, light, and fleecy feather against it, and this, in
turn, will cling to the paper.

Now, again, make your piece of brown paper hot by the fire, and draw it,
as before, several times under the arm. Previously to this, attach a
string to one corner, so that it may be held up in the air. Several
feathers, of a fleecy kind, may now be placed against each side of the
paper, and they will cling to it for several minutes.

Another curious electrical experiment is to take a pane of common glass,
make it warm by the fire, then lay it upon two books, allowing only the
edges to touch the books, and rub the upper surface with a piece of
flannel, or a piece of black silk. Have some bran ready, strew it upon
the table under the piece of glass, and the particles will dance.

TO CUT A PHIAL IN HALF.

Wind round it two bands of paper, corresponding in position to the two
temperate zones of the earth, leaving a space between, corresponding to
the equatorial zone. Secure the two bands of paper with thread or fine
twine. Then wind a long piece of string once around the equatorial
space. Let an assistant hold one end of the string, and while holding
the other end yourself, move the phial rapidly to and fro, so that the
string shall work upon the glass between the two pieces of paper. When
the glass becomes hot in the equatorial space, pour some cold water upon
it, and the glass will break as evenly as if cut with a knife.

[Illustration: CUTTING THE PHIAL.]

The principle involved in this curious experiment may be applied to the
removal of a glass stopper, when too tight in the neck of the bottle for
the fingers to stir it. All that is necessary is to wind a piece of
thick string round the neck of the bottle, get an assistant to hold one
end, and then work the bottle to and fro. The glass of the neck will
become so warm as to expand, and the stopper will become loosened. It is
often necessary to continue this friction for some minutes before the
desired result is attained.

THE INVISIBLE RENDERED VISIBLE.

Place a coin in an empty basin, and let the basin be near the edge of
the table. Ask one of the company to stand beside it, and to retire
slowly backward until he or she can no longer see the coin. Then pour
cold, clear water into the basin, and the person, who the moment before
could not perceive the coin, now will see it quite plainly, though
without moving a hair's breadth nearer.

[Illustration: THE COIN INVISIBLE.]