With a needle and strong thread take a stitch of about half an inch in
its side, leaving several inches of the thread hanging from where you
puncture it. Reinserting the needle in the hole it made coming out, take
another stitch of half an inch, and again reinsert the needle where it
came out. Take similar stitches all round the apple until the needle
comes out of the first hole made, and then cross the two ends of the
thread and pull them steadily until all the thread comes out of the
hole. The apple is now cut through, although the skin does not show it.
Slip this apple in your pocket, and during dessert select an apple as
much like the prepared one as possible. Having previously placed your
serviette over your knees, with the prepared apple in it, drop the apple
just selected and pick up the former with your right hand while you turn
your plate over with your left hand. Putting the apple on its side on
the inverted plate, laying your forefinger on the apple you give the
former a smart blow with your right fist, when the apple will fall in
two pieces.