The Raised Hand. Tell some person to pick up a coin in one hand and hold that hand above his head while he counts twenty, aloud and slowly. Before the person picks up the coin, you leave the room and return just after he finishes counting, but not so soon that you can see in which hand he had the coin. Nevertheless you tell him correctly every time, which hand he had raised. The way this trick is done, is exceedingly simple. On entering the room, after the person has counted twenty you look at his hand. The one which he has raised above his head will be white, as the blood has run down from the fingers and hand; the other one will remain its natural color.

Unconscious Movements. Slit a match at the wrong end and cut another one on the slant. Now place one within the other, so as to form an acute angle, and set these united matches astride the blade of a dinner knife. Impress on the experimenter to allow the phosphorus ends lightly to touch the table, but on no account to move away from its surface. The matches will now begin to march along the blade. In order to render the experiment more attractive, cause the two matches to imitate the legs of a little man by placing a painted puppet on top of them.

Another way: Take two straws from a stiff broom. Cut one in half and fold each piece into the shape of a hairpin. Place one astride on each end of the long knife, which you hold steadily, and if on a level surface they will walk towards each other until they meet in the middle.

The Broken Match Restored. The performer requests a member of the audience to give him an ordinary wooden match, first marking the same for the purpose of identification. He then wraps the match in a handkerchief, in which condition he hands it to a spectator with the request to break the match, still enclosed in the handkerchief, to pieces. This is done, after which, the handkerchief is shaken out and the marked match falls from its fold quite restored.

The secret of this trick consists in having a duplicate match concealed in the hem of the handkerchief from the outset. The marked match is simply lodged in the fold of the handkerchief, the one in the hem being brought up to the centre and put into the hands of the spectator. It is, therefore, the one in the hem that is broken, the hem serving to retain the pieces, the marked match falling out as the handkerchief is shaken. A silk handkerchief with a narrow hemstitched border is the most convenient to use, for the reason that the broken match is the more readily removed and a fresh one inserted for future occasion.

The Cent and the Hole. In a piece of stout paper, cut a circle three-sixteenths of an inch less in diameter than a penny. Ask any one to pass a penny through the hole without touching the coin or tearing the paper. Fold the paper exactly across the centre of the hole, and then take it in both hands and ask some one to drop the penny into the fold. Let it rest just over the hole, its lower edge projecting below. Bend the corners of the paper slightly upwards. This elongates the opening, and if the movement be continued, the penny will after a second or two fall through by the force of its own weight. The paper remains uninjured.

Mysterious Reading. The performer takes a piece of paper about eight inches square and tears a strip about two inches wide off of each side, then tears these two strips in half. This gives four pieces of paper, each two inches wide and four inches long. Upon these pieces of paper, he requests different persons to write the names of persons who are dead. Taking the remaining piece of paper, he tears into two strips and each strip is torn in half. This again gives four pieces of paper, the same size as the other four. Upon these pieces of paper, the performer requests other persons to write the names of some living persons. The holders of the pieces of paper are now requested to fold them over twice and place them in a hat. The performer takes these pieces of paper from the hat, one at a time, and by simply holding them upon the top of his head, can tell whether the name is that of a live person or a dead person, making such remarks as cause it to seem the more mysterious.

To perform this, take any piece of writing paper, eight inches square, and tear off both outer edges (right and left) for the first two strips. These two pieces of paper have now one straight or smooth edge and one (the torn edge) rough edge. Remember this. On these pieces are to be written the names of the dead. When you feel them on top of your head, if they have a smooth edge and a rough edge it is of course the name of a dead person. The other piece of paper, when torn into two strips, has both edges rough, and upon these pieces are written the names of living persons. When you feel the paper on your head has no smooth edge, both edges being rough, it must contain the name of a living person.

The Baffling Card. Take an ordinary visiting card and bend down the ends at right angles to the card, about a quarter of an inch, then laying it on a smooth table, ends down, ask any person to blow it over. This seems easy enough, but it may be tried for hours without succeeding. It is, however, to be done by blowing sharply on the table at some distance from the card.

