THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
87 
ishment of all, the handkerchief proves to 
be empty ; the attention of the audience 
is now directed to the jar of ink, which 
the assistant has been holding, and al- 
though uncovered and not out of sight, the 
ink has gone, and in its place is pure 
water. 
For this trick the performer requires a 
bowl, and also a jar of peculiar construc- 
tion. The bowl is made with a piece of 
glass fitting entirely across its mouth, but 
at a little distance— say about the eighth of 
an inch— below the top edge ; a hole is 
then drilled in the bottom, and through 
this hole the bowl is filled with water and 
then corked ; a little water is poured on to 
the top of the plate which goes across the 
mouth, and as this is accidentally (?) 
spilled in lifting up the bowl, the spectators 
are impressed with the idea that they see 
an ordinary bowl filled with water. The 
handkerchief which is used has a ring of 
wire about the size of the bowl, sewed to 
one side of it. 
When the performer picks up the hand- 
kerchief, he veils his breast with it, in the 
same manner as when taking out the 
bowls, but this time puts into his pocket 
the glass jar which is in his right hand ; 
then passing that hand under the hand- 
kerchief, he causes its folds to fall in such 
a way about the wire ring which is fas- 
tened inside, as to give an impression from 
the shape that the bowl is still inside. 
When the time comes for the disappear- 
ance, the handkerchief is tossed into the 
air, caught as it is falling, and shaken so 
as to show that it is empty. 
The jar which holds the ink is double, 
or may be more easily arranged by fitting 
two jars one inside of the other ; between 
these sides is a black silk lining which is 
attached to a coiled spring in the base of 
the jar. There is a button on the outside 
of the jar-base which controls this spring. 
When the performer commands the jar to 
"change! " the assistant pushes the but- 
ton, the spring is released, and the lining 
files into the base, revealing the i^ure 
water in the jar. 
— A model of New York harbor, with 
real water and miniature shipping, is on 
exhibition in Boston. 
Engraving on Wood— IV. 
BY SARAH E. FULLER. 
IN our last paper we described the way 
in which to cut the picture of flowers 
and leaves. We will now give you some 
instruction that was anticipated somewhat 
by our last lesson. If you have tried to 
cut the picture, you will understand the 
lesson we now give you. 
The first thing to learn, is how to hold 
the tools. Hold the handle of the tool, 
with the second, third and fourth fingers 
of, and the palm of the right hand, grasp- 
ing firmly, and with precision, but yet 
lightly, and use the forefinger to guide 
the tool. In cutting small pictures, let 
the thumb be pressed against the side of 
the block, as shown in Fig. 13. 
At no time, should the tool be held 
or pinched between the forefinger and 
thumb ; the forefinger always guides the 
tool, and the thumb acts as a rest, the 
other fingers and palm holding and mov- 
ing the tool as required. By attending to 
these points in the beginning, you will ac- 
quire the habit of working with freedom, 
and yet with a precision, which will be im- 
possible to gain, if you do not hold the 
tools properly. 
When the blocks are large, the thumb 
rests on the face of the block, as shown 
in Fig. 14. 
The tool held as we have told you, plays 
forwards and backwards against the 
thumb, which rests steadily, while the 
tool is cutting, but moves whenever, and 
as fast as is required. It generally takes 
considerable time to get the habit of hold- 
ing the tools correctly. It is sometimes 
useful practice to hold a tool, and go 
through the motions of cutting, without a 
block. One needs suppleness of the fin- 
gers, and delicacy of touch, which may be 
promoted by this exercise. 
For a regular course of lessons in en- 
graving, the first lessons are in cutting 
tints. By tints we mean those portions 
of engravings that are made with a series 
of regular lines without having cross 
lines. 
For a first trial, choose a small piece of 
wood ; an inch or so square will answer, 
j Prepare the wood as we instructed in a 
