Solved! Sort of...

When Aunt Bessie and cousin Hester found out they were both married to the same guy, a magician named Burford Hemlock, he disappeared. I wonder what happened to him. Here Bessie and Hester pose with one of the props from the magic act. Burford used this magic box to make his assistant disappear right before your eyes!

 

 

I blather on about this elsewhere.

Done