is placed on table at left center of stage but off center of table. A pack of cards produced by performer is shuffled and placed in houlette.
The Houlette on Table
I. "MILTIADES AWAKES."—The head moves, as though imbued with animation in response to summons by the Wizard. Awakening to activity, proclaims readiness and power to assist by divination and wise counsel.
II. "THE QUEEN'S GREETING."—At command, the Queen of Hearts arises from pack, courtesies and retires to pack.
III. "THE KING ARRIVES IN HIS AIRPLANE."— King of Clubs arises from houlette, recedes and repeats, stopping at any position by command. Finally leaps from the pack ascending to outstretched hand of the Wizard three feet or more above pack.
IV. "ARRIVAL OF THE QUEENS."—Preceded by Queen of Hearts, which is stood on end on table without visible means of support. Other queens arriving in succession are placed "arm in arm" beside the first arrival, which is standing on end on table.
V. "THE PARADE."—Numerous cards under complete control arise and descend into houlette at command, at various speeds, in succession.
VI. "A ROMANCE AND A TRAGEDY."—Queen of Hearts standing on end on table is discovered by King of Clubs upon rising from pack. Woos the Queen, is rejected, returns to pack merely to renew his wooing under disguise of King of Spades. The Queen escapes the deceitful intrigue, spurns the suitor, who retires to the houlette to renew the romance in the person of King of Hearts, with success. An alliance is arranged and the King retires to his castle (the houlette) to arrange for the nuptials. Arrangements completed, the King again visits his fiance, but, unwittingly, overlooks his disguise, returning in original form of personality as King of Clubs. The Queen realizing that she has been victimized, made the subject of wicked treachery, despairs; resolves on suicide to escape a life of ignominy; throws herself over the precipice (off the table) dashing her brains out on the crags below (?), falling into hands of performer, who compassionately places her at rest on a side table. (The foregoing manouvres are intended, as showing the freedom of handling and unpreparedness of the pack.)
VII. "THE TROUBLESOME JOKER."—Makes his debut (when it pleases his Highness to do so), ignores polite request but obeys sharp, imperative command instanta, persists in disobeying, retiring when his presence is desired, returning in defiance of command, etc., ad lib. His doings are always, contrariwise, slow, quick, or in disobedience. Finally the Wizard returns him to the pack, in houlette inadvertently, head foremost, which, so enrages him that he most obstinately objects to retire until discovery of his untoward predicament, whereupon when privileged to right himself and appear from the pack like a gentleman with head erect, which he promptly does.
VIII. "AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT."—The pack is isolated from bottom of houlette by the insertion of a bit of playing card cut to fit from front to back, thus creating space between bottom of pack and bottom of houlette—nevertheless, any card raised, singly or collectively (the entire pack), as desired, they rise slowly or quickly at command.
IX. "SEEING IS BELIEVING."—Cards thoroughly shuffled placed in houlette, any card called for by any auditor (every one in audience having opportunity for naming a card), not discriminating against the front card, which is at all times visible in the houlette.
X. "FOLLOW YOUR LEADER."—Cards rise from houlette conformable to movement of hand of performer, up, down, slow, quick, spasmodic or jerky—the same power of control is made manifest by any member of audience manipulating his hand in similar manner.
XI. "THE ENCIRCLING RING."—Card named by audience rises from pack, returns. The houlette with all cards lifted from table, an ordinary steel ring passed over houlette—and the instant the same is returned to table the same card arises forthwith at command.
XII. "A POSITIVE TEST."—A new pack provided by one of the audience (any one) is opened and manufactures sequence broken up. Cards thoroughly shufflled by auditor, a card selected and reversed as to facing in pack, back of selected card in same direction as the face of all other cards in pack, the relative position in pack is noted as to the cards preceding and following it as nested in pack, held in position; fanned, the pack closed and placed in houlette and immediately the selected card rises, the entire pack is then removed from houlette with selected card protruding, examined by audience, acknowledged the one selected, and identified by its relative connection or position with cards as fanned for identification; originally, those placed in front and behind selected one in the pack.
