Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-07-03
Saint MARI S BEACON.


smaller than the bottles neck 70
blow the cork into the bottle. This
problem appears so easy that we
are all prepared to attempt the So
luton. But the result is rather un-
expected, for the cork, instead Of
flying into the bottle, is driven out
by the compression OF air inside,
and hits US smartly in the face with
q violence in proportion to the lung
power expended.
Many men pride themselves on
theirmuscular strength. Leta lady
place the tips Of her forefingers to-
gether, keeping her elbows on a
level with her shoulders, and chal-
lenge any gentleman in the room to
separate them by fair pull. Un-
less she be unusually weak or he
very strong he will probably fail,
and his discontinue may be fifty
followed up by the invitation to
move her hand from her head or her
middle finger from the tip OF her
nose.
The Hercules who can toy with
heavy weights should be asked TO
break with his middle finger stout
wooden match placed across the
roots of the first and third finger
nails. The arm must be held level
from the shoulder and the fingers
kept quite straight. Even a slight
curvature gives sufficient power to
break a much stronger thing than a
match; but we place great faith i'm
the wooden splinter TO resist all ef-
forts If the conditions be properly
observed.
Another edifying experiment is
as follows: Two persons face each
other. The one places his fists on
top of one another and strives to
keep them there while the other
(by preference LADY, strikes them
sharply with her forefingers, taking
care that each finger is applied to
the corresponding fist of her oppo-
nent. The fists fly apart as il by
magic, because the muscles cannot
act in two ways at once, and while
exerting pressure upward and
downward are at the mercy of a
smart lateral blow, unless-and
man can safely risk the strain-the
lower thumb be secretly inserted
into the upper hand and held there
firmly.
Another experiment requires on
ly a piece Of strong thread long
enough to pass twice round mans
hands and hips, the hands being
held palms inward against the side
of the thighs. We very much doubt
whether he will be able to break tire
thread with an extending movement
of his arms If the thread be passed
over the middle joints ofthe fingers.
Should he succeed, let him with the
thread attach the ferrule end of
walking stick TO something firm,
and, holding the stick ut arms length
by the handle, try to break the
thread. The stick must not be pull
ed toward the body.
Yet third test, this time with
cotton, the place OF the stick being
taken by an ordinary luggage label,
which is to be held between the fin
gers (the thumb must not be used)
and pulled. 1t is more likely that
the label will slip from the fingers
than that the cotton will give way.
Turning to different class of ex-
periments, we invite our readers
to write ON blank circle of paper
the figures exactly as they appear
on the face of clock. The circle
must not be turned round as the
figures are added; begin at twelve
and work honestly round to it again.
We have all consulted the clock
hundreds OF times, aud we ought,
from sheer familiarity, TO be able to
make short work of this puzzle; but
our eyes in some ways very blind,
and before the circuit is complete
we shall probably be in trouble.
Returning for moment to physi-
cal power, can you, with eyes shut,
tell port from sherry by taste or
smell? Ii is even chances whether
an expert will not after a change or
two become confused. The de-
pendence of taste on sight is similar
~ shown when man is presented
with number of warmed pipes and
asked to say which of them are
aligh:.
Put coin on the edge of a table
and, with oneeye closed, walk quick
~ up To it and knock it off the table.
You are more than likely to miss IL
altogether. Because single eye is
a bad Judge ofdistance. The differ
ence of angle at which each eye sees
an object gives us the idea OF solid
ity and the power OF guessing that
objects position. Hence the solid
effect OF q stereoscopic picture taken
simultaneously through two lenses
as far apart as the human eyes.