Chapter III: Appendix (2)

A specimen of that noble animal, the horse, having been paraded before a company enthusiastic upon its faultlessness, modestly but firmly insist upon it, that—without pretending to any great veterinary knowledge—you can see with a quarter of an eye that the gorgeous steed has “the lifts.” The name of this mysterious complaint being somewhat analogous to that of the “heaves,” a torrent of indignation will doubtlessly burst upon you. On being forced to give an explanation, you can, with the fearlessness of truth, explain that if the creature did not have “the _lifts_,” could it move its feet off the ground.

* * * * *

HOW TO PUSH A LADY’S HEAD THROUGH A WEDDING RING.—Run your finger through the ring and touch the lady’s head with the tip.

* * * * *

How many Bank of England notes will weigh down a sovereign? Only seven will more than equal the coin in weight.

* * * * *

HOW TO MAKE A LADY STICK OUT HER LITTLE FINGER.—The best way of securing this effect is to put on the finger a diamond ring. The mere desire to display the diamond to the best advantage is sure to make the lady stick out her little finger in the most charming manner possible. When the effect begins to fail, substitute another ring of greater brilliancy.

_Addendum._—A ring at the door-bell has been known to make a lady stick her head out of the window.—_Hanky Panky._

* * * * *

One of the company having related a story which lauds his moral excellence, observe that, spite of his pretentions, you know what will _hang_ him! At the end of his indignation—answer, a rope!

* * * * *

SQUARING ACCOUNTS.—A day or two since an inveterate joker met his friend, Hanky Panky, Esq., in the street, whom he knows to be a great dog fancier. With a twinkle in his eye and an inquiring look in his countenance he anxiously asked him if he had seen the new breed of imported dogs, the “Sooner.” Professor Panky replied that he had not, and wished to know the peculiarity of the breed.

“They’d _sooner_ stay in the house than go out of doors,” was the reply, as the joker cautiously moved away, shaking his sides and winking.

The prestidigitateur determined to be even, and the next time he met the joker he seriously remarked:

“You’ve been to Smith de Brown’s, haven’t you?”

“No, why?”

“I thought you knew he had got back his tray of diamonds.”

“No, is that so? How did he get it?”

“He took it with the four ‘spot.’”

The playful youth suddenly remembered a very pressing engagement and hurried away, remarking, “I—I—I’ll see you again, Doctor Hanky, I—I—I don’t quite understand.”

* * * * *

A lady occupying a room, letter B, at an hotel, wrote on the slate as follows: “Wake letter B at seven; and if letter B says ‘let her be,’ don’t let her be, nor let letter B be, because if you let letter B be letter B will be unable to let her house to Mr. B., who is to call at half-past ten.” The porter—a much better bootblack than orthographist—after studying the above all night, did not know whether to wake letter B or let her be.

* * * * *

A young man asked a young lady how old she was, and replied “6 times 7 and 7 times 3 added to my age will exceed 6 times 9 and 4, as double my age exceeds 20.” The young man thought she looked much older.

* * * * *

What is the difference between twice twenty-eight and twice eight and twenty?—Twenty; because twice twenty-eight are fifty-six, and twice eight _and_ twenty are thirty-six.

* * * * *

One of 10 loves what 1028.

ADDRESS ON A LETTER.

W O O D

J O H N

H A N T S.

_Answer._—John Underwood, Andover, Hants.

ALGEBRAIC SQUARING OF THE CIRCLE.

C I R C L E
I C A R U S
R A R E S T
C R E A T E
L U S T R E
E S T E E M

A BUNCH OF ANAGRAMS.

A good anagram was once made from the translation in the Vulgate of Pontius Pilate’s last question to our Saviour, “What is truth”—“_Quid est veritas?_” The anagram answers, “_Est vir qui adest_”—“It is the man who is before you.” This example complies with the conditions of a perfect anagram. It employs all the letters—does not depend on pronunciation—and makes the anagramatised sentence an answer to the direct form.

Wilkie Collins.—We coil in skill.

Guiseppe Garibaldi.—Gape Pig! as I re-build.

Eugénie Imperatrice.—Mere Peace! I intrigue.

* * * * *

THE GRAMMATICAL WORD.

There is a word of 14 letters of which the 3rd and 14th form an article; 6, 10, 5, and 1 a noun; 12, a pronoun; 6, 10, and 2, a verb; 4, 13, and 11, an adverb; 8, 9, 7, and 6, an adjective; 14, 13, 9, a conjunction; 3, 11, a preposition; and the 13th an interjection: thus the word contains in itself the whole 8 parts of speech, and its meaning is in accordance with its anagrammatic changes. The word is

T R A N S M I G R A T I O N
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

3, 14 = an; 6, 10, 5, 1 = mast; 12=I; 6, 10, 2 = mar; 4, 13, 11 = not; 8, 9, 7, 6 = grim; 14, 13, 9 = nor; 3, 11 = at; 13 = O.

* * * * *

HANKY PANKY TO HIS NIECES, WITH A SET OF CHESSMEN.

The box now presented to you, my dear Nieces,
Start not! contains _Men_, though in thirty-two _pieces_.
But may each of you meet with _one_ perfect and whole,
For a partner through life, with a heart and a soul;
May you each in life’s _Game_ e’er successfully move,
And all conquests achieved prove the conquests of love;
May you ever be able—on banks—to _give check_,
And may _Bishops_ and _Knights_ bow down at your beck.
May _Castles_ surrender whene’er you attack ’em,
And staunch prove your _Men_, with your good _Queen_ to back ’em;
May your fortunes permit you to dwell in the _Squares_,
And enjoy life’s delights without tasting its cares;
May you each find a _Mate_, life’s journey to sweeten,
And if _mated_ oft,—may you never be _beaten_!

