466 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
[December, 
hole. Not finding it, she looks higher, and higher, 
stretching up gradually until her head nearly touches the 
ceiling, then she looks back again, shorteiling herself to 
her former size. At last she goes up full length, and ap¬ 
parently thinking that the key-hole may have dropped to 
the floor, she bends over to look, in the most comical po¬ 
sition of all. The thing, when well managed, is so fun¬ 
ny, that even those who know how it is done, can not fail 
to be amused. This was described, and three engravings 
given in the American Agriculturist for March, 1872, but 
for those who can not refer to the back volume, we tell 
briefly how it is done. It needs two boys, one to be 
dressed and the other to dress him; an old skirt, a large 
shawl or cloak, an old sun-bonnet, a veil, and a broom. 
The skirt is put around the boy’s neck and fastened there. 
The broom is then dressed by having the shawl or cloak 
well fastened to the brush part of the broom, the bonnet 
put over this, and the veil arranged to hide the broom. 
The boy then takes the broom handle under the skirt, the 
shawl or cloak hangs down well over it, and so arranges 
the clothing that he has a crack through which he can see 
his way. By holding the broom well down and stooping, 
he can make the woman very short, by gradually raising 
the broom, the old lady becomes tall. Recollect that the 
shawl or cloak upon the broom must be long enough to 
cover the boy’s head when the broom is lifted as high as 
he can reach, as that hides the “ machinery ” of the trick. 
In order that this may go off nicely, it should be practiced 
beforehand. The boy who assists in dressing should ac¬ 
company her movements with an explanation—such as 
“ This old lady has been to market—she is a little near¬ 
sighted, and always has trouble to find her key-hole. It 
must be higher up—higher—higher still ’’—and so on, 
making her movements agree with the talk. Another 
funny thing is the 
INFANT GIANTESS. 
This requires two boys, a girl or two, a tall stool, and 
some articles of women’s dress. The show should be 
held in another room from that in which the company is 
assembled. If there are two parlors, all can be asked to 
step into one for a few minutes, and the doors be closed 
while the giantess is getting ready. The boy to play the 
part should be around-faced youngster, and bright enough 
to play his part well. He is stood upon the stool as in 
figure 1 , only the stool should be taller in proportion 
than shown there. He is then dressed by the girls in 
• some grown person's skirts ; large size may be managed 
by the proper use of pillows and newspapers; then the 
upper part requires an overskirt, or some such garment, 
so that when dressed the “giantess” will be a foot or 
more taller than a tall man, as in figure 2. Any ingenious 
girl can so arrange the dress as to conceal the trick. The 
clothing need not match, but the 
more ridiculous and showy it can 
be made, the better. Some kind 
of an odd head-dress, and a fan, 
the larger the better, will complete 
the outfit. If a show-bill is put up 
to amuse the company while the 
“giantess” is dressing, it will 
help, like: “The Wonderful In¬ 
fant Giantess, from the Steppes 
of Russia, only six years old and 
as many feet high, understands 
English, but does not speak it,” 
and such other Barnum-like non¬ 
sense as may be desirable. The 
second boy is to act as showman, 
to keep the spectators from com¬ 
ing too near. The sight of so 
small a face on so large a body is 
droll enough, and if the one who 
plays the part can use the face 
cleverly and “ put on airs,” it will 
be still more so. If the two boys 
can get up some kind of a jargon, 
and talk a “ risky-hitchfoj-owsky- 
humbug-ivitch ” kind of Russian, 
and the showman, pretend to 
put the questions and interpret the answers between the 
giantess and the company, a great deal of fun may be 
made. The exhibition may be brought to a most ridicu¬ 
lous end, by having some man take the giantess from the 
room by lifting the stool ; if the boy can only stand 
steadily while this is done, it will be very laughable. 
There are many other amusing tricks managed in a simi¬ 
lar manner, but we have room for only one more. 
THE DUTCH OR CHINESE DOLE, 
or the doll of any other nation, as you may fancy to dress 
her. The materials required for this are one boy, a piano 
or large table, a mask, home-made or otherwise, and a 
lot of outlandish or fancy clothing; besides there must 
be a boy to act as showman, and a girl or two to dress 
the doll. The boy who plays the doll should be one who 
has some patience, and has practiced the trick before. 
He lies at full length, face downward on the floor beneath 
the table or piano, with his feet turn¬ 
ed up, as in figure 3. lie should be 
made comfortable witli rugs and pil¬ 
lows, else he will find it tiresome. 
Of course the preparations, as for 
the “giantess,” must be made in 
another room. The feet are covered 
with any old cloth, to make a head 
to hold the mask, then the dress, 
which must have the sleeves, etc., 
stuffed, is attached, some kind of 
head-dress or cap arranged to hide 
the edges of the mask, and a hat of 
some kind must be securely put on. 
Any kind of toggery can be used, 
the more ridiculous the shape and 
colors, the better. The table or 
piano is then covered with shawls 
or table covers in such a manner as 
to hide the boy beneath, as in figure 
4. He should practice beforehand to 
nod his feet, which are of course the 
doll’s head, for yes, and to shake 
them for no. The company being- 
admitted, the fun will then depend 
greatly upon the showman, who 
should introduce the doll as one of 
the most wonderful inventions of the century, in which 
mechanism has reached great perfection; the doll does 
not yet speak, but can answer yes and no to any questions 
that may be put, “ and will tell fortunes quite equal to any 
living fortune-teller,” etc. A wide-awake boy can make 
much sport by asking the doll questions about persons 
who wish to have their fortunes told—of course avoiding 
anything that can give offence. In order that the boy 
who plays the doll may know of whom the questions are 
asked, each person should be introduced to the doll who 
will make a low bow. A little forethought in prepar¬ 
ing a few such tricks, and there need be no dull parties. 
