Entertainments for Home, Church and School Part 9

"She laid it where the sunbeams fall Unscanned upon the broken wall, Without a tear, without a groan, She laid it near a mighty stone Which some rude swain had haply cast Thither in sports, long ages past.

There in its cool and quiet bed, She set her burden down and fled; Nor flung, all eager to escape, One glance upon the perfect shape That lay, still warm and fresh and fair, But motionless and soundless there."

--C. S. Calverley.

36. A Friendly Party on Hampstead Heath. Moke.

37. Borrowed Plumes. Wigg.

38. Out for the Night. Anonymous.

39. Something to Adore. Anonymous.

40. The Weaned Grinder. Mayne Force. "Change and decay in all around I see."

41. Repentance. G. Templar.

42. Maggie's Secret. Rossetter.

43. Somebody's Luggage. S. Canty.

44. Eusebius. B. Linkers.

45. Happy Childhood. Wackford Squeers.

46. Not Such a Fool as He Looks. The Exhibitor.

47. A Choice Collection of Old China.

48. A Fine Specimen of Local Quartz Discovered in the Possession of a Workman.

During the Building of the New Town Hall.

49. The Skull of the Last of the Mohicans.

50. A Marble Group.

51. Bust.

52. The Puzzle.

53. The Instantaneous Kid Reviver.

54. The Earnest Entreaty.

EXPLANATION

Anyone not in the secret, perusing the above catalogue, would naturally conclude that the descriptions referred to pictorial art of some kind or other. But such is by no means the case. The visitor, on being admitted, finds, in place of the expected pictures, shelves or tables on which are arranged sundry very commonplace objects, each bearing a numbered ticket. On close examination he finds that the numbers correspond with those in the catalogue, and that No. 1, "Horse Fair"--fare--is represented after a realistic fashion by a handful of oats and a wisp of hay. No. 2, which he expected to find a spirited marine sketch, is in reality only a toothbrush lying beside a jack-plane; while the supposed companion picture, "Caught in a Squall Off Yarmouth," is represented by a red herring. No. 4, "The Last of Poor Dog Tray," is a sausage, and the exhibitor particularly begs that no gentleman will on any account whistle while pa.s.sing this picture.

No. 5, "He Will Return, I Know He Will," presumably the agonized cry of a forsaken maiden, is in reality a poor-rate collector's paper, marked "Fifth application." No. 6 is represented by a numbered ticket only, with no object attached to it. The exhibitor explains that "The Midnight Hour" has not yet arrived, but that any gentleman who likes to wait till it does (which will be at twelve o'clock punctually), is very welcome to do so. The "Heroes of Waterloo," Wellington and Blucher, No. 7, are represented by a couple of boots known by those distinguished names. 8, "True to the Core," is a rosy-cheeked apple. 9 is a coil of watch spring. 10, "Tears, Idle Tears," on which the exhibitor feelingly expatiates as a n.o.ble example of the imaginative in art, is an onion.

The s.p.a.ce dedicated to No. 11 is occupied by the numbered ticket only, the exhibitor explaining that "The Midnight a.s.sa.s.sin" (who is stated to be a large and lively flea) has strolled away and is wandering at large about the room; and he adds an entreaty that any lady or gentleman who may meet with him will immediately return him to his place in the collection. "The Dripping Well" (No. 12) proves to be of the description more usually known as a dripping-pan. "Family Jars," by Potter, is found to consist of a pickle jar and jam pot. No. 14, "Never Too Late to Mend," is a boot patched all over; while 15, "Past Healing," is its fellow, too far gone to admit of like renovation. "The First Sorrow"

is a broken doll. "Saved" is a money box, containing twopence halfpenny, mostly in farthings. The next is a vacant s.p.a.ce, over which the exhibitor pa.s.ses with the casual remark, "No. 18, as you will observe, is unfortunately lost." No. 19, "First Love," is a piece of taffy. 20, "The Death of the Camel," is a straw, labeled "the last," and the exhibitor explains that this is the identical straw that broke the camel's back. "His First Cigar" is a mild Havana of brown paper. "A Good Fellow Gone" is suggested, rather than represented, by an odd glove. Nos. 23 and 24 are represented by two small mirrors, which are handed to a lady and a gentleman respectively, with a few appropriate remarks as to the extreme success of the likenesses, coupled with critical remarks as to the "expression" in each case. "Our Churchwardens" are a pair of long clay pipes. No. 26, "Portraits of the Reigning Sovereigns of Europe," are represented by a few cancelled foreign postage stamps. "The Monsters of the Deep," in No. 27, are represented by a periwinkle and a shrimp. "The Last Man" (No. 28), is at present missing from his place in the collection, but the exhibitor explains that he will be seen going out just as the exhibition closes.

