St Ignatius College - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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IT'.S' A CINCHU 29 The loser demanded that the dentist explain the trick, for trick he surely believed it to be, but the dentist re- plied that he was as much in the dark as the drummer, who thereupon left the oiiice. There's a catch somewhere, said the salesman to his friend, the lawyer, to whom he unfolded his sad experi- ence, and I'd give you another twenty-dollar bill to know just where. Well, said the lawyer, I wouldn't mind making a twenty-spot or two myself, and since you have already warned me, I think I can fathom his little game,-for surely it 'must be a game, as you say. Suppose I drop in to see that dentist friend of yours this afternoon? I have a tooth that needs a filling that might just as well be at- tended to now as any other time. Most likely he'll get talking cards with me,-I'll lead him on to it if he doesn't. I'll make a bet with him myself, keep a close eye on him, and most likely I'll see the game before it is really worked, and be able to catch him in the act. By the way, didn't you say that it was worth twenty to you to know how it was done P Yes, I certainly did, replied the salesman. Then if I meet you at Coffee Dan's at five and tell you how, is that twenty mine ? It is, exclaimed the salesman, provided, you do not persuade the dentist to tell you,-and as for that, I'll give my trust to your honor. All right, was the reply, and they parted. Five o'clock came and they met at one of Coffee Dan's bat- tered tables. Well, began the lawyer, you're stung and so am I. I went through practically the same experience as you did,-selected the ace of hearts, and I was promptly told by the dentist's friend what card I had touched. I kept a close watch on the dentist throughout the whole

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H3111 at Olinrlf' T.isn't really a'trick at all, said the den- f' qw t1st to his patient, the salesman, though -5-31 fi to tell the truth, I don't understand it ve s myself. It's a wonderful faculty a friend of mine has for knowing what's going on in a place, though he may not be person- ally present, or have any means of communcation. You can lay out here on the table an entire deck of cards, face up, and touch any one of the fifty-two. Then proceed to the telephone and call up 'my friend, and he'll tell you what card you have touched. Impossible, said the patient. I'd bet almost any- thing that it can't be done. It might, however, be worked if you did the telephoning, and had some combination of words, or code of your own to use in talking to your friend, from which he could easily say what card had been picked out. But if I phoned your friend,-why, I'd wager a twenty-spot he couldn't tell the card. I'll take you up on that, said the dentist. I-Ie produced a deck of cards and handed them to the salesman, who shuffled them carefully, and laid them out, face up, in four rows of thirteen cards each. The salesman, at the request of the dentist touched one, that happened to be the six of clubs. Now, said the dentist, step to the phone, call up Franklin 1337, ask for my friend, tell him that you're in my oihce and have touched a card, and ask him what card you touched. The salesman followed out directions, and after a -momentls pause, the Words came over the wire: That Was the six of clubs you picked out. The money was the dentist's. f ll F 5505 NVQ? X A3455

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30 THE IGNATIAN proceedings. While I was ringing up Franklin 1337 he paid no attention to me at all, but continued to read in a book he had taken up but a moment before I touched the card. It's certainly a mysterious affair from start to finish, and I'd lose anything to find out just how it's done. The two did not meet again for nearly a month, when they happened to run across each other on Market street one day, and stopped to have a little chat. - By the way, the lawyer remarked, do you recall how we two were fooled by that card game of your den- tist's a few weeks ago? That guy, who worked with him, must be a slicker, I'd very much like to visit the doctor and ask him to introduce me to the fellow. . I should say he was a slicker, and it's no use trying to get acquainted with him. We were both cleverly fooled. Lunch with me and forget about it. They went to a nearby cafe, and had just finished their Martini when 'the telephone bell on the bar behind them rang. Yes, this is Franklin 1337, they heard the bartender say. They looked at each other in dismay. That was the very number the dentist had used in his card game. D The bartender waited a minute. Yes, this is Mr. Baker talking to you now, he said. . A brief moment passed, and then, That card you touched was the jack of clubs. Yes, the jack. Goodbyj' and he hung up the receiver. Pardon me, said the salesman, as the bartender turned from the phone, but that's a queer conversationto have over a telephone. Here's the price of a. new hat for you, if you'll tell us the game. The bartender wavered a moment, and then taking the proffered bill, replied: It's the best yet. 1've a dentist friend on Fourth street. He gets a patient talking about card tricks, and