Mesmerizing.
This may be made very amusing, although no actual mesmerism is attempted. A member of the party announces that he has been declared to possess a vast amount of mesmeric power; not enough to gain absolute control over a person, but sufficient to at least prevent him from rising from a chair alone. His challenge being accepted by some one, he seats his victim in a low chair and himself in a higher one close at hand. Then, solemnly demanding a complete relaxation of will power and a sober countenance on the part of the subject, he begins making passes with his hands, stroking the forehead of the person beside him, and otherwise imitating a genuine mesmerist. After a short time he quietly says:
“Now see if you can get up alone!”
Of course, the subject rises to his feet at once, but so does the mesmerist, thus proving to the former that having risen simultaneously with himself, he has surely failed to rise alone.