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black bottle; place it in a vase or jug of water, so that the neck is only above the surface, then with a funnel fill the bottle, and cork it well while it is in the jug or vase. Take it out, and, notwithstanding the holes in the bottom it will not leak; wipe it dry, and give it to some person to uncork. The moment the cork is drawn, to the party’s astonishment, the water will begin to run out of the bottom of the bottle.
the magic spoon.
Put four ounces of bismuth in a crucible, and when in a state of complete fusion, throw in two ounces and a half of lead, and one ounce and a half of tin; these metals will combine, and form an alloy fusible in boiling water. Mould the alloy into bars, and take them to a silversmith to be made into tea-spoons. Place one of them in a saucer, at a teatable, and the person who uses it will be not a little astonished to find it melt away as soon as he puts it into the hot tea.
to put a penny-piece under a candlestick, and to withdraw it without lifting it up.
This appears a wonderful trick, and yet it is one of the most simple, and never fails to raise a hearty laugh. Place a penny piece under a candlestick on the table, then bet any one of the party that you will take it from under it without lifting up the candlestick. Thinking it impossible, some will, no doubt, accept your wager; this being done, knock three times sharply under the table, saying, “Presto, fly, begone!” then tell your antagonist it is gone, and desire him to lift the candlestick to satisfy himself, this, of course, he will immediately do; then, on the instant he raises the candlestick, snatch up the penny piece. You will then win the wager, as you did not take up the candlestick.
to make a magic picture.
Take two level pieces of glass, plate glass is the best, about three inches long and four wide, exactly of the same size; lay one on the other, and leave a space between them by pasting a piece of card, or two or three small pieces of thick paper, at each corner. Join these glasses together at the edges by a composition of lime slaked by exposure to the air, and white of an egg. Cover all the edges of these glasses with parchment or bladder except at one end, which is to be left open to admit the following composition. Dissolve by a slow fire, six ounces of hog’s lard, with half an ounce of white wax, to which you may add half an ounce of clear linseed oil. This must be
