Omaha daily bee., 1898-10-30

There are many interesting tricks chill
dreu can do with little trouble and expense
They are really applications OF scientific
principles, but when properly done look like
magic. couple of clever boys can amuse
n party OF grown people whole evening
with these scientific experiments. When the
boys wish to make a little money for some
pet charity they may be sure of giving
their moneys worth to those who buy tick
cts.
For the first thing on the program they
might hypnotize chicken. To do this have
a dark table and draw a white chalk line
across It. beginning from directly under the
bill of the chicken. whose beak should be
held down to the table so that 1t must look
at the line. A rooster will become senseless
and nerveless by the time the line is two
feet long, and remain with his beak glued
10 the line sometimes over a miuute-and
that seems long.
A Center of Gravity Trick.
Many pretty tricks are done with the
principle OF the center of gravity. COB
let and a bottle with colored or clear water.
two silver table forks and a cork are neces-
sary for this. The two forks are stuck
firmly in opposite sides Of the cork and left
10 hang down at an angle of about thirty
FIVE degrees The bottom of the cork is
then stood upon the edge of the mouth OF
the bottle. The forks and cork form a
whole, with the center of gravity over the
point supporting It. The bottle can be
bent, empted even OF all It's contents with
out unbalancng the cork. This is a trick
often done by professors of magic.
Another pretty trick is possible with the
same cork. forks and bottle only a needle
must be pushed, head first, into the cork
exactly in the center leaving the point
downward A piece of money is then lait
over the mouth OF the bottle and the cork
with its two forks is stood upon the money
Then push one of the forks hard but with
out jerking, and they will swing around il
circle for a long time. flower or Other
device on top of the cork is also an add,
ton,
Another interesting trick is to lift do
canter half filled with water by a bent straw
This would seem impossible. but is not
The decanter should have narrow necl
and wide and rather square shoulder
part The straw, which must be a good AM
whole ore. about two and one-haf fee
long, or two feet. This is to be bent upwar,
one third Of its length, or enough TO brin!
il under the shoulder" OF the decanter
Doubled It is pushed into the decanter, an
then it spreads apart, leaving the long en-
outside and the short one inside. This en-
is lifted carefully and as 1t is 1t displaces tn
= center OF gravity which is brought dlreotl
under the point of suspension. 1t is well 70
the performer TO have two or three extr
pieces OF straw, to be sure to find one with
out crook or break.
The Principle of Inertia.
by applying the principle Of inertia W
may produce a number OF interesting trick
that will amuse and perhaps instruct som
OF the big folks as well as the children on
trick requires an old broomsJck sawed OF
at the broom end Two paper rings abou
twelve inches in diameter are made by past
ing together strips OF writing paper an inc
wide Two sharp table knives or razor
should be held by two persons, each hold
ing one on the same level with the shar
edge upward. over these the paper ring
are to be passed and the broomstick sus
pended by the paper rings. The performe