FAMILY FUN

New Zealand Tablet, 23 October 1913, Page 62

FAMILY FUN

TRICKS AND ILLUSIONS. (Special to the ,Z. Tahiti by Mahatma.) The Great Oriental Ball Trick.—Procure three balls of wood, each having a hole drilled completely through it, the size of an ordinary lead pencil. Procure also two pieces of tape each ten feet long. Double each piece exactly in half, so that it becomes only five feet long. Insert the folded end of one of the tapes into the hole of one of the balls ; pull it through about an inch; then open the double tape, which of course becomes a loop. Into this loop insert about an inch of the folded end of the other piece' of • tape. Then carefully draw the first tape into the ball, and it will be found that the joint of the two tapes in 'the ball is not only firm but completely hidden. Then thread the other ends of on© tape into one of the other balls, and slide this ball along the tape until it reaches the first ball. Do the same with the other ball on the other tape. Thus all the balls will be threaded on the tape, the centre ball containing the tape connections, 'All this is prepared beforehand. When the trick is performed show the three balls on the tapes, and ask two persons to hold the ends of the tapes, allowing the balls to swing loosely in the centre. Show that there is no deception by sliding the two bails to and fro upon the tape. To make the trick appear more wonderful (but really to enable you to accomplish the trick) ask each person to drop on© end of the double tape which he is holding. The performer then proceeds to tie the balls on. Make a single tie of the two lengths, and give each person an end to hold again, but not the end which he held before. Now request the assistant to pull sharply and as the tapes become strained, strike two or three smart blows with a stick, or wand, upon the balls, and they will fall to the .ground, while to ' the astonishment of everyone the tapes remain unbroken. The tapes used should be about threequarters of an inch wide. This trick will earn for the performer no little praise. It has been included in the programmes of some of our greatest magicians. The Changing Liquids.—There is no better trick known to the magical fraternity than the trick I am about to explain. The cost of the chemicals is trifling when one considers the great effect the trick has. In 'a,jug containing water pour a third of a wineglass of sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) and the same measure of ‘ steel drops.’ The water appears almost colorless, provided the steel drops are not too strong. Prepare fifteen tumblers, arranged in five rows of three each, as fol- 4 lows: ’lnto each of the first three, which we will call set A, pour a single drop of a strong solution of sulphocyanide of potassium ; into each of another set of three glasses, which we will style set 8,-three or more drops of the same solution. Into three more glasses marked C, c three drops of strong Goulard water. Into each of three marked D, three drops of a strong solution of ferro- " cyanide of. potassium ; into each of three glasses marked E, put some powdered crystals of bicarbonate of potash. First show that the water you pour out of the jug into the bottle is water by pouring some into an unpre- . pared glass. Then on filling the first three glasses, set A, the appearance of sherry wine is simulated. The water poured into set B changes to port wine color, into C to milk, D into blue ink, E champagne. The chemistry of the matter need not be gone into here.