Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-11-11
DINNER TABLE TRICKS.


Suggestions Tor t1t~ftstHsaeht mat Way
Make leu UaPopuiAr.
4 great deal ~ amusement can he fur
nishcd dinner party by tricks performed
with toothpicks. goblets and other bric-a
hFuc 81 the festive hoard. Nothing IL morn
enlivening when the guests are discussing
he dessert than well selected series OF
tricks. and nothing win make a person
remembered longer by his associates.
An amusing trick Is one with water
glaSses Place three or four in row,
then another row ON top Of these contain
Ing number one less than the first; then
another row and No on until pyramid
with single glass on top is formed Now
invite tonr neighbor 10 Ill the top glass
with water then the two supporting II
and 30 on The chances are nineteen to
twenty one that he will make a slip by the
time he renches the bottom row and topple
the whole pyramid over. This denouement
never fails To provoke much merriment
Il may also provoke the host and hostess
but rs you will never be invited there TO
another dinner what do YOU carei
Another interesting diversion Is competi
tive map drawing This can take place
any time after the first course 1t is best
enjoyed when the table cloth is laid over n
heavy flannel mat, rs then creases are seen
more plainly. Engage your neighbor in a
discussion rs to the Stanley expedition
across Africa or the comparative merits Of
the Panama and Nicaragua canal routes,
and, taking your fork, push aside your
plate and with the fork tines draw dia
gram showing your understanding OF the
courses taken. OF course your friend will
then make corrections, and II both press
rather heavily on the fork handles interest,
| ing outlines can be made, their accuracy
depending on your respective artistic abili-
ties. IL the forks have been dipped In
gravy or mashed potatoes before the draw
| ing commences the outlines will he palmer.
Indeed they are frequently so vivid rs to
be seen the whole length OF the table, and
thus amnse all the guests.
Toothpicks are n unique source Of amuse-
ment, and many recipes are given for
doing tricks with them. One is to take
fifty or 100 picks and build log house
structure with four sides, each the length
Of toothpick When II has been put up
say ten or twelve inches high, set glass
I Of water on top. and with a match set fire
| to the wooden tower AS the toothpicks
/ burn the water will fall and be spilled over
the flames, thus extinguishing them and
| creating considerable wonder among those
| present that the whole building was not
| burned up.
| IL IL often the case that there IL con
| straint during the first course that Is EN-
barrassing and which prevents n full en-
joyment of the meal until il has worn off
| II some enlivening trick can be performed
by an ingenious guest the true bonhom
mic Of the feast can quickly be brought
about. For this purpose the soup plate
trick Is "A good one. Having bribed waiter
to let you see the bottom of plate before
the meal, offer to bet small sum, like five
or ten dollars that you can guess the de
sign OF the makers trade mark on the bot.
tom OF the plates. Request all to initiate
your motions and slowly lift the soup and
plate from the table until it Is on level
with the top OF your head. Watching your
own plate quickly cry Fire. when about
half the guests will probably drop their
plates and he too confused TO dispute your
winning the bet. From this time ON there
will be n thoroughly acquainted party
around the table. Detroit Free Press.