Effect. - Bare arms, the operator shows a black scarf on both sides and, folding it in two, he takes out a cigarette which he drops into a top hat. Again. he shows the scarf on both sides, pressing and waving it. Folding it in two, He plunges his hand in, after showing it on both sides and takes out a second cigarette which will join the first in the headgear. He repeats this operation several times, always showing, in any case, the scarf and his hands. Finally, he takes out two cigarettes at a time, then three, four, five, six... He can distribute them, even to children, if they are made of sugar and chocolate.

Preparation. - In the middle of one side of the black scarf, preferably square, is attached, about half a centimeter from the edge, a strong black thread. Its length is a little longer than half of the scarf. At the end of the wire is attached a large black rubber ring into which the cigarettes are inserted.

Presentation. - The scarf, slightly crumpled, is placed on the table. Under one of its corners is hidden the packet of cigarettes. By taking the scarf at two angles to show it on both sides, the conjurer hides the packet of cigarettes in his hand. Letting go, it hangs behind the scarf.

The operator then folds the scarf in two and raising it above the top hat placed on the table, opening at the top, he plunges his hand into the scarf and delicately removes a cigarette which he drops into the headdress. . Then grasping the scarf by the angles opposite to those between which the thread is attached, he again shows the two sides of the scarf. The pack of cigarettes is now in the hat. The artist can therefore press the scarf between his fingers, twist it and shake it. Taking it back by the two corners which are then at the bottom and holding it firmly between his hands, the packet of cigarettes once again takes its place behind the scarf. The operator folds it in half again and extracts a cigarette. He repeats this operation until there are no more cigarettes left in the scarf. Finally, he removes several at once.

The experiment can be performed with a single cigarette attached to the black string. It will then be a good idea to place as many similar cigarettes in the hat as you intend to produce from the scarf. They will be covered with an oval of bristol imitating the background of the hairstyle. You will therefore be able to show the inside of the hat at the start of the round.

If you are operating with a single cigarette hanging from the black thread, it will be preferable to have a scarf of smaller dimensions than for the cigarette pack experiment. All you need to do, for the production of cigarettes, which will always be the same, is to tilt the scarf above the hat, giving it slight shakes. The cigarette will slide and fall into the hairstyle, allowing the scarf to be shown on both sides and even in the direction of thickness, squeezed and waved.

Luc MÉGRET.