* * * * *

COMIC FORTUNE TELLING.

THE ALPHABETICAL FORTUNE TELLER.

The Moslems have recourse, to determine them when they are in doubt as to any action, to a table called _Zairgeh_, divided into a hundred squares, in each of which is written some Arabic letter. The person who consults it, repeats three times the opening chapter of the Koran, and 58th verse of the sixth chapter. “With Him are the keys of the secret things: none knoweth them but him. He knoweth whatever is on the dry ground or in the sea; there falleth no leaf but He knoweth it; neither is there a single grain in the dark parts of the earth, nor a green thing, nor a dry thing, but it is written in a perspicuous book.” He places his finger at random upon the table; he then looks to see upon what letter his finger is placed, writes that letter, the fifth following it, and the fifth following this, until he comes to the first which he wrote, and these letters together compose the answer. The construction of the table is thus:—

┌───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┐
│_d_│_w_│_w_│_a_│_w_│_o_│_h_│_a_│_b_│_h_│
├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤
│_i_│_o_│_i_│_s_│_o_│_t_│_d_│_t_│_t_│_w_│
├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤
│_w_│_o_│_a_│_a_│_a_│_i_│_e_│_n_│_i_│_i_│
├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤
│_t_│_s_│_d_│_n_│_t_│_h_│_i_│_a_│_a_│_e_│
├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤
│_o_│_t_│_t_│_n_│_t_│_u_│_w_│_t_│_d_│_h_│
├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤
│_t_│_i_│_a_│_e_│_s_│_f_│_l_│_i_│_n_│_u_│
├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤
│_e_│_l_│_u_│_j_│_c_│_a_│_d_│_t_│_o_│_c_│
├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤
│_r_│_o_│_h_│_y_│_e_│_o_│_w_│_y_│_p_│_e_│
├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤
│_f_│_r_│_w_│_e_│_d_│_i_│_o_│_i_│_a_│_e_│
├───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤
│_l_│_n_│_s_│_c_│_t_│_l_│_g_│_h_│_e_│_h_│
└───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┘
Fig. 40.

For example, suppose the finger to be placed on the letter _s_, second in the fourth line, we take from the table the letters:—

_s—i—t—w—i—l—l—d—o—w—r—o—n—g—w—a—i—t—a—n_, which forms the answer:—“Wait an(d) sit will do wrong,” an incentive to action quite clear.

The sentence always commences with the first of the letters taken from the uppermost line. It will be seen that the table gives only five answers, one of these with whatever letter of the alphabet we commence. The framer of the table, knowing that men very frequently wish to do wrong, and seldom to do what is right, and that it is generally safer for them to abstain when in doubt, has given but one affirmative answer, and four negative.

It was by this means that the dishonest Arab found out that Livingstone was dead and did not want the goods he was taking to him, which shows how reliable a forecast can be thus made. (See _The Finding of Livingstone_.)

* * * * *

A CHINESE PUZZLE.—A Chinaman died, leaving his property by will to his three sons, as follows: “To Fum-Hum, the eldest, one half thereof; to Nu-Pin, his second son, one-third thereof; and to Ding-Bat, his youngest, one-ninth thereof.” When the property was inventoried, it was found to consist of nothing more nor less than seventeen elephants, and it puzzled these three heirs how to divide the property according to the terms of the will without chopping up the seventeen elephants, and thus perhaps injuring their lives. Finally, they applied to a wise Neighbour, Y-sa-cur, for advice. Y-sa-cur had an elephant of his own. He drove it into the yard with the seventeen, and said, “Now, we will suppose that your father left these eighteen elephants. Fum-Hum, take your half, and depart.” So Fum-Hum took nine elephants and went his way. “Now, Nu-Pin,” said the wise man, “take your third, and remove!” So Nu-Pin took six elephants and travelled. “Now Ding-Bat,” said the wise man, “take your ninth, and begone.” So Ding-Bat took two elephants and absquatulated. Then Y-sa-cur took his own elephant and drove home again.

Query: Was the property divided according to the terms of the will?

TO GUESS THE POINTS THROWN WITH DICE.

While I turn away my head, let some one throw a pair of dice and count the pips, and add to this sum the amount on the bottom face of either one of them. Now, throw again and add these new points.

I now turn and look, and tell the whole number thrown.

_Explanation._—When you look, you count the faces seen, and add seven. This is a pretty little trick.

* * * * *

Arithmetically speaking, would not the world be happier if all were 2 B

1 0 0 1 5 1 5 0. C I V I L

2 1 another.

* * * * *

ARITHMETICAL FORTUNE TELLING.

Dates of important events in the lives of eminent men are supposed to have a mysterious meaning of a prophetical tendency.

The process of forecasting is to take the number of years between a man’s birthday and that of his marriage or first notable occurrence, which number added to the second date should give the year of his next distinguished action. For instance, by comparing the dates of special significance in the life of Pius IX. we discover that the figures of each sum up to 19. Thus Mastai Ferretti was born in 1792, ordained in 1819, chosen pope in 1846. The next year distinguished by the same peculiarity is 1873, when consequently some great event will again happen to him. What this is to be, time will show.

VIII.—SIMPLE TRICKS WITH BOXES.

THE MAGIC TABLE AND SEALED CASKET.

The magician’s bottle is shown to the company, and a little wine poured from it to prove it is not empty. A handkerchief and ring are borrowed, and put into the bottle.

