Easy To Eat Fire
The so-called flre-eating magician have long plied their trade in defianc of all explications of chemists and phy sicians. A clever prestidigitator, Mr. D Vere, described recently how the trich for such it is, is done. It is very sim ple of practice, but it necessitates a apparatus which must be very carefull and neatly construgted. The fire-eater usually give their performance on raised platform, which hides the sourr of the fire, while it seems only to lif the operator a trifle higher from th floor of the scène, and it is ordinaril covered with a handsome red carpe It contains in the hollow space beneat it bags of rubber filiad with ordinar illuminating gas and compressed b weights. The fire-eater has beneat the sole of his foot an ingenious appa ratus ending in a tube, which fits ex actly into another tube coming u through the platform from underneath and forming a tight connection when h steps upon it; very fine rubber tubes of the same color as the magician' dress, which is usually a diabólica] scar let red, run up along his body anc along the arms to the furthest end o. the index fingers; another tube runs around his neck and up under his chin which is usually covered by a falsi beard, ending at his nether lip. Whei entering upon the stage all the lights are usually turned down to heightei the effect of the performance; the operator steps upon the platform, makei his connection, and after a sign tha' he is ready the gas is turned on froir beneath. When he feels that it is beginning to escape from the tube at th end of his finger he lights it by means of a little push button, which is conveniently located near by, and sometimes even within his clothes on the inside of the c.oak. The gas on burning he ïas it entirely under his control, to o-ht or turn out any of the variops jets he has previously arranged about hisbody. The jets on tht fingers are controlled by pressure oi the thumb upon the thin rubber tube the gas jet on his lip is lighted by a motion of the hand, and he always turns up hls face, opens his mouth. and pretends to blow the flame from his mouth. The appearance is very deceptive, indeed, as the breath blown from the lungs gives much life to the flame. As the scène is never light while the fire-eaters are at work, their secret has never before been discovered.
Article
Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News