A Watch Trick. Ask a person to think of a number on the dial of a watch from one to twelve, but not to tell you what that number is. Then, with a pencil, you tap various numbers on the dial and he counts the tappings silently, beginning with the next number higher than the one of which he thought. That is, if he thought of the number five, he would count silently six, seven, eight, nine, etc., or if he thought of nine, for example, he would count to himself ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, etc., etc. When he has counted to the number “twenty” he must say, “Stop,” and your pencil, or whatever you are using to tap the watch, will be on the number of which he thought but did not tell you.

There is just one point about this trick for you to remember. When you tap the face of the watch with your pencil, you also count silently, beginning with one and counting to yourself, one, two, three, four, etc., etc. It does not matter what numbers you touch for the first seven, but the eighth tap must be on the figure twelve, and then go around the dial backward, the ninth tap on eleven, the tenth on ten, the eleventh on nine, etc., until you reach the one selected.

Silk From Paper. “I have three pieces of paper—red, white, and blue. I am going to burn them. I light them first. I find they burn better that way.”

The conjurer has previously at least four yards of red, white, and blue ribbons—twelve yards in all—stitched together at one end, rolled up, and placed under the top of the right arm.

The pieces of paper are picked up with the right hand, and the ends are twisted together tightly, otherwise the papers would burn too quickly and scorch the conjuror’s hands. The papers are held in the flames of the candle for a second, and while they are burning, the conjurer draws attention to his empty left hand, and then to the fact that his right hand contains only the burning papers. When the conjurer is going to show that he has nothing concealed in his sleeves, he draws up the right sleeve with the left hand, and takes the ribbon from under the arm.

Then in order to be able to draw the left sleeve up with the right hand, he is obliged to put the burnt papers into the left hand. He draws up the left sleeve, closes his right hand over his left, and then crushes the burnt papers. In doing this he gets hold of the piece of silk with his right hand, and, bringing his right hand slightly towards the body, and turning a little to the left, he throws his right hand vigorously forward and the ribbons unfold.

The Obedient Ball. A wooden ball about two inches in diameter is given for examination. A hole one-half inch in diameter runs through the ball. A small cord is next passed for examination. The performer runs the cord through the hole in the ball, and causes the ball to run up the cord, and stop wherever he wishes it to. Again the ball and cord are handed for inspection.

After the performer hands out the cord for inspection, he lays it on his table, and after the ball is duly inspected, the performer picks up the cord and with it a piece of black silk thread, and runs it through the hole in the ball with the cord; the other end of thread passes out behind the scenes to his assistant. Take one end of the cord in one hand, and the other end of the cord and thread in the upper hand. Now by pulling the thread taut, the ball will stop; when it reaches the bottom of the cord, the assistant pulls the thread, and causes the ball to ascend. By dropping the black thread, all can be examined once more, to the mystification of all concerned.

Tricks with a Pen. Can you write your name with your left hand? It is a good thing to know how, in case you ever hurt your right hand.

Can you write a looking-glass letter? That always amuses children; so if you have a friend who is ill, send her a looking-glass letter to cheer her up.

Practise by writing on a piece of paper held front of a mirror, and soon you will find it is quite easy to do looking-glass writing. Looking-glass writing is done backward, so that it looks all right when it is held to the mirror.

Also see if you can write your name backward—that is, begin at the last stroke and go back to the first—and as a last trick try to write your name upside down. That is not at all easy, but copy your signature upside down and you will be able to do it quite well after a little practice.

The Dice and Cup. Take from the backgammon board two dice and the dice cup or shaker. Hold the cup in your right hand by putting your thumb and second finger around the bottom of it, at the same time holding one of the dice with the tips of the same finger and thumb. Next put the other die on top of the one you are holding. You will, of course, need the aid of your left hand in arranging the dice and cup in your right.

Now, by a quick upward movement of your right hand, send the top die flying up into the air, and as it comes down catch it in the cup.

Now comes the real trick—to get the other die in the cup also. If you try to do this by throwing the die upward as you threw the first one, you may catch it in the cup all right, but at the same time you will be pretty sure to throw the first one out of the cup. As for catching both together as they come down, you will find that almost impossible. The proper way to get the second die into the cup without losing the one that is already there, is, to let your hand drop suddenly, at the same time letting go the die which you have been holding.

