Mercedes

Piano based mind reading routine.

Mercedes, back after a long tour of the tamps, showed the swiftest and most baffling of the piano thought transference acts. Mlle. Stantone, the veteran at this gripping style of work, never missed Are except when she did it for effect, "to make it more difficult" The signaling was utterly camouflaged. Mercedes never says a word to her except "All right." Surely he cannot change intonations of those two words enough to tip off the 1,000 or more numbers in the repertoire. Mercedes now employs a system whereby be asks each man or woman who names a song to rise and say "Please play my selection." The person then remains standing until the melody begins, and then nays "Correct" Thus a more direct proof is forthcoming of the accuracy, as by the old method two or three choices were "running" at once and there was no specific acknowledgment in each instance. Furthermore, the rising process is bound to create comedy here and there through the embarrassment or peculiarities of the ones who stand up. It proved an entirely inoffensive method here, and strikingly effective. Mercedes has the smoothest style of selling his act now that he has ever displayed.

Variety, 54:8 (04/18/1919)