FAMILY FUN

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 3, 17 January 1907, Page 38

FAMILY FUN

. There used to be a fellow on the street, in Sydney, who sold a razor paste that was warranted, to sharpen anything made— even the wits s of the crowd. He would rub the paste on a strop with his finger, run the knife back and forth on the strop, and baring his arm shave off the down gathered ' there. But this was not all ; a hair was extracted from some one's head, and being held between the fellow's finger and thumb was cut short off— an indisputable proof of the keenness of the knife's edge. The paste would certainly put an edge, of a kind, on n a knife, but try as I would I could never get my knife, or that of. any one else, to cut a hair in two ; and it was only many years after that I found this was" nothing morethan a trick. Among my readers there will be some who will appreciate its cleverness, and by its aid, will be able to prove the marvellous sharpness of their own pocket knives when used by "themselves. The lower end of the -.hair is twisted round, the little finger and pressed between it and the thard -finger ; then when the knife-edge, turned away from the operator, is drawn across the hair, the third and little lingers are closed on tiie palm of the hand, which ac- " tion draws down the hair half an- inch or so, giving the 'Impression that the upper- portion has been sliced off. It is a- -perfectly natural result, and I will defy" any one who has not been previously warned to detect the sleight. 'In making use of any knife but your own, some form of sharpening should be gone through in order to account for the quality it. has suddenly acquired. . What parts of speech a'e shopkeepers most anxious to dispose of ? —Articles. . What word is that which has five letters, and if two are removed only one will remain ? St-one. Why is the letter" E like death ? Because it is the end of life. \ - When is love a deformity ? When it is all on one side. " ' " What is the easiest thing in the world to break ? Silence. ' _ Why is~ a fashionable lady like a steam engine ? Because she has a train 'behind her. What is the oldest table in the world ? The multiplication table. , • - A* washerwoman dropped something she couldn't pick up ; what was it ? Water. ; - Why is an elephant an unwelcome caller ? Because lie always brings his trunk "with him. Which is the most ill-tempered work for - women ? Cross-stitch. ' - . Why is a horse the most curious feeder in the world? Because he eats best when 'there is. not a bit in his mouth".