The "Contribution from the Sheepshanks Collection" (29), is a couple of mutton bones; while "The Light of Other Days" (30) is an old-fashioned lantern and tinder box. "The Meet (meat) of Her Majesty's Hounds" is a piece of dog biscuit. No. 32 is a leaky can of water.

"The Maiden's Joy" (obviously) is a wedding ring. "The Fall" is a lady's veil. No. 35, "Motherhood," is the gem of the collection, and should be kept carefully hidden (say by a handkerchief thrown over it) until the company have had time to read and appreciate Mr. Caverley's graceful lines, when the veil is removed, and behold--an egg! No. 36, "A Friendly Party on Hampstead Heath," is represented by three toy donkeys. "Borrowed Plumes" are represented by a lady's false front.

"Out for the Night" is an extinguished candle. "Something to Adore"

is a rusty bolt. "The Wearied Grinder" is a back tooth of somebody's very much the worse for wear. "Repentance" (No. 41) is represented by a smashed hat and a bottle of sodawater. "Maggie's Secret" is a gray hair, labeled "Her First." No. 43, "Somebody's Luggage," consists of a broken comb and a paper collar. "Eusebius" is a pair of spectacles.

"Happy Childhood" is indicated by a lithe and "swishy" cane. When the company arrive at No. 46, the corresponding object is apparently missing. The exhibitor refers to his notes and says: "46--46? I see they have written down against No. 46, 'The Exhibitor,' but I don't see quite what they mean. Suppose we pa.s.s on to the curiosities, ladies and gentlemen." No. 47 is merely some smashed crockery, and No. 48 a pewter quart pot. No. 49 is again a vacant s.p.a.ce, and the exhibitor explains that "The Last of the Mohicans" has just gone home to his tea, and has taken his skull with him. No. 50 is, as its name implies, a group of marbles, of the school boy character. No. 51 is a paper bag of peas, and, being too full, has "bust." "The Puzzle" (No. 52) is an old guide book. "The Instantaneous Kid Reviver" is a baby's feeding bottle; and the "Earnest Entreaty" is the request of the exhibitor that the visitors will recommend the collection to their friends.

If the "showman" be possessed of a good fund of talk and a dash of dry humor, the fun of the collection may be still further enhanced by his explanations and criticisms of the various objects. Poor Artemus Ward's celebrated lecture is an excellent model to copy; indeed, many of his "bits" may be stolen bodily with very satisfactory result. Even without the aid of a showman, the comparison of the poetical descriptions and the sober reality will produce a good deal of fun; but, in this case, the various blanks or vacant s.p.a.ces to be filled up by explanation must necessarily be omitted--a good many telling items being thereby sacrificed.

CHAPTER XI.

