The Dice and Cup. Take from the backgammon board two dice and the dice cup or shaker. Hold the cup in your right hand by putting your thumb and second finger around the bottom of it, at the same time holding one of the dice with the tips of the same finger and thumb. Next put the other die on top of the one you are holding. You will, of course, need the aid of your left hand in arranging the dice and cup in your right.
Now, by a quick upward movement of your right hand, send the top die flying up into the air, and as it comes down catch it in the cup.
Now comes the real trick—to get the other die in the cup also. If you try to do this by throwing the die upward as you threw the first one, you may catch it in the cup all right, but at the same time you will be pretty sure to throw the first one out of the cup. As for catching both together as they come down, you will find that almost impossible. The proper way to get the second die into the cup without losing the one that is already there, is, to let your hand drop suddenly, at the same time letting go the die which you have been holding.
The die will drop too, but not as rapidly as your hand, so that you will have no difficulty in getting the cup under it and catching it.
The Surprising Paper Bands. Cut three bands of paper about twenty-four inches long and two inches wide. In preparing the first strip of paper, simply gum the ends together, for the second strip, twist once and gum the ends together; for the third strip, twist twice and then gum the ends together. Now cut each of the bands in the centre lengthways and notice the results. In twisting the papers, it should be done unobserved.
Napkin-ring Trick. While waiting for dessert at dinner, it is fun for the family at table to exchange tricks. One is the napkin-ring trick. Holding your napkin-ring in one hand, look from your glass tumbler to some large object—say, the sugar-bowl,—pretending to hesitate between the two, then pick up the glass tumbler and say: “Safer to take the smaller article.” Then look around, and say: “Will any of you believe me when I say that I can push this glass full of water through this napkin-ring?” Something may be added about a newly discovered way of compressing glass.
Then you should set the glass down solemnly, place your napkin-ring in front of it, and, with an impressive flourish of your hand, thrust your finger through the napkin-ring and give the glass a shove.
“There!” you may exclaim in triumph, “Haven’t I pushed the glass through the napkin-ring?”
The Magical Cups of Tin. This little trick, performed in a parlor, will make you appear quite a magician. Get beforehand two perfectly plain tin cups, without handles and with the bottom sunk about a quarter of an inch, and straight sides. On the sunken bottom of each put some glue, and over it drop some birdseed, so that it looks as if the cups were full, whereas they are really standing upside down and the layer of seed is glued to the outside of the bottom.
When you are ready to perform the trick, have a bag of the same kind of seed, and, standing off from your audience, hold the cups so that they can see that they are empty, but don’t allow any one to approach you.