A guest with a large head is chosen as the one on whom to experiment. The hostess holds up a lady’s ring and assures her guests that if she, while facing this guest, holds the ring in just the right position she can easily poke her guest’s head right through it without hurting him in the least. It sounds incredible but her friend of the large head stands obediently before her, she twists and turns the ring to get just the right position, finally succeeds, and giving a sigh of satisfaction, proceeds to poke his head through the ring by putting her finger through the ring and poking his head!
Rabbit.
The leader shows great enthusiasm in asking her guests if they know that “awfully funny new game ‘Rabbit.’” If a small group, all may join in; if a large one, only a select few have the privilege. They form a circle, kneel on the right knee, each one putting the first finger of the right hand on the floor. When they are all set the leader asks again as if to make sure, “Really don’t you know how to play ‘Rabbit’?” and again they assure her that they do not.
“Neither do I,” she remarks regretfully.
Rubber!
The leader has a rubber band at the base of the first two fingers of her left hand which is closed. She opens the hand suddenly and throws the rubber in such a way that it jumps clear across to the base of the third and fourth fingers of the same hand. Impossible? Not a bit, but only clever people can do it, or at least so the guests are told.
The rubber band is put at the base of the first two fingers. All four fingers are then folded over and the rubber is stretched a bit so that it may cover all four tips. When the fingers are stretched out straight it is inevitable that the rubber band jump to the base of the third and fourth fingers.
The Unbreakable Match.
A man’s handkerchief is opened up and waved about to show how free it is from any trickery. A match is put in the exact center of the handkerchief which is then carefully folded up. Complete silence is asked for in order that all may hear the leader break the match. They listen carefully and admit that they hear the distinct crack of the match as it is broken. The leader shakes out the handkerchief and the match is shown, unbroken.
She repeats the performance, and each time all will admit that they heard her break the match. There are always many theories advanced as to how she does it—by cracking her finger-nails together, etc., etc., and there is always somebody who wants to see the handkerchief. Instead of showing it, however, she shakes it freely and tells them that that ought to satisfy anybody.