OPTICAL ILLUSIONS

RAISING THE GHOST--MAGIC LANTERN PICTURES--PHANTASMAGORIA--CHINESE SHADOWS--WONDERFUL MIRROR--MULTIPLIED MONEY

RAISING A GHOST

Place a small magic lantern in a box large enough to contain a small swing dressing-gla.s.s, which will reflect the light thrown on it by the lantern in such a way that it will pa.s.s out at the aperture made at the top of the box, which aperture should be oval and of a size adapted to the cone of light to pa.s.s through it. There should be a flap with hinges, to cover the opening, that the inside of the box may not be seen. There must be holes in that part of the box which is over the lantern, to let out the smoke; and over this must be placed a chafing-dish, of an oblong figure, large enough to hold several lighted coals. This chafing-dish, for the better carrying on the deception, may be inclosed in a painted tin box, about a foot high, with a hole at top, and should stand on four feet, to let the smoke of the lantern escape. There must also be a gla.s.s planned to move up and down in the groove, and so managed by a cord and pulley that it may be raised up and let down by the cord coming through the outside of the box. On this gla.s.s the spectre (or any other figure you please) must be painted, in a contracted or squat form, as the figure will reflect a greater length than it is drawn. When you have lighted the lamp in the lantern and placed the mirror in a proper direction, put the box on a table, and, setting the chafing-dish in it, throw some incense in powder on the coals. You then open the trap door and let down the gla.s.s in the groove slowly, and when you perceive the smoke diminish, draw up the gla.s.s, that the figure may disappear, and shut the trap-door. This exhibition will afford much wonder. The lights in the room must be extinguished, and the box should be placed on a high table, that the aperture through which the light comes out may not be seen.

A MAGIC-LANTERN TRICK

The light of the magic-lantern and the color of images may not only be painted on a cloth, but also reflected by a cloud of smoke. Provide a box of wood or pasteboard, about four feet high and seven or eight inches square at bottom, but diminishing as it ascends, so that its aperture at the top be but six inches long and half an inch wide. At the bottom of this box there must be a door that shuts quite close, by which you are to place in the box a chafing-dish with hot coals, on which is to be thrown incense, whose smoke goes out in a cloud at the top of the box; on this cloud you are to throw the light that comes out of the lantern, and which you bring into a smaller compa.s.s by drawing out the movable tube. In this representation, the motion of the smoke does not at all change the figures, which appear so conspicuous that the spectator thinks he can grasp them with his hand.

In the experiment, some of the rays pa.s.sing through the smoke, the representation will be much less vivid than on the cloth; and if care be not taken to reduce the light to its smallest focus, it will be still more imperfect.

THE PHANTASMAGORIA

In showing the common magic-lantern, the spectators see a round circle of light with the figures in the middle of it; but in the Phantasmagoria they see the figures only, without any circle of light. The exhibition is produced by a magic lantern, placed on that side of a half-transparent screen which is opposite to that on which the spectators are, instead of being on the same side, as in the ordinary exhibition of the magic lantern. To favor the deception, the slides are made perfectly opaque, except in those places that contain the figures to be exhibited, and in these light parts the gla.s.s is covered with a more or less transparent tint, according to the effect required.

The easiest way is to draw the figures with water colors on thin paper and afterward varnish them. To imitate the natural motions of the objects represented, several pieces of gla.s.s placed behind each other are occasionally employed. By removing the lantern to different distances, and at the same time altering, more or less distinct, at the pleasure of the exhibitor; so that, to a person unacquainted with the effect of optical instruments, these figures appear actually to advance and recede. Transparent screens for the Phantasmagoria are prepared by spreading white wax, dissolved in spirits of wine or oil of turpentine, over thin muslin; a screen so prepared may be rolled up without injury. A clearer screen may be produced by having the muslin always strained upon a rectangular frame, and preparing it with turpentine, instead of wax; but such a screen is not always convenient, and cannot be rolled without cracking, and becoming in a short time useless.

CHINESE SHADOWS

In a part.i.tion wall cut an aperture of any size; for example, four feet in length and two in breadth, so that the lower edge may be about five feet from the floor, and cover it with white Italian gauze, varnished with gum-copal. Provide several frames of the same size as the aperture, covered with the same kind of gauze, and delineate upon the gauze different figures, such as landscapes and buildings, a.n.a.logous to the scenes which you intend to exhibit by means of small figures representing men and animals. These figures are formed of pasteboard, and their different parts are made movable, according to the effect intended to be produced by their shadows, when moved backward and forward behind the frames, at a small distance from them. To make them act with more facility, small wires, fixed to their movable parts, are bent backward and made to terminate in rings, through which the fingers of the hand are put, while the figure is supported on the left by means of another iron wire. In this manner they may be made to advance or recede and to gesticulate, without the spectators observing the mechanism by which they are moved; and as the shadow of these figures is not observed on the paintings till they are opposite those parts which are not strongly shaded, they may thus be concealed and made to appear at the proper moments, and others may be occasionally subst.i.tuted in their stead.

