A simple explanation is given in the Model Engineer.  Between the audience and the coffin is a sheet of transparent glass, inclined at an angle so as to reflect objects located behind the scenes, but so clear as to be invisible to the audience and the man in the coffin.  At the beginning the stage is lighted only from behind the glass.  Hence the coffin and its occupant are seen through the glass very plainly.  The lights in front of the glass (behind the scenes) are now raised very gradually as those behind the glass are turned down, until it is dark there.  The perfectly black surface behind the glass now acts like the silver backing for a mirror, and the object upon which the light is now turned—­in this case the skeleton—­is reflected in the glass, appearing to the audience as if really occupying the stage.

The model, which requires no special skill except that of carpentry, is constructed as shown in the drawings.

The box containing the stage should be 14 in. by 7 in. by 7-1/2 in., inside dimensions.  The box need not be made of particularly good wood, as the entire interior, with the exception of the glass, figures and lights, should be colored a dull black.  This can well be done by painting with a solution of lampblack in turpentine.  If everything is not black, especially the joints and background near A, the illusion will be spoiled.

The glass should be the clearest possible, and must be thoroughly cleansed.  Its edges should nowhere be visible, and it should be free from scratches and imperfections.  The figure A should be a doll about 4 in. high, dressed in brilliant, light-colored garments.  The skeleton is made of papier mache, and can be bought at Japanese stores.  It should preferably be one with arms suspended by small spiral springs, giving a limp, loose-jointed effect.  The method of causing the skeleton to dance is shown in the front view.  The figure is hung from the neck by a blackened stiff wire attached to the hammer wire of an electric bell, from which the gong has been removed.  When the bell works he will kick against the rear wall, and wave his arms up and down, thus giving as realistic a dance as anyone, could expect from a skeleton.

The lights, L and M, should be miniature electric lamps, which can be run by three dry cells.  They need to give a fairly strong light, especially L, which should have a conical tin reflector to increase its brilliancy and prevent its being reflected in the glass.

Since the stage should be some distance from the audience, to aid the illusion, the angle of the glass and the inclination of the doll, A, has been so designed that if the stage is placed on a mantle or other high shelf, the image of A will appear upright to an observer sitting in a chair some distance away, within the limits of an ordinary room.  If it is desired to place the box lower down, other angles for the image and glass may be found necessary, but the proper tilt can be found readily by experiment.