A borrowed casket is then held up in view, fastened with sealed thread, and Senor Don Hanquey y Panquey announces his intention to break it open to see the contents, but previously will return the borrowed articles. Out of the bottle, then, he pulls the handkerchief and ring, dripping with wine, and places them upon the sealed box, in plain view. The bottle is taken away.

The wine-soaked handkerchief is crammed into a pistol and fired at the box. On opening it there is found a second box within, which being also opened, discovers the handkerchief, ironed and perfumed, and the ring.

_Explanation._—The table is made with a hollow leg as usual, but with a larger aperture, closed with a double trap, through which a piston rod may push up a box deposited at its base.

The borrowed ring and handkerchief are put into the secret compartment of the bottle (see _The Secret Out_, and _The Magician’s Own Book_), where they remain until the bottle is taken out of the room. The wine-saturated handkerchief and ring put upon the sealed box are duplicated. When the assistant receives the bottle, he takes out the real ring and handkerchief, which latter he places in a box going into the casket, which has no bottom, the better for the two to be pushed up within the gueridon. The table has the double in its base when it is brought on the stage, and the duplicate handkerchief is fired at it. Consequently, you are sure to find the borrowed articles in the casket when it is opened.

THE 100 RINGS OF SMOKE.

Take six playing cards and turn up half an inch of the ends of each, the same side. With them form a hollow cube or box by the arrangement here depicted:

In the centre of one side cut out a small circle.

After filling this box with tobacco smoke, you can make a ring of it issue from the aperture by giving a tap to the opposite side, just as the pressure of the flexible bottom of an oil-can makes the fluid spurt out.

TO INTRODUCE CIGAR SMOKE INTO AN AIR-TIGHT VASE.

Certain old dames of Mr. Panky’s acquaintance are prejudiced upon the subject of tobacco smoke. To believe them, you would become of the impression that cigar vapour penetrates the thickest curtain, wall, or any partition whatever.

I beg to show you that these estimable ladies are not so far wrong.

I have in my hand a glass cup with a cover of the same material, as transparent as possible.

I put on the lid, and let this volunteer hold it at a distance from me, whilst I puff towards it the smoke of this perfumed cigarette.

Keep your eyes on the covered cup, for you will see that the smoke enters it, though hermetically sealed. To convince you that there is no ocular illusion, let my obliging Ganymede lift off the cover.

There, away flies the smoke caught in it.

Again close it, while I again despatch more smoke to it. Shall I repeat the experiment, for I warn you I am prepared to continue till morning. Three or four times will suffice, eh? So much the better for your patience.

_Explanation._—Into the cup put a few drops of alkali, and move the vessel about so that the inside is coated with the liquid; treat the cover with chloridric acid, in the same way. When these two are brought into contact by the junction of the cover and vase, a thick vapour is produced, which resembles tobacco smoke. Take care not to cover the cup until just when you wish the vapour to appear, as its formation is instantaneous.

IX.—SIMPLE TRICKS WITH HATS.

THE MAGICIAN’S BIRDCAGE.

(_Les Oiseaux Ranimés._)

There is an universal exclamation of sorrow from the ladies when the inmates of the pretty cage—suddenly produced from a gentleman’s hat, as a conclusion to a trick—are found to be lifeless.

Participating in the distress, Monsieur Hanky Panky seeks to remove its cause, and for that purpose borrows from the audience a pocket handkerchief.

Hardly has he drawn it two or three times over and around the cage, than the pitying faces are seen beaming with wonderment and joy, for the inanimate birds have been resuscitated, and are flying and chirping within the gilded bars.

_Explanation._—Some wondrously scientific gentleman will probably descant upon the marvellous effects of training of canaries, or, perhaps, of the administering angels, ether and chloroform. Let him do so, for you will learn on an inspection of the cage, that it has a double bottom, in the receptacle of which, at first, the live birds are kept unseen, and, on the pressure of a spring in the knob at the top, the stuffed ones descend, thanks to the false bottom sinking in the middle, if its halves are on pivots at each side; or, one half sinking one side and the other opposite, if they turn lengthwise.

An egg can be made to transform itself into a live bird or mouse, and other changes can be wrought by this same apparatus.

THE GARDEN HAT; OR, FLOWERS GROWING VISIBLY IN A HAT.

A hat being about to be returned to the owner from having been shockingly maltreated in the concoction of an omelette, it occurs to Herr Harngy Barngy, that, while it is unfit for adorning the human head, it may be available for other purposes.

“Hang it!” says the Professor, with his genial smile, which is never so sweet and placid as when he is working his will with borrowed property, “I see such a resemblance in it to a flowerpot, that flowerpot it shall be. So I will hang it here—on this little shelf—hanging from the ceiling by three cords.”

For seed, a few rose leaves; for mould, some shreds of handkerchief, &c., which are put into the hat.

Then Mr. H. B. retires in amongst the audience. At the wave of his wand, a tender stalk is seen to peep over the edge of the hat, and by degrees a bush of flowers rise out of this novel jardinière, whilst a perfume as of newly blooming flowers pervades the air.

_Explanation._—In our former works will be found full directions to manage the miraculous birth of flowers by mechanical means. In the present case the result is brought about by a less complicated method.

You have a tin vessel of the size and shape of a hat, to fit inside it. In it is a bush, with natural flowers attached, mounted on a large cork, the whole to move upwards without impediment.

In going up to the hanging shelf you slip this prepared vessel into the hat. When the whole is in its place, your signal to your confederate sets him to turn on perfumed water, which runs into the vessel through one of the suspending cords, which is a gutta percha tube covered with silk. As the water enters, the cork is floated.

