Quis Separabit?
If there happen to be a newly-married couple amongst your friends, the following little trick may cause them a blush of happiness.
Get them to fold their hands, as shown in [Fig. 13], in such a way that the wedding-ring finger of the left hand, and the corresponding finger of the right hand, are doubled inwards as far as the second joint, and the knuckles of those joints press firmly against each other.
Fig. 13.—Hands folded.
Fig. 14.—Thumbs separated.
Now, tell them to separate their two thumbs, as in [Fig. 14], while you say, “Parents and children may be separated!” Then let them do the same with the two forefingers, remarking, “Brothers and sisters may be separated!” The same performance may be repeated with the two little fingers, and you remark, “Even lovers may be separated!” Finally, let them try to separate the two middle fingers, when they will find they cannot get them apart. Whereupon you state emphatically, “But husband and wife can never be divided!”
Fig. 15.—Paper being drawn through arm to electrify it.