One of the players asserts his belief that he is gifted with second sight, and states that he is able to name, through a closed door, any article touched by any person in sympathy with him, notwithstanding the said person may attempt to mystify him by mentioning a lot of other articles.  He then chooses his confederate, as being one with whom he may be in sympathy, and goes outside.

The player in the room then proceeds to call out, perhaps, as follows:  Table, Rug, Piano, Footstool and Chair, Lamp, Inkstand.  He then places his hand on the back of a chair and asks:  “What am I touching now?” the answer will, of course, be “Chair,” because the signal word “and” came immediately before that article.

If the players are skillful there is no need for the trick to be discovered.

* * * * *

“Mother, mother, the pot boils over”

A number of children choose one of their number to be “mother” and another to be the witch.  One child represents the pot, and the others are named after the days in the week, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, etc.  If there are too many children they might be called after the months.

The mother first names the children, next she takes the pot and pretends to put it on the fire.  She tells the eldest daughter that she is going to wash, and that she must take great care of her brothers and sisters while she is away, and on no account to let the old witch into the house.  She is also to look after the dinner and see that the pot does not boil over.  The mother then goes away, and the eldest daughter pretends to be very busy.

The child who is supposed to be the witch knocks at the door, and asks if she may come in and get a light for her pipe.  She must pretend to be very old and walk with a stick.

“Come in,” says the eldest daughter; “what do you want?”

“To light my pipe at your fire.”

“Very well, but you must not dirty the range.”

“Certainly not; I’ll be very careful.”

While the eldest daughter pretends to look on the shelf for something, the witch puts her dirty shoe on the range, catches hold of Monday (the youngest child) and runs off with him.  The child who is the pot now makes a hissing noise and pretends to boil over.  The daughter calls out: 

“Mother, mother, the pot boils over.”

“Take a spoon and skim it.”

“Can’t find one.”

“Look on the shelf.”

“Can’t reach.”

“Take the stool.”

“The leg’s broken.”

“Take the chair.”

“The chair’s gone to be mended.”

“I suppose I must come myself.”

The mother comes in from the washtub, drying her hands.

“Where’s Monday?” she asks.

“Please, mother, some one came to beg for a light for her pipe, and when my back was turned she took Monday.”