TO RUN THE FINGER THROUGH A HAT AND YET RETURN IT INTACT.

Having concluded a performance in which a borrowed hat was employed, you pretend to hesitate about handing it to the owner, and, in fact, whilst you are mumbling excuses, reveal that, by some bungling, you have made so large a hole in the crown, that a finger—yours, for instance (suiting the action to the word), can go through it, to do which you thrust a hand within the hat.

The forefinger is seen issuing through the top of the hat, where it wags in an amusing manner. Nevertheless, on instantly giving the hat to the owner, not the slightest trace of the fracture can be perceived.

_Explanation._—The finger shown is one made of gutta percha, with a little cup valve at the base, from which the air is exhausted by a simple pressure, when the adhesion is perfect. To remove it, pick up the edge of the valve with the thumb-nail. This little diversion causes that hilarity always befitting a magical entertainment.

X.—AMUSING TRICKS WITH VARIOUS ARTICLES.

“The mind of man, like a bow, if always bent would in the end lose its
elasticity, and become useless; by giving it occasional freedom you
preserve its tone, and it will serve your purpose.”—ÆSOP.

TO TAKE A PORTRAIT IN THREE MINUTES.

Draw on coloured paper with another coloured crayon the likeness of a confederate, and dust the lines with a powder of the same hue as the paper.

In your pencil-case have a hard brush, and when you appear to draw, remove the coloured powder.

This trick is used in connection with disappearing feats, where you undertake to make the drawing of a card, a flower, or any vanished article, which you are not supposed to have seen.

A REMBRANDT ETCHING IN FIVE MINUTES.

Smoke a glazed card over a tallow candle till the surface is completely blackened. With a needle scratch out a landscape with a moonlight effect, or a figure in shadow, except on one side, where a strong light falls, after the fashion of the photographs by Solomon, Kliemeck, &c. The weird aspect will be quite like a Doré or Van Schendel.

THE ONE-EARED HARES.

Draw three hares, so that each shall appear to have two ears, while they really have only three ears between them.

DOING A GOOSE IN THE TURN OF A HAND.

(_Story and Drawing Lesson._)

There was once upon a time a farmer who built a house with one window and two doors. A path led to a pool adorned with sedge. But up to the pool, by two crooked paths, came a gang of robbers, who caught a goose.

VAPOURGRAPHIC PICTURES.

Write on glass with a quill full of hydrofluoric acid. After two minutes’ action of the mordant, wash in clean water, and polish with silk or soft dry cloth. The bitten away lines are invisible, but will appear on the plate being exposed to the breath or steam from a kettle.

CHANGEABLE PICTURES.

Paint any subject on thin paper slightly with light colours, so arranged that by painting the paper stronger on the other side, it may be disguised. Then cover the last side with a piece of white paper to conceal the second subject, and frame the whole. It may even be put between two pieces of clear glass.

On holding up this picture to the light, a different scene is presented to what is usually beheld.

MAGIC DRAWING.

Take a box about 18 inches long by six deep, and remove the lid and one side. In the centre set a square of glass at right angles to the bottom, and parallel with the plane of the ends.

Place a picture which you wish to copy on the left of this upright glass, and a sheet of paper on the right.

On holding the head on the left of the glass, and looking into it downwards, the reflection or spectre of the picture will be seen on the paper, where the lines may be traced.

TRANSPARENCIES.

Put a chafing-dish or gas-stove under a wooden frame on which you strain, that is, stretch, a piece of strong linen or silk, while you do it over with a solution of wax in oil of turpentine. It will then be equally diffused.

Paint with oil colours mixed with spirits of turpentine.

MOVABLE TRANSPARENCIES.

Mount the transparency on a light circular frame, on an axis easily turned. Close the upper end of the hollow cylinder with a disc of tin, cut into inclined planes like the ventilator let into window panes (fanlight).

A lamp placed inside the cylinder will illuminate the transparency at the same time that it makes it turn round by the current of heated air striking the tin plate.

Vary the subject of the pictures as you please. Mr. Panky’s represent hideous serpents twisting round a column, and other delicious spectacles.

* * * * *

To make the above magical figure without taking the hand off, begin at A, thence to B, to C, to D, to E, and so on.

TO WRITE ON WOOD.

Rub the wood with powdered resin, and ink will not spread or run when you write upon it.

THE PIG’S-EYE GAME.

Shut the eyes and draw the figure of an animal without taking the hand off. Still not seeing it, remove the hand and try to put the eye in its proper place.

The ludicrous outline made, and the absurd position of the eye in most attempts, are remarkable.

EVERLASTING WRITING ON GLASS.

After covering a sheet of glass with visible colour or colours, write or scratch the inscription so as to remove the pigment in those places where the pen touches. Put the glass in the furnace for the colours to set with running so as to obliterate the marks, and after the proper cooling, the writing will be unalterably fixed. Designs of transparency for a tinted ground can be thus made.

MOSS PICTURES.

Take a board with a smooth face, and stripe it lengthwise with three bands of colour sky-blue and grass green, with a pale blue or pale yellow between, which will be the sky, the middle distance and horizon, and foreground of a picture. With coloured moss, varying in tint from yellow to deep brown, form trees, bushes, hedges, foliage, &c., by glueing the sprigs. The effect is often charming.

THE PUNCTUATION PUZZLE.

Whoever writes this on the wall has ten fingers on each hand; five and twenty on hands and feet; guess who this may be.

OIL PICTURES.

If you drop oil or fat on water it spreads and breaks into variegated patterns as beautiful as snow-flake figures.

