necessary that the water should his face as much as he chooses, he issue from the faucet with force tells the subject that his will must enough to carry it down to the mer- be very strong, as he finds it imposcury through the water in the tum-sible to place him under the mesbler. meric influence. The subject may then be shown his face in a mirror. Bubbles can also be blown on the surface of mercury under water by blowing through a glass tube filled with water, whose end is just under the mercury surface. MERCURY FOUNTAIN. Provide a bottle with a rubber stopper having two holes (see CHEMICAL EXPERIMENTS). Through one of the holes pass a glass tube bent into U shape at its lower end, and through the other a glass tube having its upper end drawn out to a jet. Fill the bottle with water, and, placing the finger over the jet, pour mercury into the other tube. When the finger is removed, the weight of the mercury will force the water out of the jet in a stream. Six inches of mercury in the tube will raise the water to a height of several feet. MERELLES. See NINE MEN'S MORRIS. A variation of this trick is called in France Le Singe (The Monkey). The one who represents the monkey sits opposite another person and each is given a hat but the monkey's hat has been previously blackened on top. The monkey is told, as in the trick just described, that he must imitate all the motions of the one opposite, who from time to time rubs his face with his hat. In this trick there is no pretense of mesmerism, but the victim is told that the motions he is required to imitate are very difficult, and that he who succeeds in doing so perfectly will win the game. MICROPHONE, a device for making very low sounds audible at a distance. A simple one can be made by any one who possesses an ELECTRIC BATTERY and a telephone. MESMERISM, a trick in which one Cut off two pieces of lead-pencil person pretends to mesmerize an- in which the lead is as large as posother. The one to be mesmerized, sible, one two inches long and the called the "subject," who must be other half an inch. Sharpen the unacquainted with the trick, is told first at both ends, and split the other to sit opposite the operator, who lengthwise, so that half the lead will calls for two soup-plates filled with be in each piece. Make a little pit water. By previous arrangement, with a sharp knife in each lead, stick the bottom of one has been black- the short pieces of pencil in holes ened by holding it over a candle, in a board two inches apart, and and this one is given to the subject. support the long piece between The latter is directed to fix his eyes them, each of its points resting in steadily on the operator's face, one of the little pits; insert a copper and to imitate every motion as ex- wire in each of the holes from the actly as possible. The operator opposite sides, so that each may be then dips his finger in the water in in contact with one of the short leads his plate, rubs it on the bottom, and One of these wires leads to one pole then draws a line on his face. of the battery, and the other, after The subject does the same, except passing through a telephone, to the that as the bottom of his plate is other pole. The board bearing blackened, he thus makes a black the pencils is fastened upright. If mark on his face. As his eyes are now the telephone be held to the fixed on the operator's face, he ear while some one scratches the does not percieve that his finger- board bearing the pencils, tip is black. When the operator, scratch will be plainly heard in the has thus caused him to decorate telephone. In like manner other the slight noises will be reproduced, such walking across the board can be as the ticking of a watch held against heard. The microphone will work the board. In delicate forms of the better if, instead of lead-pencil, instrument the footsteps of a fly pieces of gas carbon be arranged in the same way. Gas carbon can be obtained at gas-works, or of a dealer in electrical supplies, as it is used in electric lights. The reason why the sound is magnified in the telephone is this: The "lead" in a pencil (which is really not lead at all, but graphite), is a substance whose resistance to the electric current varies greatly with pressure. Scratching on the board, or making any other slight noise, joggles the pieces of leadpencil. They push against each other, their resistance is altered, and hence the current passing through the telephone varies. Now, a variable current in a telephone produces a sound (see C. C. T., TELEPHONE) hence the noise made on the board is reproduced. The word microphone is from the Greek micros, small, and phonein, to hear. MILK-LAMP, THE. Admit a single ray of light into a darkened room, as explained under PRISM, and with a mirror reflect the beam down into a tumbler of water with which a few teaspoonfuls of milk have been mixed. The milk will shine with a brilliant white light, lighting the whole room. MIND-READING, a game played by any number of persons, one of whom leaves the room, while the others agree on some simple thing for him to do. The player without is then called in, and one of the company takes him by the hand, at the same time thinking intently of the thing agreed upon. He must not move unless the first player moves. The player who went out must keep his mind quiet, trying to think of nothing in particular, moving in any