It is necessary, when the figures are made to act, to speak a dialogue, suited to their gestures, and imitate the noise occasioned by different circ.u.mstances. The paintings must be illuminated from behind by means of a reverberating lamp, placed opposite to the center of the painting, and distant from it about four or five feet. Various amusing scenes may be represented in this manner by employing small figures of men and animals, and making them move in as natural a way as possible, which will depend on the address and practice of the person who exhibits them.

A WONDERFUL MIRROR

Make two openings of a foot high and ten inches wide and about a foot distant from each other, in the wainscoting of a wall; let them be at the common height of a man's head; and in each of them place a transparent gla.s.s, surrounded with a frame, like a common mirror.

Behind this part.i.tion place two mirrors, one on the outward side of each opening, inclined to the wainscot at an angle of forty-five degrees; let them both be eighteen inches square; let all the s.p.a.ce between them be enclosed by boards or pasteboard, painted black and well closed, that no light may enter; let there be also two curtains to cover them, which may be drawn aside at pleasure. When a person looks into one of these supposed mirrors, instead of seeing his own face he will perceive the object that is in the front of the other; so that, if two persons present themselves at the same time before these mirrors, instead of each one seeing himself, they will reciprocally see each other. There should be a sconce with a candle or lamp placed on each side of the two gla.s.ses in the wainscot, to enlighten the faces of the persons who look in them, otherwise this experiment will have no remarkable effect. This recreation may be considerably improved by placing the two gla.s.ses in the wainscot in adjoining rooms, and a number of persons being previously placed in one room, when a stranger enters the other, you may tell him his face is dirty, and desire him to look in the gla.s.s, which he will naturally do; and on seeing a strange face he will draw back; but returning to it, and seeing another, another and another, what his surprise will be is more easy to conceive than express.

When one looks in a mirror placed perpendicularly to another, his face will appear entirely deformed. If the mirror be a little inclined, so as to make an angle of eighty degrees (that is, one-ninth part from the perpendicular), he will then see all the parts of his face, except the nose and forehead; if it be inclined to sixty degrees (that is, one-third part), he will appear with three noses and six eyes; in short, the apparent deformity will vary at each degree of inclination; and when the gla.s.s comes to forty-five degrees (that is, half-way down), the face will vanish. If, instead of placing the two mirrors in this situation, they are so disposed that their junction may be vertical, their different inclinations will produce other effects, as the situation of the object relative to these mirrors is quite different.

THE DISAPPEARING PAPER

Attach to a dark wall a round piece of paper an inch or two in diameter, and, a little lower, at the distance of two feet on each side, make two marks; then place yourself directly opposite to the paper, and hold the end of your finger before your face in such a manner that when the right eye is open it shall conceal the mark on the right; if you then look with both eyes to the end of your finger, the paper, which is not at all concealed by it from either of your eyes, will, nevertheless, disappear.

MULTIPLIED MONEY

Take a large drinking-gla.s.s, of a conical form, that is, small at bottom and wide at top, and, having put into it a dime, let it be half filled with water; then place a plate upon the top of the gla.s.s, and turn it quickly over, that the water may not get out; a piece of silver as large as half a dollar will immediately appear on the plate, and somewhat higher up another piece of the size of a dime.

MULTIPLYING SHADOWS

A dummy figure (suppose that of a witch, riding on the conventional broomstick) is suspended by fine threads or wires on the screen remote from the spectators. Behind this are ranged, one behind the other, and at right angles to the screen, a row of lighted candles. Being all in the same line, they throw one shadow only on the screen. The figure is now made to oscillate slightly, so as to impart some little motion to the shadow. One of the candles is now removed from its place in the row, and waved gently about, now high, now low, the effect to the spectators being that a second shadow springs out of the first, and dances about it on the screen. A second and third candle is then removed, and waved up and down, each candle as it leaves its place in the line, producing a separate shadow. It is well to have three or four a.s.sistants, each taking a candle in each hand.

CHAPTER XII

TABLE GAMES FOR ADULTS

DOMINOES--BACKGAMMON--CHECKERS--JENKINS--ZOO--STRAY SYLLABLES--CHESS

DOMINOES