FAMILY FUN

New Zealand Tablet, 21 January 1915, Page 62

FAMILY FUN

TRICKS, ILLUSIONS, AND INDOOR AMUSEMENTS.

(Special to the N.Z. Tablet by Mahatma.)

Magical Counting.—The only requisites for this simple trick are two confederates and three walking sticks. One of the confederates goes out of the room while the other asks the compay to choose a number, not higher than 999. When the number has been chosen the performer, after a lot of hard thinking, proceeds to arrange the sticks on the floor in such a manner that his friend will recognise the number on his return. The explanation is this: 'The lowest stick represents units, the middle stick tens, and the top one hundreds. Let us suppose that the number 672 has been chosen. The sticks are arranged so that the lowest points to two o’clock, the middle one to seven o’clock, and the top one to six o’clock of a imaginary clock-dial, the twelve o’clock of which must always be nearest the fireplace. Ten, eleven, and twelve o’clock must, for obvious reasons, stand for 0.

A Word Game. —This is not quite so easy as it would appear at first sight. Paper and pencil are given to each member of the company. The performer then reads out the following letters telling the company to write them down one after another without stops or spaces:

‘ GDLDPRTFRRTITDXXFRDDNS.’

The guests are to make a sentence out of these letters by putting in wherever and as often as they wish one vowel and one vowel only. This missing vowel, which they are not told till they have tried properly, is ‘ o,’ and when placed in its right position the sentence reads thus; ‘ Good old port for orthodox Oxford dons.’

Balancing a Bottle. This is a very difficult feat but one well worth trying. Obtain a large bottle (empty) and balance it on the back of the head. Then from an upright position get down on hands and knees and with the mouth pick up a cork already placed on the floor. Having done this get up to the original standing position, remove the bottle from the head and the cork from the mouth, andacknowledge the applause.

Blowing Out the Candle. —A lighted candle is placed on the mantelpiece, so that it is about on a level with the head of the average player. One of the company, standing three or four yards away from the candle, is blindfolded and, having been turned round three times so that he will lose his bearings, is told to go and blow the candle out. Of course he must not be able to see through the bandage. The careful way he will step towards the spot where he thinks the candle is situate and the wild efforts he makes to blow out the flame, which is often some distance away; will cause no end of amusement. Each of the company in turn should bo made to go through the performance.