Have a vessel of pure cold water, still as possible. Let one drop of oil fall on the surface from about four inches height.

Lay a piece of glazed surface paper on the oil pattern, take it instantly off, place it on the surface of a plate of ink for a moment, remove and wash off the excess of ink, and you will have a black picture closely resembling a photograph. For red use cochineal or the aniline reds.

Pure sperm oil takes a minute to form a pattern; green rape oil is slower; Lucca oil three minutes; green olive one minute, &c. Oils can be mixed and tried.

The formation can be shown by the magic lantern, from which is removed its nozzle pipe for a shorter one, so as to form the oleographs properly, and yet leave room enough for a small pipe to be thrust between the nozzle and the trough containing the water on which swims the oil.

The lantern is turned back so that the chimney is horizontal; the hole is then perpendicular; on it is set a trough made of two plates of glass joined together, the upper, which has a hole in it, to be filled with water. On the nozzle is placed a prism, which reflects the picture on the screen.

XI.—AMUSING TRICKS WITH VARIOUS ARTICLES.

TO DIVIDE A HORSESHOE INTO SEVEN PIECES BY TWO CUTS.

Make a horseshoe of a slice of pear or apple, potato, &c., and cut off the long arms at A B. Range all in a row, and cut them across into seven pieces.

TO MAKE AN ANTI-MACASSAR OF A SHEET OF PAPER.

Take a newspaper and fold one end transversely, so that the edge is parallel with one side, by which a square is obtained.

Fold this square to make a right-angled triangle; fold this to make another triangle, and so on until the last shape is an acute triangle.

The end A is just half as thick as the rest of the paper. Tear this off at the dotted line, by which the square of paper becomes a sixteen-sided figure, nearly circular.

To make the pattern, tear off the point of the folded mass, by which a central hole will be made in the whole piece. Then tear from the sides and the broad edge small pieces, varying in size, by which a certain pattern will be made. Once having found the proper points whence to remove the ground, such counterparts of lacework can be so rapidly and bewilderingly done that the spectators will be amazed upon your unfolding the paper completed. It is needless to say tearing of a common newspaper makes the trick apparently more difficult than the most elaborate cutting out of coloured tissues with scissors.

SYMPATHETIC CURRENTS OF DIVINATION.

A brother philosopher of mine (says Hanky Panky) has written about sympathetic atoms of communication. Descartes, as he is named, maintained that any one could put himself in correspondence with another so as to read in his mind as in a book, by aid of connecting atoms. Ahem!

I will now (continues Mr. H. Panky) apply to a lady and a gentleman, to whom I give each a sealed letter, with the request for them to take the best of care of them, and not to open them until permission is given.

I have here a pack of ordinary playing cards, which may be freely examined, from which are excluded all below the value of seven, being what is known as a piquet or euchre pack.

I make eight piles here on the table of four cards each, and number them. The gentleman holding the letter will kindly point out which one he selects. Observe that the gentleman has taken the third pile. I beg to offer it to him while I pick up the other cards.

I now spread out a set of dominoes on the table, of which I form four rows of seven each, face down on the table. I part the four rows into two ranks, separated by the empty domino-box between them.

The gentleman will please choose one of the rows, and then one of the piles in it. I give him that pile and turn up the dominoes to show that no two are alike.

I present to the lady a pencil, and ask her to mark one of the three flowers painted on the board held out to her.

The lady has marked the lily.

The gentleman can now open the letter, when he may read as follows:—

“Sir—The four cards chosen by you are the king of spades, the eight of
diamonds, the ace of hearts, and the knave of hearts.

The pile of seven dominoes contains the blank-two, three-two,
double-four, four-five, deuce-ace, cinq-three, double-one, in all
thirty-seven points.

“Signed HANKY PANKY.”

On opening the lady’s letter, she may read:—

“Madam—You were destined to choose the lily.

“Signed H. PANKY.”

And I shake the envelope out to produce a lovely lily, which was the flower the lady preferred.

_Explanation._—The cards were eight sets of four, which were respectively the spade king, the eight of diamonds, ace of hearts, and knave of hearts. Consequently, wherever the choice fell it was sure to light on the cards which were named in the letter previously prepared.

The dominoes were placed in the box face up, as usual, but the bottom row was composed of the series which you wish to come out. On putting them on the table place the prepared lot on your left hand. If the right-hand lot should be chosen, quietly remove it, saying that you put it out of the way, and we will use the other (for it seems perfectly fair that the choice should as well exclude as include the lot). In the same way deal with the other rows so as to have the prepared set in any case.

The three names of flowers, or the flowers themselves, painted on a board, have the one to be selected somewhat prominent, and, with a little art, you can always induce a lady to mark the desired one. (_See_ directions to “force a card,” in _The Secret Out_.)

THE TURNING SHEARS.

Take a large pair of scissors or shears in your hands, which you hold out, palms upwards. Hang them by their rings on the little fingers. Close the hands with a slight inclination towards the scissors, so that the finger tips only are in the rings, and the blade is supported on the inner fleshy part of the palms.

As you turn your closed hands, the scissors will turn, and on bringing the knuckles upward the point will be forward, and you can open and shut them freely.

THE SIMULACRUM.

Ladies and Gentlemen: One of the superstitions of the Middle Ages made it credible that if a person hating another bought of a regular magician an enchanted doll, resembling that object of enmity, any treatment of the representative, say, the insertion of pins into its wax, the twisting of its limbs, and so on, would be felt by the living being.

This was acting upon a person through his likeness.