The die will drop too, but not as rapidly as your hand, so that you will have no difficulty in getting the cup under it and catching it.

The Surprising Paper Bands. Cut three bands of paper about twenty-four inches long and two inches wide. In preparing the first strip of paper, simply gum the ends together, for the second strip, twist once and gum the ends together; for the third strip, twist twice and then gum the ends together. Now cut each of the bands in the centre lengthways and notice the results. In twisting the papers, it should be done unobserved.

Napkin-ring Trick. While waiting for dessert at dinner, it is fun for the family at table to exchange tricks. One is the napkin-ring trick. Holding your napkin-ring in one hand, look from your glass tumbler to some large object—say, the sugar-bowl,—pretending to hesitate between the two, then pick up the glass tumbler and say: “Safer to take the smaller article.” Then look around, and say: “Will any of you believe me when I say that I can push this glass full of water through this napkin-ring?” Something may be added about a newly discovered way of compressing glass.

Then you should set the glass down solemnly, place your napkin-ring in front of it, and, with an impressive flourish of your hand, thrust your finger through the napkin-ring and give the glass a shove.

“There!” you may exclaim in triumph, “Haven’t I pushed the glass through the napkin-ring?”

The Magical Cups of Tin. This little trick, performed in a parlor, will make you appear quite a magician. Get beforehand two perfectly plain tin cups, without handles and with the bottom sunk about a quarter of an inch, and straight sides. On the sunken bottom of each put some glue, and over it drop some birdseed, so that it looks as if the cups were full, whereas they are really standing upside down and the layer of seed is glued to the outside of the bottom.

When you are ready to perform the trick, have a bag of the same kind of seed, and, standing off from your audience, hold the cups so that they can see that they are empty, but don’t allow any one to approach you.

Now take one cup and dip it into the bag of seed, but instead of filling it, turn it upside down, so that when you take it out the seed glued to the bottom will show, and every one will think it is full.

Place the apparently full cup of seed under a hat, but in doing so dexterously turn it so that the empty cup is upright and the glued seed at the bottom. Don’t let your audience see this turn.

Now take the other cup, which is empty, and let them see you put it under another hat, but also turn this one, so that they do not see you do it. This brings the seed to the top and shows an apparently full cup, and when you remove the hat, after pronouncing some magic words, it will look as if the cups had changed places.

Remove the cups before any one has a chance to examine them.

The Elusive Cork. Lay any bottle of fair size with an open mouth on its side, and lay in the mouth of the bottle a piece of cork about the size of a pea. Ask any of the spectators to try to blow the cork into the bottle, and, try as they may, they will find that they cannot do it, as the piece of cork will always fly back in the face of the blower.

The Three Pennies. Three pennies are placed flat on the table, two tails and one head. The two tails are together and the head penny is some inches away. The coin with the head upwards must be placed between the other two coins without the tail penny nearest the head being taken away, and the other coin must not be touched. People not in the secret will not attempt to solve the problem, as they say it cannot be done.

This seemingly impossible trick is quite simple once you have learned the secret. Throw the head penny flat with some force, striking the tail penny nearest, at the same time holding the coin. This action will shoot the second coin (which you must not touch) and throw it some distance away. All that is left to be done is to put the head penny between the two coins.

A Lesson in Gravity. Stand against the wall with the left side, the cheek, hip, and foot touching it; then try lifting the right leg without moving the body away from the wall. It is laughable to see children trying to perform this feat, for it is one of the things that are impossible to accomplish.

The Tantalizing Half-dollar. Place a boy with his back against the wall, his heels standing firmly against it. Lay a half-dollar on the floor in front of him, about a foot distant from his toes, and tell him it is his if he can pick it up without moving his heels from against the wall. In vain will he try to get the coin under the conditions prescribed, for this feat is another of the impossible ones.

Drawing Matches to Win. Take 15 matches, bunch them up so they cannot be easily counted, lay them on a table, and tell some person that you will allow him to start the game, by drawing from the pile one, two or three matches—but no more. Tell him that you have the same privilege, and that you intend that he shall draw the last match, or, at least, that you will leave the last for him to draw.