direction he feels impelled to move, and doing whatever he feels impelled to do. The player will often do the very thing which he was required by the company to do. People are not agreed as to the reason for this. Some think that the player's mind is really influenced by that of the one who holds his hand, others that success is reached by mere chance, and others still that the player who has his mind fixed on the required act thinks of it so strongly that he cannot help showing the other, by unconscious muscular movements, what is to be done. It is generally found that certain players succeed better when they are leaders, and others when they are led. Instead of merely taking hands, the player who goes out often holds the back of the other's hand against his forehead. Sometimes the one who goes out hold's no one's hand at all, but the entire company think very earnestly of what they have agreed he shall do. Exhibitions of mind-reading are sometimes given in public by men the mirrors shut together, and lessen as they open. (See KALEIDOSCOPE.) 3. In a dark room hold the hollow side of a bright silver tablespoon, forming a concave mirror, before the face and a candle-flame between the spoon and your eyes. A small image of the flame, upside down, will be seen about half an inch in front of the spoon. Hold the back of the spoon toward you, forming a convex mirror, and a small erect image of the flame will appear behind it. who make it a business, and they do many wonderful things; but in such cases it is hard to tell whether the performers are honest in what they do, or deceive the spectators by some trick. A society has been formed in England to investigate mind-reading and similar things scientifically, and its reports say that it has discovered people who are remarkable mind-readers. For instance, it is claimed that one person was able to tell the taste of different substances placed in another person's mouth, and to draw figures thought of by other people. There are still many people, however, who think that there is no such thing as mind-reading, and that these results were produced by chance or deception. However this may be, mind-reading, when played | 5. Hold a glass of water above as a game, as just described, fur- the eyes, and look up into it nishes much amusement. The tasks through one of the sides. agreed upon should be very simple reflection of objects below will be at first. For instance, the player seen in the under side of the water may be required to go and stand surface. before some article or person in the room. When some one is found who seems to be able to do this well, the difficulty may be increased; thus he may be required to walk up to any object and lift it, to a chair and sit in it, or to a person and shake hands with him. MIRRORS, Experiments with. Some of the properties of mirrors are described in C. C. T., in the article on LIGHT. 1. Stand between two mirrors which face each other directly. A long line of images of yourself will be seen, the farthest ones vanishing in the distance. If a candle or other bright object be held in the hand, the number of images which can be traced is much larger. 2. Place two small mirrors edge to edge, and open and shut them, like the leaves of a book, the reflecting sides being within. Place between them a lighted candle, or some other bright object, and its images will increase in number as 4. Paint the outside of an argand lamp chimney black, and look through it, toward the light, at a pinhole in a piece of cardboard. It will appear as several circles of light. The 6. Cut out a letter or design from thick paper and paste it on a small mirror. If letters are used they must be turned wrong side out, as they appear when viewed in a looking-glass. If the mirror be held in sunlight so as to reflect a beam on a shaded wall, the letter or design will appear there in black on a light ground. MISS JENNIA JONES, a singing game played by any number of children. The following is one of many similar versions: A girl represents Miss Jennia Jones, and another her mother. Miss Jones stands behind her mother's chair or sits in her lap. The other players form a ring around the two, and one by one advance and sing a verse, the mother answering in like manner. The tune is the same as in the "Barberry Bush." For instance: "I've come to see Miss Jennia Jones, Miss Jennia Jones, Miss Jennia Jones, case a "She's up-stairs washing, She's up-stairs washing, Each player asks the same question, and the mother returns the same answer, substituting in each different occupation, as "cooking," "ironing," or "baking." At last she is said to be "sick," then "worse," and then "dead," when the players sing all together, "What shall we dress her in, Dress her in, dress her in, "Blue is for sailors, So that will never do." "I dreamt I saw a ghost last night Under the apple-tree." Miss Jones jumps up, the players run in all directions, and she tries to catch one, who must represent Jennia Jones in the next game. History. This game has been long played in the Middle States. A similar Scotch game has for the name of the heroine Jenny Jo (Jenny Joy, or Sweetheart) so "Jennia Jones" is probably a corruption of Jenny, my Jo.' The game seems to be derived from an old love ballad, where the heroine dies of a broken heart. The reasons given for rejecting the different colors vary with the locality. Thus