On this principle I—Signor Hanchio Panchio, at your service—have succeeded in opening locks without going near them with the key.

I have a facsimile of my front door lock in my own study, and on hearing a knock I merely turn a key in the duplicate lock, when the door flies open so mysteriously that the visitor believes the agent an electric medium of mine.

I am going to perform this most curious experiment before the present company, by aid of the massive padlock which I take out of its box.

There never was a more simple padlock. I shall lock it here under your eyes, and yet engage to open it without turning the key.

It is now locked, and any gentleman may test its security. I can even hang it on my wand by the ring to prove it, and in that way my friend by my side can hold it for a moment whilst I make a drawing of it on a sheet of innocent white paper.

Once more let me show that the fastening holds firm. All are satisfied.

I will now apply the key to the hole in the drawing, and turn it once—twice—and cry:—

“Open, Sesame!”

The padlock is open!

For your kindness in assisting me, sir, you may retain the drawing. You have watched me so closely that I see you have imbibed the art, and henceforth all the doors of society are open to you.

We borrow from _The Magician’s Own Book_ the illustration of a magic padlock. In the present case, the instrument contains a powerful spring which forces the key-bolt back out of the socket of the pin, and is set in action by pressure on one of the nail heads adorning the plate. This is done when the second testing of the lock is made. You keep up the chatter as long as the time required for the spring to work.

PRIMITIVE WOLF TRAP.

A double circular stockade, or palisade, is erected too high for a wolf to leap over, with one entrance, closed by a gate.

This is open, and the animal, hearing a tied-up sheep bleating in the centre, passes in and goes the round, seeking the entrance to the prey, when he pushes the gate to, and is imprisoned till morning.

THE CELEBRATED HONEY-BEE TRICK.

Get possession of the queen bee, and confine her by a hair or fine silken thread by a running noose fast around her corslet.

The bees, attentive to her movements, will surround her, and go to and fro, as if in obedience to the will of the captor of the mother bee.

A swarm can be made to pass from one hive to another at pleasure.

TO PROTECT A HOUSE FROM RATS AND MICE.

The Japanese, from time immemorial, have manufactured china cats, with open eyes, so faithfully copied from nature that one of these toys, with a rush-light inside, will protect a whole house during the night.

The image might contain a clockwork by which an intermittent sound would still farther alarm the rats.

TO SHOW THE FUTURE IN A PAIL OF WATER.

Bid the person desirous of seeing his or her future partner’s face look into a pail of water.

The reflection will certainly be of their own features, but as marriage makes each the other’s, you can safely maintain your credit as a soothsayer. “That face will be your husband’s when you marry.”

THE INTELLIGENT PARROT.

Have a parrot, or other bird, carved and painted, with simple springs to make the head turn and the mouth to open, mounted on a hollow shelf against the wall.

Through its body, one leg, the hollow shelf, and thence through the wall, into an adjoining apartment, where your confederate can overhear, run a tube with a mouthpiece, to which the lips or a bellows can be applied.

On pretty Polly being addressed, she will whistle, sing, scream at command, and answer to sensible questions.

CLOVES.

Cloves are the unopened flowers of a small evergreen tree that resembles, in appearance, the laurel or the bay. Each clove consists of two parts, a round head, which is the four petals or leaves of the flowers rolled up, enclosing a number of small stalks or filaments. The other part of the clove is terminated with four points, and is, in fact, the flower-cup, and the unripe seed-vessel. All these parts may be distinctly shown if a few leaves are soaked for a short time in hot water, when the leaves of the flowers soften, and readily unroll.

DANDELION RING CHAINS.

Pull some dandelions with long stems and cut off the flowers. As the stems are hollow, the upper or smaller end can be bent round to enter the other, so making a link, of a number of which a chain can be formed.

IMMORTELLES.

When fresh, scrape the flower leaves with a blunt knife to make each petal curl.

For a green hue, dip the flower, but not the stalk, or the former will fall off, in a brass or copper vessel full of vinegar and salt, for half a day, or not so long in oil of tartar; wash in water, and dry them, keeping the stem up. For a straw-yellow tint, keep them two days in oil of tartar. For yellow, or another shade of green, in quick lime, slightly liquefied with water. For grey, in vinegar, milk with a little black dye. For jet, put the stems through holes in a plate of metal fitting a vessel by which the flowers can be exposed to the fumes of sulphur. They will be blanched at first, but will then redden, and finally become black. To varnish: Melt down some Flanders glue, strain it, and brush it on thoroughly. Put them away to dry where no dust will fall on them. Perfume at pleasure.

THE POLITICAL TEETOTUM.

(No personal allusion intended to H. Panky, Esq., M.P.) Cut the edge of a teetotum into six faces, and put on them the letters D, R, C M, &c., standing for Despotism, Republic, Constitutional Monarchy, and any other form of government which may visit a country. The game is to pretend to tell the future rule by the first face which comes up three times.

ORTHOGRAPHICAL DICE.

Paste or paint upon four cubes of wood, metal, stone, or bone, the vowels and consonants. Attach a value to them, and play with them in the same manner as if they were dice. The whimsical words which the upturned letters will often produce occasion laughter, and the compulsion to name them will help slow juveniles on with their alphabet.

THE HEXAGON.

The six-sided figure is to be cut through the lines, and re-made.

THE MAGIC OCTAGON.

Upon a piece of cardboard draw
The three designs below;
I should have said of each shape four,
Which when cut out will show,
If joined correctly, that which you
Are striving to unfold,—
An octagon, familiar to
My friends both young and old.

THE PARALLELOGRAM.

A parallelogram, Fig. 68, may be cut into two pieces, by which two other figures can be formed.

