[Illustration]
Put an orange, apple, or other tempting object fifteen inches from the
wall, and present it to any one who can pick it up while standing
against the wall, or rather while keeping his legs against it. Or,
again, challenge whoever has been distinguishing himself in agility to
keep upright on the inner leg while sidewise against a wall.
Then—as probably you will be asked to perform some feat yourself after
having thus set impossible tasks to others—put a cork in a bottle. Drive
a large pin into it horizontally, and, having previously stuck two steel
forks opposite each other in a second cork, with their handles inclining
downwards, and run the head of a needle into the bottom of this cork,
set the needle point on the pin’s head, when the forkified cork will be
delicately balanced, and may even be turned round without falling.