FAMILY FUN

New Zealand Tablet, 21 August 1913, Page 62

FAMILY FUN

TRICKS AND ILLUSIONS. (Special to the N Z. Tablet by Mahatma.) ' . ‘ !■'- y The Inverted Glass of Water.—The following is an old experiment to show the, pressure of the atmosphere, also an elaboration on the same. Take a tumbler and fill it to the brim with water. Place over it a sheet of paper. If the tumbler be now inverted the pressure of the atmosphere upon the paper will prevent the water from escaping. Not satisfied with this, the conjuror proceeds to show his audience that by his magic power the liquid will be made to remain in the tumbler even when the paper has been drawn away. This he , proceeds to do, and is—or should rewarded by much applause for the feat. The effect is great, and the explanation simple. The fake employed in the experiment is a small piece of either mica or transparent celluloid—obtainable at most garages.* This is cut to the size and shape of the mouth of the tumbler. The latter article is filled with water " and the celluloid attached. When performing the trick the piece of paper is placed over the already covered mouth. The celluloid having been damped a little causes the paper to adhere. The whole arrangement is now inverted, and but little wonder will be shown at the paper not dropping, but when this is removed the conjuror meets with a reception which makes him feel that the little time spent over the illusion has been well rewarded. A Pair of Scissors and Some String.—This is an old but yet very mystifying trick if worked smartly. Take a pair of scissors, also a short loop of string. Pass one end of this loop -through one handle of the scissors and pass the other end of the loop through the end which emerges from the handle. Then pull tight and hand the end to a lady asking her to remove the scissors. If she cannot do it proceed to do so yourself by taking hold of the loop which ,is close to the scissors, pulling on it, passing it right over the scissors and thus freeing the instrument. ' A Good Sell.’—A slip of paper is handed to a spectator with a request that he will write two or three words upon it. This paper carefully folded is handed to a second person for safe-keeping and a third person is asked to assist the performer upon the platform. The performer takes another slip of paper and writes a few words upon it (after a due amount of ‘ hanky-panky ’), This paper the conjuror folds and hands to the person who is helping him on the platform. The person, who is holding the other strip of paper, is now asked to call out aloud the writing upon it. We will suppose this , turns out to be ' Monkey Brand Soap.’ The performer turns to the assistant on the stage, and with a magnificent air—that of a man who has succeeded in a great undertaking —asks what is written upon the piece of paper which he is holding. The assistant calls out ‘ Just the same.’ The performer turns to the audience, bows, and the trick is done. Now for the explanation. When the performer has obtained hold of his piece of paper he writes upon it (he words 'Just the same.’ The rest of the trick requires no explanation. In fact that little sentence is the whole trick. The deception is as perfect as one could well desire.. The performer has apparently written upon his paper the very words written by the first person because the assistant upon the stage informs the audience that the words upon his paper are ‘just the same.’ Thus, everyone is taken in, except the person last referred to, but a friendly wink from the performer, and a whispered injunction to ‘ keep quiet and help me to produce a great illusion,’ will in every case—unless the assistant be a very cantankerous personsucceed.