But recollect that any of these tricks, if poorly done, arc 
very stupid, and you must be careful to pick out the right 
boys or girls, and rehearse, or go through it all before¬ 
hand. The giantess and doll do not walk about ; their 
dresses may be pinned in any way to produce the effect. 
Fig. 3.—THE FRAMEWORK OF THE DOLL. 
Fig. 4.— THE DOLL FINISHED AND DRESSED. 
Asjfflt Saae’s E“oEa>:isIc-Bg<»x. 
NUMERICAL ENIGMA. 
I am composed of eleven letters: 
My 11, 1, 7, 8 , is a command to stop. 
My 2, 5, 9, possesses. 
My 10, 4, is a preposition. 
My 1, 3, 4, 0, is a small spider. 
My whole is the name of a poem written by 
Wm. Cullen Bryant. Skipper. 
CONCEALED CAPES. 
1. A circle around the moon foretells rain. 
2. When rye is growing it resembles oats somewhat. 
3. Mamma, your bonnet is untied. 
4. Please get a towel and send Mary to me. 
5. That is a good hcTp, every vine bears well. 
0 . I tore my dress on a thorn. 
7. The length of ear shows the donkey. Sue K. Sudds. 
CROSS WORD. 
My first is in man but not in boy, 
My next is in game but not in toy, 
My third is in Indian but not in chief, 
My fourth is in branch but not in leaf, 
My fifth is in writing but not in pen, 
My sixth is in Edward but not in Ben, 
My whole is a city far away. 
Of which we hear nearly every day. Snippy. 
SQUARE WORD. 
1. A Turkish coin. 2. To delay. 3. Goddesses pre¬ 
siding over cattle. 4. The consequence of anything, fi. 
Intermissions. Xeryion. 
ANAGRAMS. 
1. Sam, gaze in. 
2. Men range arts. 
3. Gin end rag. 
4. O I can mop sin ? 
5. Tou seal J. 
6 . Bar Sim’s bar. 
7. Gin burn me. 
8 . You pint port. 
9. Cut vail rots. 
10. Ten firemen. 
J. Adams. 
TRANSPOSITIONS. 
(Fill the blanks in each sentence with one word 
transposed.) 
1. These-are a perfect -, you are sure to 
-upon some of them. 
2. Will you ask your-to let his-—— car¬ 
ry this --to Tom’s house ? 
3. Don’t put your-through the bars, the- 
may --it. 
4. After cooking the-I went out to-in the 
little stream in the --. 
5. -was -to carry the -, although he 
had a --on his arm. 
G. My ■—-—• lasted but a short --; then I went to 
scour the-. 
7.-that I have-this, fairly. 
Bessie Bennett. 
FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES. 
(The syllables not always described in their original 
order, e. g. “a preposition, an adverb, and a familiar 
name.” — “ Tomato.”) 
1. An old wine and an evergreen tree. 2. Those from 
the same race and a water engine. 3. A girl’s name and 
a metal. 4. An article of food and a relative. 5. Two 
adverbs and a pronoun. 6 . A painful excrescence. 7. 
Half of a certain bird and a vehicle. 8 . Two articles 
generally seen on the tea-table. Sphinx. 
pi. 
Thaw sourdown file si hist I dale ? 
Piro palsep prod tobau ym hade ; 
Het culussio scuister fo eth nive 
Poun ym tlioum od cliurs lierit newi; 
Hot tcncancri nad rouscui cheap 
Tino ym dansh melhesvest cliear. C. A. Sproat. 
DOUBLE ACROSTIC. 
The initials name one tree, and tile finals another. 
1. A vestibule. 2. A Canadian city. 3. An account- 
book. 4. A flower. 5. A young person. Italian Boy. 
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN THE OCTOBER NUMBER. 
Numerical Enigma.— Baltimore. 
Pies.— 1. Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs 
from the soul, and the heart of man knoweth none more 
fragrant. While its opponent, ingratitude, is a deadly weed, 
not only poisoning in itself, but impregnating the very atr 
mosphere in which it grows with fetid vapors. 2. There is 
no royal road to learning. 
Word Puzzle—Acbostio. 
Jordan, Naaman. 
J-ohn-N 
0— she —A 
E—hod—A 
D-iblai—M 
A— ban —A 
N—atha—N 
Square Word. 
IBIS 
BORE 
I E O N 
SEND 
Decapitations.—1. 
owl. 1. Goat, oat^, 
ale. S. Spain, pain. 
Diamond Puzzle. 
Connecticut. 
C 
LOT 
CANOE 
G Ii A N D E E 
AUTHENTIC 
CONNECTICUT 
| BEEATHITT 
MADISON 
DECRY 
PUT 
Fox, ox. 2. Flute, lute. 3. Fowl, 
5. Bark, ark. 6. Block, lock. 7. Bale, 
