TABLE TRICKS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, 24 December 1910, Page 2 (Supplement)

TABLE TRICKS.

Some of ibe most effective of Christmas tricks can be performed at table, and arc generally much appreciated jus*- about the time dessert comes on. A neat little trick is to balance a five-shilling-piece on its edge upon the brim of a glass. Your friends will be inclined to bet that you can t do t but it is quite simple. Aou place the irece of money between the prongs or two ordinary forks, ami then rest it on the edge of the glass m.such a way that the whole of the com overhangs outside the glass, with the milled edge touching the rim. whilst the handles of th© forks stretch out at each sue, and partly round the glass. It.is qut. < easy so to adjust the forks that the weight of the handles presemes the equilibrium of the five-shilhn.g-piece. Another simple com trick is to spin a siiilling on the point of a neon*.. Yon insert the needle into the emk o f a bottle so that the point sticks nn. Take nroiher cork, and having made a lateral slit in it. insert a shilling to the depth of a little oyer one-third it* circumference. Next insert n '°’ v at each end of the cork, and it wi be found quite easy to sum the shilling on the point of the needle. With a raisin, a small piece oi lemon-ade-bottle wire, a little figure neatly cut out of piper, a serviette, and a glass of champagne, or some othei im ofTorves'ent beverage, a puzzling hit o trick inav lie performed. The littm fmure is' attached to the raisin with the aid of the lemonade-wire, and the raisin is dropped into the glass . At first it. will drop to the bottom, but soon little bubbles will form on Bs surface. .and it will rise to the surface. Here the bubbles burst, and the raisin sinks once more, and the whole action io cone through. The working or the trick is concealed by th" serviette, and all the onlookers see is the comical risimr ami .sinking of the paper figure, apparently at Hm will of the operator _ As a final bint, let it be mentioned that it is quite easy to throw a sewc,:yneedle .nt a door so that it sticks in ir it the needle be. first threaded.