Show games and tricks parlor magic take a very long handkerchief and seating yourself pass it apparently twice round the leg just above the knee and tie the two ends securely together or have them tied for you take hold of a single thickness of the handkerchief ind jerk it sharply up wards when it t will appear to pass through the leg rhe secret of the trick Is this when you pass the hands below the leg for the purpose of ostensibly cross ing the ends so as to bring them up on opposite sides you rapidly make a bend in one and pass the other firmly round it by this means a temporary junction is formed strong enot enoich gb to hear bear a slight strain by distending the sinews of the legs the folds are tightened and an additional security is now obtained the ends are of course brought up again on the sides which they descended and the knot hilot tied above the thigh not beneath it the hands should not remain an instant longer under the leg than one would ordinarily require the dane ng pea A remarkably simple but always BUI and effective trick Is thus described by louisville courier jour nal the performer takes the stem of a broken clay pipe PIPI or a straw and hold ing it perpendicular to his mouth places a pea ad cly 1 upon the upper end then he makes the pea hop up and down to a lively tune on the pi ano the whole trick consists in sticking a ions long thin needle into the pea this forces it always to return to its place A piece of thin wire can be used in stead of the needle which in order to remain invisible should not be bright and shining care must be taken that the needle or wire Is fastened web well into the pea so that it will not drop drol into the performers mouth popcorn parties one of the most popular ot of winter entertainments for the chi children luren Is ta a popcorn party popcorn fritters fur cheap but appropriate refresh ment A game of the evening in which all can participate Is the corn ex change each one present receives plate upon which are thirteen grain grains of popped corn on each grain Is a letter the corn has been dealt out indiscriminately and the object of the th game Is to trade until the thirteen grains spell the phrase phrae popcorn social the six completing their ei ex change first receive prizes the prize prizes are corn bags made of gingham and are of various sizes to be used a balls this introduces the game of pass ball the players form a circle and the bags are tossed rapidly one after another around the circle any one failing to catch Is counted out one of the games of the evening 6 plucking ticking the bleiweiss la Is perhaps better appreciated by the boys than the girls A number of strings of popped corn are suspended from the top of a door or from some projection on the wall the ceiling being usually too high at a given signal the boya boys begin to eat the corn from their respective spec tive strings above the strings la Is placed a prize of course he who eats fastest gets it the grains must be pulled the entire length of the string and eaten one by one the entanglement of the strings causes an im I 1 mence mene amount of fun tor for the on an looker lookers as well as for those taking part to n the game |