The Magic Repeater
This is an interesting example of some strange agency at work amongst us.
Make a running noose at the end of a piece of fine thread, and pass it securely round a quarter, as shown in [Fig. 21]. Taking care that the thread passes over the tip of the thumb, support the thread from your hand, in the manner shown in the illustration, in such a way that the quarter is hanging within a wine-glass or tumbler. Take care also to keep the hand perfectly steady, and await results.
For a few seconds the quarter will oscillate, but it will soon become quite still. Then, actuated by no motion of your hand, it will begin to swing to and fro like a pendulum, and will finally strike one of the sides of the glass.
Counting the number of times it thus makes the glass ring, you will find that the number corresponds exactly with the nearest hour to the time of day. For instance, at 11:20 there would be eleven rings, whilst at a quarter to twelve there would be twelve.
The cause of this phenomenon can be left to scientists to decide.
Fig. 22.—The obliging banana.