One of the most astonishing and amusing tricks has been lately performed
by a German Professor, which is so simple that any boy can very easily
do it when he knows how.
In the parlor where it was first tried a party of scientific gentlemen
and ladies were seated conversing upon subjects of deep interest, and
the Professor had been explaining the bias of the mind toward
superstition. "For instance," said he, "I can easily convince you that I
can perform an impossibility, or something that has at least always been
so considered. I can light a snow-ball with a common match." Of course
all present ventured to doubt this statement, and several declared that
it was impossible to deceive them into such a belief. The Professor at
once opened the window, and took from the sill a great handful of snow
which had lately fallen. Rolling it up into a ball, he placed it upon a
plate, and passed it around to be inspected by each member of the
company. All having assured themselves that everything was correct, and
that there was no deception in the plate or snow, he placed the plate
upon the mantel, rolled the snow into a closer ball, and in the full
view of all the company, took a common match from the match-box, and
lighted the snow-ball, which immediately broke out into a cheerful
blaze. The Professor then passed the plate around to each of the
company, and great were the expressions of astonishment as the flame
rose higher and higher from the snow. Some economists doubtless planned
a wise paper on the advantage to the poor to be derived from this new
species of fuel, and no one of the incredulous could guess how the
clever trick was done. It was very simple, however. The Professor had
slipped a piece of crude camphor, of about the size and shape of a
chestnut, into the top of the snow-ball. He then applied the match to
the smaller end, which was uppermost, and was pushed so far into the
soft snow as to be invisible.
A smart boy can make a great deal of fun by giving a burlesque lecture
on heat, and illustrating it by this remarkable experiment. He can have
the small piece of camphor, sharpened to a point, in his vest pocket,
and can take it out while feeling for a match, and can easily slip it
into the snow-ball just before lighting it. The softer and fresher the
snow, the easier it will be to conceal the slight difference in color
between the two substances, which becomes less perceptible after the
camphor has burned for a few moments.