Entity Alone

Effect

The following is an unusual version of “The Quick and the Dead.” All sitters present are given slips of paper on which to record the name of some living friend. That is, all but one sitter, who is asked to write the name of some close friend or relative not now living - someone in the happy summer-land or another world.

The performer picks up a pitcher of water and fills a goblet standing nearby. One sitter is asked to collect the papers and see that they are well mixed beforehanding them to the performer. One at a time, he drops them into the goblet, while muttering, just audibly, a verse from Longfellow's translation: “'Twas right a goblet the Fate should be Of the joyous race of Edenhall!

Deep draughts drink we right willingly; And willingly ring, with merry call Kling! klang! to the Luck of Edenhall!” As the last paper drops within, the performer picks up the glass and asks the attendant who collected the papers to reach into the glass and take out, in a bunch, the papers floating there.

The glass is held high while the performer approaches and stands before the person who wrote the dead name. He says, simply:

“The drinking-glass of crystal tall; They call it the Luck of Edenhall.”

And that person is called upon to notice one lone paper at the bottom of the glass of water. He is asked the name of whom he wrote. The pitcher is asked for. The water is poured from the goblet. The spectator gets the paper from the glass and reads it aloud. It is the dead name!