XIII. "THE DANCE."—Under same conditions as last described the selected card rises and falls in houlette to the dulcet strains from a music-box in a retired position on stage.
XIV. "THE SIGNED CARD."—Pack provided by audience, shuffled, one selected and autographed by the drawer, two or three other auditors write their own names on the same card. Card shuffled in pack, placed in houlette and caused to rise after a given number have arisen as directed by audience.
XV. "HOW MANY?"—Any number of cards called for arise at one and the same time, removed from pack, and counted by audience.
Houlette Suspended by Ribbons
XVI. "THE MYSTERY DEEPENS."—Three small pedestals of glass placed on table; a book (bound volume of "The Magician") laid flat on pedestals. Houlette rested on book and thus isolated and insulated from table, cards placed in houlette raise at command though, elevated from table. The houlette is now attached to two ribbons hanging from ceiling provided, with hooks for engagement with rings on either side of houlette, book and pedestals removed and houlette put in motion swinging back and forth, nevertheless cards at command performed the same evolutions as before conditions had been changed.
XVII. "AND STILL THE MYSTERY GROWS."—A new pack provided by audience, shuffled, placed in houlette, isolated from bottom by a slip of card and screened from view back and front by small screens concealing cards and houlette only. Single cards or entire pack respond just the same, to call.
XVIII. "MILTIADES III."—Miltiades names position of any card as it may be called for. Packed still screened. This performance is repeated ad lib. Cards removed from houlette, an unknown quantity removed from pack, placed in pocket of an auditor, balance of pack put in houlette. Miltiades tells the number of cards in houlette. It should be remembered that this is a new pack provided by audience.
XIX. "THE CONQUEST OF THE AIR."—A borrowed pack put in houlette, covered with a tall glass shade, cylindrical, with domed top. Cards rise and return to houlette same as under normal, conditions. Card rises in space above houlette, held in suspension as if in a vacuum, but this card rises or descends at bidding, finally it rises higher and higher until it nears the dome where it rests, poised in space. At command it descends and retires to the pack in houlette; card is examined before and after this demonstration.
Miltiades in Suspension
Miltiades has been an interested spectator during this performance; declares it nothing abnormal; that he himself can outdo the performance, giving evidence by levitating a foot or more from table on which he has been resting, and while in mid air moves eyes, answers questions, etc., as when resting on table.
He descends to table, complimented on his achievement but reminded that the levitation of the card was under the restricted conditions of a glass shade. Nothing daunted Miltiades, consenting to same test conditions, is covered by another domed-head cylinder of glass after which it levitates and responds to all demands for evidence of animation as under normal conditions, whereupon he is awarded the Palm over the levitation of the card. The glass shade being removed Miltiades is lifted from table (to which he had descended) by an ear—brought down to audience for inspection—and by his extremely modest simplicity established for himself a reputation earned, and well meriting applause to the controlling genius of his existence. Opera glasses used by persons in audience fail to reveal the secret of levitation.
XX. "ACROBATS.”—The borrowed cards are placed in houlette, all covered by glass cylinder, and at command the acrobatic performance takes pace. Cards jumping from pack and turning somersaults in the air and tumbling one over another.
XXI. "MIDNIGHT FROLIC."—At midnight, the proverbial hour at which graveyards yawn within their sequestered cavern of virgin iridescent crystal, the cards are wont to manifest their spiritualistic existence by disporting hilariously. The vulgar gaze of the profane spectator and even the glare of the midnight sun cannot prevail against them, therefore, at an opportune moment every card with bound and leap deserts the pack in quick succession flying to the dome of the glass shade and scattering in profusion; and the curtains are drawn on the most weird performance with cards yet recorded.
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 7, No. 60, in New York, March 1918.