MOCK LACES.

Take a piece of linen or “long-cloth” and stamp, or paint gum on all the parts of a pattern which is to remain intact, and soak it in a potash-bath at 22° _Centigrade_. In a short time the process of felting, analogous with that of skeletonizing leaves, will act exclusively on the ungummed places, and eat away about a twentieth. Only the experienced eye can tell it from embroidery. Shirt-fronts are thus worked.

TO CUT OUT A CROSS.

To cut out of a single piece of paper, and with one cut of the scissors, a perfect cross, and all the other forms here shown, take a six-inch length of a piece of foolscap two inches wide, and fold the upper corner down, as shown in A, Fig. 72; then fold the upper corner over the first, in B. Next fold the paper in half lengthwise, as in C. The last fold is made lengthwise also, in the middle of the paper, to form D. Cut this through with the scissors lengthways, for the forms shown in Figs. 69, 70, 71.

THE MAGICIAN’S SPELL.

A B R A C A D A B R A
B R A C A D A B R
R A C A D A B
A C A D A
C A D
A

CHERRY-STONE BASKETS.

Secure a cherry-stone in a vice, and having traced a line around it the longest way, and another at right angles, file out the space, both sides of the latter, down to the surrounding mark. There will then be left a miniature basket with handle complete.

HANKY PANKY BURGLAR ALARM.

(_Diablotins_.)

Exploding crackers are used for awaking a sleeper by the detonation when any one attempts to enter the room without permission. They are fastened across the crack of the door, as if to seal it.

These explosive papers are made by taking strips of half an inch to an inch wide, and of a convenient length. By means of a little gum-water or paste a small quantity of coarsely pounded glass is attached to one end, on one side of each strip about one-fourth of an inch. A little fulminating powder is spread over the glass and the moistened end of the paper, and it is dried in the air: two of these strips are then laid with their covered surfaces nearly in contact, and so that their uncovered ends may project different ways. A narrow strip of paper or parchment is then wrapped round the coated ends and fastened to one of them, but not binding them so tightly as to prevent their being drawn, by taking hold of the projecting ends, one over the other. The friction occasions their detonation.

The quantity of fulminating powder must be proportioned to the effect intended.

MOCK TURTLE.

Take a piece of paper stained or painted like tortoiseshell, and cut out a piece of the shape of a turtle’s upper shell; make claws and head, and paste them on. Bend up the middle and put on a bottom, which you also push up in the centre, where with a drop of shoemaker’s wax you secure a large live fly. The efforts of the latter to escape will cause him to carry the paper shape about the table. Except for the fright—and the absence of mental emotions in such low animals debars much fear of that—the creature need suffer no hurt.

MYSTIC CHANGES IN COSTUME.

We are all familiar with the excellent surprises in quick dressing shown by Woodin, Love, and the latest _polyphonist_, Mr. Maccabe. An American entertainer has carried this address in dress to its climax. He comes upon the stage attired in a black dress coat, black trousers, having in his hand a high opera crush hat, and sings a collection of songs, at the end of each one of which he, without leaving the stage, and while standing in full view of the audience, makes several changes in his costume, as follows:—Upon the coat, which is closely buttoned, in place of the black buttons there suddenly appear and disappear double rows of gilt buttons. Closing his crush hat and affixing it to a rear button on his coat, he produces from a pocket a small cap, with wig attached, which he places upon his head; quickly turning his trousers up above the knee, to give them the appearance of knee breeches, we find his lower limbs encased in neatly fitting white gaiters, and, producing a telescopic cane, we are presented with an excellent portraiture of an old man in the full costume of years gone by. By a sudden movement from the neck the entire costume is changed to full female attire. He then sings “Tassels on her Boots,” and at the conclusion of the first verse, as he slightly raises the skirt of his dress in front, we see that the gaiters have disappeared, and that his feet are encased in neatly fitting ladies’ boots with tassels thereon. Succeeding this he makes several entire changes of costume, all being, however, of female attire, differing materially in style and colour. He wears a jaunty little hat upon his head, which is changed in colour and style to suit the various costumes, without removing it: also, different wigs are seen upon his head after the latest fashion of ladies’ hair dressing.

THE ANIMATED CRYSTAL.

Alum put into a tumbler of water, as it dissolves will assume the shape of a pyramid. When the solution has nearly terminated, you will find the mass covered with geometrical figures, cut out, as it were, in relief upon the mass. This experiment having succeeded, take up a crystal quartz which has six sides, and cut accurately from each face to a perfectly convex surface, and place it on a piece of plate or common window glass, a china or glazed plate, or any smooth surface, perfectly clean, as grease or a particle of dust would impede its motion. Wet the surface, and give the plane a slight inclination, when, if properly managed, a rotatory motion will commence, which may be kept up for any length of time by giving alternate inclinations to the plane surface, according to the movements of the crystal; to heighten the pleasing effect of which, a variety of paper figures, harlequins, waltzers, &c., may be attached. The first trial of the experiment had better be made by giving a slight rotatory motion to the crystal.

THE SPINELESS GIANTESS.

In _The Merry Circle_ a full explanation was given of the mode of manufacturing a giant or giantess. A slight yet telling modification has occurred to us.

Let the skirts of a dress be fastened with its waistband around a boy’s chest just under his armpits., He forms the body of the Colossus. Half open an umbrella and secure it in that position. Tie a shawl to the ferule so that it will fall over the umbrella and conceal the boy. On the top fasten a muff or bale of cloth, which serves as a head on which a coal-scuttle bonnet may be fitted, with a thick veil to hide the absence of countenance. If the umbrella has a hinge in it, as parasols are often made, the animating principle of this “ten footer” may execute a bow with the upper part of the contrivance which a courtier could never surpass.