If you watch your turns carefully you will succeed perfectly, unless, of course, your opponent is acquainted with the system—and very few persons are.

If he should first draw one, you draw one. If his second draw should be three, then you draw one again. Observe now that there are six drawn. In order to assure yourself of winning, make certain that this is the case either at your first or second draw—get six off the board. Then there are nine remaining. The next time you draw let it make four with what he draws, leaving five still to be drawn. Now if he draws three, you take one; if he draws two, you take two, and so on. You will thus see that the last match will always be left to your opponent.

He will now surely want to try it again. This time you begin the drawing by taking one, as he did at first, making a remark to that effect. Whatever number he takes, it cannot make the six. But should he follow your example and take but one, you still must be careful and trust to luck and careful computation, taking only one more on your second draw, which will make three off. The chances are small that he will take the remaining three to make the six. But if he does, it is an evidence that he is “getting on,” and he may possibly (but not probably) beat you.

Whether he does or does not, you simply let him start out again, and you proceed to follow according to his lead. You will defeat him nine times in ten without your being compelled to make your play certain, which can be done when you get your first draw, as follows: draw two; he cannot then defeat you, for whatever he draws, he will still leave from one to three for you, and you take the sixth off, when the rest is easy. Better not do this until he is quite sure that he has “discovered” your method, when this will put him all at sea again. This game is great fun, and will puzzle all of your friends.

Eye-Errors and Ghosts. A few experiments with the eyes will be found very interesting, and to the uninitiated, very queer. If you will hold up your forefinger about a foot from your face, and look at a tree or object beyond it, or at any tall object, you will see your finger double. Then look directly at your finger and you will see the tree double.

The explanation is that each eye sees separately, and when both are looking at the finger the right eye sees the tree or object on the right side of the finger and the left eye sees it on the left. When, however, you look at the tree directly with both eyes, each eye sees the finger apparently in a different place. If you will cover the one eye and look with the other, you cannot see either the tree or the finger double, which is the proof of the experiment.

Place two bits of white paper about a foot apart on a table. Cover the right eye and look steadily at the right-hand piece of paper with the left eye. By stepping backward you will reach a spot where the left-hand piece of paper will disappear. You can make the right-hand piece of paper disappear by looking at the left-hand piece of paper with the right eye.

When you have made one disappear in this way, move your head ever so slightly backward or forward, and the paper will instantly reappear. The reason of this is that every person’s eye has a blind spot on the retina, and when an image of the piece of paper falls on the spot it cannot be seen.

Instead of snatching the paper away after looking at it steadily, look up at the ceiling, and the image will be seen there. These “ghosts,” as they are sometimes called, are caused by the action of light on the retina of the eye.

The Detaining Hand-clasp. Grasp a person firmly by the wrists as if you were about to handcuff him, and say that you can clasp his hands in such a way that he cannot leave the room without unclasping them. Probably he will look sharply at you for a while, trying to divine your purpose, and if you maintain your firm hold on his wrists, he will be led to believe that you intend to use your strength for the purpose.

Then lead him to a table and seating him on a chair by it, clasp his hands about one of the legs. Of course, he cannot now leave the room without unclasping them unless he overturns the table or drags it with him.

The Pictorial Nail. By having in your possession an extraordinarily strong magnet, you can perform the following very effective trick. Prepare a large frame with a paper centre, now take a crayon and draw a nail or a hook, then borrow a key or key-ring and make the announcement that you will hang one of the articles on the picture. This is easy if you have an assistant in the rear, with the magnet attached to a stick, which he holds directly in the rear of the drawn picture, the magnet holding the article on the front.

Cane Trick. Measure the length of your forearm along a cane by placing your elbow even with its head and marking the point to which the tip of your middle finger reaches.

Take hold of your cane with your middle finger, covering the mark, and your little finger nearest to the head. The cane must be at right angles to the hand and be grasped firmly so that the tips of all the fingers are pressed tightly against the palm of the hand. It is not “fair” to hold the cane obliquely.

Now try to put the head of the cane to your lips. If you succeed you are an exception to the general rule, and even you will probably fail if you hold the cane, in the same manner, at a point a little further from the head.

But any one can do the trick easily by holding the cane at a less distance from its head than the length of his forearm.