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168 IDEAL HOME LIFE
and depositing the largest number of peanuts in another dish wins the prize.
The Persistent Penny
Hold a couple of pennies between the finger-tips and the thumb in such a way that the under side of the lower coin points to the ground. Release the lower penny, letting it fall into the other hand, held a foot or so below it. The penny will turn over, showing what was the under side before release. If the distance be increased to a couple of feet, a complete revolution is made—that is, the penny comes to rest with the original side up. Therefore, by regulating the distance, one can make either "head" or "tail" show, and this greatly puzzles people who do not notice.the change of distance.
The Mysterious Knot
Tell the audience that you intend to take an end of a handkerchief in each hand, and tie a knot in the middle of it without letting go of the ends. .This seems impossible, but it is really a very simple trick. All you have to do is to fold the arms so that one hand is under the other arm. Then pick up the ends of the handkerchief, the left hand grasping the right end, and the right hand the left. The arms are then straightened out, and, sure enough, there is a knot in the middle of the handkerchief all right.
N.B.—The handkerchief must be a large one.
The" Bewitched Spoon
Lay a soup spoon on the table bowl upward, and try to lift it by putting your thumb at the end of the handle and your middle finger into the bowl. It can be raised in this • way, and even carried about for some time, though the feat seems at first impossible. Slip the thumb down nearly to the joint to get a grip; but, of course, all the fingers except the middle one must be held well away and not allowed to touch the bowl. |
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