TO COLOUR AGATES.

_Brown._—Soak the stone in a solution of silver in spirits of nitre, dry in the sun, then put in a damp place, and on again exposing it to solar light, the colour will appear. Repeat to deepen shade.

_Light Brown._—A solution of gold.

_Gray._—Add to the silver solution a quarter of its weight of lard and red tartar.

_Deep Violet._—Add to the silver solution some plumose alum.

_White._—The action of bismuth bleaches it so that it looks white; it will appear pale brown in the shades.

_To draw Figures on the Stone._—Rough it, write with a quill, and the silver solution will dry it quickly.

CARD CASTLE.

With a pack of cards make houses in this manner. Place two on their narrow ends, fixing the tops level.

On each side of the opening stand a card longwise.

And place two other cards at the end of the last pair, to form a square surrounding the triangle.

Each side of the central cards lay two more, flat upon the outward pair, like a roof.

On this platform rear cards like the first pair, and continue till the whole pack is used; with care many of the under cards at the side can be removed to continue the structure.

XII.—INTERLUDES, PUZZLES, &c.

PUZZLES.

The best material for these geometrical puzzles is hard wood about an eighth of an inch thick; but pasteboard, cardboard, and stiff paper are efficient substitutes.

TO FORM A SQUARE.

To cut a card of the shape and in the proportions of Fig. 79, into three parts, to form a perfect square, you must cut through the lines of the obtuse angle, and it will then be an easy task.

A SQUARE OF FOUR PIECES.

In a square card punch twelve holes, or make them with a pencil, and then cut it into four equal-sized pieces, each of the same shape, and containing three holes or marks.

THE PUZZLE OF FIVE PIECES.

Find the centre of one side of four out of five squares, and cut them from that point to the opposite corner; place them around the perfect square, and they will form the figure here presented.

ANOTHER OF TRIANGLES.

With the five triangles make a square.

ANOTHER.

Dot a square card in eight places, which dots are to be divided by straight lines, so as to cut the cross into five pieces, two dots to each piece except the centre one, which must comprise eight.

A SQUARE OF SEVENTEEN SQUARES.

To divide a square into seventeen squares, begin by dividing each side of the square into four portions, drawing lines across each way to these points to make sixteen squares. Unite the points of the diamond, within which is a square one-quarter the size of the first. A second diamond within this quarter-sized square, cut by a Saint Andrew’s Cross—gives the points for the seventeenth square.

ANOTHER OF FOUR TRIANGLES AND A SQUARE.

Cut the card first into a ten-inch length, two inches wide; and then of the pieces form a square.

OF FOUR SQUARES AND EIGHT TRIANGLES.

OF NINE PIECES.

OF TEN PIECES.

First cut the square into pieces of the three shapes shown, four of A, four of B, and two of the small one C. The formation of a perfect square with them will be a difficult task.

OF TWENTY TRIANGLES.

Begin by placing four triangles at the sides of a square of four triangles, when the rest of the shape can be filled in readily.

OF ELEVEN PIECES.

Cut up a square into four sets of two each, A a square, B and C a triangle; three of the triangle D, and one each of E and F. Begin at the left lower corner with A, to its top and right side place two of D, then a large triangle C; a square is now made, one quarter of the large one. The second square to the right requires but the two pieces, E and B. The other half, from there only being five pieces to fit, will take but little time and trouble.

THE OVAL PUZZLE.

Hanky Panky has to make two oval boards: but it so happens that the area, exclusive of hand-holes in the centre, and the circular piece, are the same. To cut his stuff, on finding the centre of the circle, he strikes a second circle, half the diameter of the first, with the same centre. Then he cuts the whole into quarters, by means of two lines drawn at right angles to each other, then cuts along the inner circle (Fig. 92) and puts the pieces together, as in Figs. 93, 94.

CHECKER PUZZLE.

The puzzle is as follows:—After placing three red wafers in the squares Nos. 1, 2 and 3, and three blue wafers in Nos. 5, 6 and 7, you are to move the three blues into the squares occupied by the reds and the three reds into the squares occupied by the blues (keeping within the squares), the reds moving towards the right, and the blues to the left, not being allowed to move back after once moving forward. You are to jump only one at a time, and have the privilege of moving either card into a vacant square adjoining. The first move, of course, is either from 3 or 5 into 4.

_Explanation._ Move blue wafer from 5 to 4; red wafer from 3 to 5, jumping 4; red from 2 to 3; blue 4 to 2, jumping 3; red from 6 to 4, jumping 5; blue from 7 to 6; red from 5 to 7, jumping 6; red from 3 to 5, jumping 4; red from 1 to 3, jumping 2; blue from 2 to 1; blue from 4 to 2, jumping 3; blue from 6 to 4, jumping 5; red from 5 to 6; red from 3 to 5, jumping 4; and blue from 4 to 3, which performs the puzzle, having changed the three blue wafers from their former places into those of the red, and the red into those of the blue. This may be shown to a person a number of times, and if done quickly not one in ten will be able to perform it.

THE UNDETACHABLE CYLINDER.

Cut a slit close to one edge lengthwise of half a playing card, and of the other piece make a cutting in the following shape:—

Pass the thin long ends through a button, a perforated disc of paper, or a piece of pipe-stem, after having taken the slip of card in its loop, and unfold the large square wings.

If the bands are not shown, the way to get the little cylinder off is truly undiscoverable.