red is sometimes said to be "for joy," and sometimes "for firemen." Yellow may be "for glad folks," or "for Orangemen," and so on. arate into four distinct layers, the mercury at the bottom, the sand next, the water next, and the oil at the top. They will remain thus, no matter how long the bottle is kept. This arrangement is sometimes called the "phial of the four elements," the mercury representing fire, the sand earth, the water water, and the oil air. This experiment may be varied as follows: Use as liquids mercury, solutions of white and blue vitriol, (sulphates of zinc and copper) water, and alcohol. Have ready a leaden bullet, two balls of wax weighted with shot so that they will just float respectively in the white and blue vitriol, and a cork weighted so that it will sink in alcohol but float in bottom of a tall jar and pour in the liquids in the order given above. All the balls will rise when the mercury is poured in, and one will be left behind with each of the other liquids, so that the balls will be distributed throughout the jar at the close. If the lightest liquids are poured in first, one ball will rise as each is introduced. In this case each must be poured in through a glass tube, so that it will not mix with the others. When the glass tube is pulled out, it should be held an instant in each liquid, so that currents will not be formed. The liquids used in this case, all but the mercury, will mix with each other if stirred, so the phial cannot be shaken. water. Place these four in the 2. Fill a glass half full of water, and then make a strong solution of blue vitriol in about a quarter of a glass of water. Put a funnel in the glass of clear water, the end resting on the bottom, as in MIXTURE OF LIQUIDS, Experi- the figure, and pour into it quietly ments on: 1. Put in a bottle equal and slowly the solution of blue quantities of mercury, sand, water, vitriol. Being slightly heavier than and olive oil. When the bottle is pure water, it will remain at the botshaken they will form a turbid mix- tom of the glass if it is kept still, ture; but when it is allowed to and by holding it up to the light the stand a few moments, they will sep-line between the blue liquid and the water will be seen to be quite sharp. Let the liquids stand in a still place for a week or more. In a few days the line between the two liquids will become blurred, and after a time they will be completely mixed, the blue liquid, though heavier, having crept up into the water. This is because the particles of liquids are in continual motion, even when they seem to us to be still. The result of this motion is called diffusion. 3. Color some bi-sulphide of carbon with iodine and pour a few drops into a test-tube, or bottle half full of water. The colored liquid will sink to the bottom. Leave the bottle alone for a long time, and, though the liquids do not seem to mix, the bi-sulphide grows less, and finally disappears entirely. The odor near the bottle shows that it has evaporated, though it was under water. 4. Make some "vegetable parchment," as described in Experiment 4, under SULPHURIC ACID, and tie it tightly over the large end of an argand lamp chimney, so that it will hold water. Cut about two thirds from the small end (see CHEMICAL EXPERIMENTS, directions for Glassworking) and fit it with a stopper or cork in which is a glass tube. Fill the vessel thus formed with a solution of blue vitriol, and press down the cork so that the liquid will rise slightly in the tube. Suspend the chimney parchment end downward, in a glass of water. In an hour or two it will be seen that the liquid has risen in the tube. The two liquids have been mixing through the parchment, but the water, since it is lighter, has come in faster than the blue vitriol has gone out, so there is more liquid in the vessel than there was at first. The mixing of liquids through porous partitions is called Osmose, from a Greek word meaning "impulse." MONETA, a game played by any number of persons with a pack of fifty cards, on which are pictures of coins of the United States. There are five each of the one-cent, twocent, three-cent, five-cent, ten-cent, twenty-cent, twenty-five cent, and fifty-cent pieces, five silver dollars, and one each of the gold dollar, quarter eagle,three-dollar piece, halfeagle and eagie. Four cards are dealt to each player, and four are placed face upward on the table, forming the Bank. Beginning at the dealer's left, each in turn may exchange one card at a time for two or more of the same value in the Bank. Thus, a quarter-dollar may be exchanged for two dimes, a threecent piece, and two cents. The cards thus taken from the Bank are placed by themselves to form what is called the player's Safety Fund. Any player, if he can take nothing, may build" as in the game of CASINO. That is, he may place a piece of money on another, or others from his hand, in the Bank, saying "I build," provided he can take them at his next turn. Any succeeding player may take the pile if he can, or add to the build, but the pieces cannot be taken separately. If a player can neither take nor build, he must place a card with the others in the Bank. Four more cards are given to each player by the dealer whenever they are needed. When all the cards have been used, if any remain in the Bank, the taker of the last card chooses one. the player at his left another, and ( |