To Change a Coin.—Sometimes, in order to bring about a desired result, it is necessary to change, or, in conjurer’s parlance, to “ring” a borrowed or marked coin for a substitute of your own. There are many ways of effecting this, but having once mastered the various “palms” the student will readily invent means for himself. The following, however, is the one generally adopted by conjurers:

Borrow a coin and have it marked. Then take it between the fingers and thumb of the left hand, as in the pass (Fig. 3), having previously secreted the substitute in the palm of the right. Now take the coin in the right hand, and in so doing drop the substitute into the palm of the left, which you immediately close, and remark, “You have all seen me take the coin visibly from the left hand. I will now make it return invisibly.” Saying this, you appear to throw the marked coin into the left hand, really palming it, and showing your own, which every one takes to be the original borrowed one. You may now proceed with the trick in question, disposing of the marked coin as may be necessary.

Let the student practice faithfully the steps here given. He shall then be prepared to make practical use of them, as we shall endeavor to show in the next paper.

THE OLD TRUNK

This department we believe is destined soon to become one of the most popular features of the magazine. Not only shall we spare no pains upon our part, but we also earnestly ask your co-operation in providing puzzles of all shapes and descriptions to bewilder and tangle the most ingenious of intellects. To each of the first three persons who shall correctly solve all the following puzzles, we will give a year’s subscription to Young Folks Magazine, to be sent to any desired address.

ZIGZAG

When these words of six letters are correctly guessed and placed in the order given, from 1 to 8 will spell the name of a common mineral found in rocks.

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