The spectators gather around the table which can be in full light. The performer sits at one side of the table with his hands flat on the top. A person may pick out any pendulum and ask him to swing it, which he will proceed to do without touching it, also making it strike the glass while it swings. Another pendulum may be pointed out and he will start that one apparently by looking at it, while the other one stops.
Any One Pendulum can be Made to Swing at Will by Moving the Table Slightly
This may seem to be impossible, yet it is very easy. It will be seen that no two pendulums have the same length. A pendulum makes a certain number of swings in a given time, depending on its length. A long pendulum requires more time to complete its swing and will, therefore, make a less number of swings than a short one in the same time. It is only necessary to move the table slightly and watch the pendulum picked out until it begins to swing independently of the others, which soon happens. To make the longer pendulums swing, longer movements of the table top must be made. With a little practice anyone can become a skilled medium in pendulum swinging.—Contributed by James A. Hart, Philadelphia, Pa.
Applying a Strap Hinge
An ordinary strap hinge can be applied to a door or box cover in such a way that only one wing will show. Ordinarily the hinge opens as at A, and, on reversing it, the hinge will open to the limit as shown at B. If one wing is bent toward the other, as shown at C, the hinge may be applied, as shown at D. As this process reverses the hinge, the screw holes must be countersunk on the opposite side.
Reversing a Strap Hinge So That When It is Applied Only One Wing will Show