** A Miniature War Dance [255]

A piece of paper, 3 or 4 in. long, is folded several times, as shown in the sketch, and the first fold marked out to represent one-half of an Indian.  Cut out all the folds at one time on the dotted line and you will have as many men joined together as there were folds in the paper.  Join the hands of the two end men with a little paste so as to form a circle of Indians holding hands.

The next thing to do is to punch holes in heavy cardboard that is large enough to cover a pot or stew pan, and

[Illustration:  Indian War Dance]

partially fill the vessel with water.  Set this covered vessel over a heat and bring the water to a boiling point and then set the miniature Indians on the perforated cover.  The dance will begin.

If the Indians are decked out with small feathers to represent the head gear and trailing plumes, a great effect will be produced.  —­Contributed by Maurice Baudier, New Orleans, La.

** Saving an Engine [255]

Turning the water on before starting the gas engine may prevent breaking a cylinder on a cold day.

** Old-time magic [256]

Removing 36 Cannon Balls from a Handbag

The magician produces a small handbag and informs the audience that he has it filled with 20-lb. cannon balls.  He opens up the bag and takes out a ball which he passes to the audience

[Illustration:  Balls Made of Spring Wire]

for examination.  The ball is found to be the genuine article.  He makes a few passes with the wand and produces another ball, and so on until 36 of them lie on the floor.

In reality the first ball, which is the one examined, is the real cannon ball, the others are spiral-spherical springs covered with black cloth (Fig. 1).  These balls can be pressed together in flat disks and put in the bag, Fig. 2. without taking up any great amount of space.  When the spring is released it will fill out the black cloth to represent a cannon ball that cannot be distinguished from the real article.  —­Contributed by J. F. Campbell, Somerville, Mass.

** A Rising Card Trick [256]

A rising card trick can be accomplished with very little skill by using the simple device illustrated.  The only

[Illustration:  Card Slips from the Pack]

things needed are four ordinary playing cards and a short rubber band.  Pass one end of the rubber band through one card and the other end through the other card, as shown in the illustration, drawing the cards close together and fastening the ends by putting a pin through them.  The remaining two cards are pasted to the first two so as to conceal the pins and ends of the rubber band.

Put the cards with the rubber band in a pack of cards; take any other card from the pack and show it to the audience in such a way that you do not see and know the card shown.  Return the card to the pack, but be sure and place it between the cards tied together with the rubber band.  Grasp the pack between your thumb and finger tightly at first, and by gradually loosening your hold the card previously shown to the audience will slowly rise out of the pack.  —­Contributed by Tomi O’Kawara, San Francisco, Cal.