The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1870-04-09
SATURDAY M oRNiN az SA APRIL. Is7o

-Y'-yf 49, ~ P"PSs.'. - - 40
'durable--almost ih,perishable. Matters
aoflittle moment are rarely consigned to
parchment; since, for the mere ordinary
purposes of drawing OF writing, it is not
'neaEsly, SO well adapted as paper. 1 his
reflection suggested some meaning
some relevapcy-in the death 's-head. 1
did not fail TO observe, also, the form of
Che parchment. Although one of its
corners had been, by some accident, de-
stroyed, it could be seen that the origi-
'ual form was oblong. It was just such
a slip, indeed, as might have been chosen
for memorandum-for record ofsome-
ching to be long remembered and care
fully preserved" '"' @''
"But, 1 intcrposed, "you say that
the skull was not upon the parchment
when you made the drawing Of the bee
Gle. How then do you trace any
connexion between the boat and the skull
/ since this latter, according to your
own admission, must have been designed
God only knows how or by whom) at
some period subsequent to your sketch
ing the scarabeus ?"
All, hereupon turns the whole mys-
terry although the secret, at this point,
l had comparatively little difficulty in
solving. My steps were sure, and could
afford but single result. 1 reasoned,
for example, thus; When / drew the
scardbeus, there was no skull apparent
upon the parchment When l had
completed the drawing gave it to you,
and obre: we'd you narrowly until you
returned it. ihen it was not done by
human agency. And neverlcss it was
done.
At this, stage of my reflections I en-
dcavored to remember, and dill remem-
Der, with entire distinctness, every incl
dent which occurred about the period in
question. The weather was chilly Ooh
rare and happy accident y and fire
was blazing upon the hearth. was
heated with exercise aud sat near the
table. Yon, however,, had drawn a chair
close to tles chimney. Jpst as I placed
fsho 'parehansns iHt tyouAhand, aud as you
were in the act of inspecting it, Wolf,
the Newfoundland, entered, and leaped
upon your sholders. With your lef,
hand you caressed him and kept him off
while your right, holding the parchment
was permitted to fall listlessly between
your knees, and in close proximity to
the fire. AT one moment l thought the
blaze had caught it, and was about to
caution you, but, before l could speak
you had withdrawn it, and were engaged
in its examination. When | considered
all these particulars, l doubted not fol
moment that heat had been the agen,
in bringing to light, upon the parct ment
the skull which i saw designed upon it
You are we'll aware that chemical prepa
rations exist, and have existed time out
mind, by means of which it is impossible
to write upon either paper or vellum,
that the characters shall become visible
only when subjected to the action of fire
naffre, digested in ddua rcyia, and di
luted with four times its weight of water
is sometimes employed a green tint re
suits. The regulus Of cobalt, dissolved
ia spirit, CT ai:re, gives rcd. These
colors. disappear at longer or shorter in
tervals after the material written upor
cools, but again become apparent upon
the re-apblication of heat.
" now scrutinized the death 's-head
with care. It's outer edges-the edges
of the drawing nearest the edge of the
vellum-were far more distinct than the
others. Ii was clear that the action oi
caloric had been imperfect or unequal
immediately kiudled fire, and sub
Jected evory portion of the parchment tc
glowing heat. At first, the only effect
was the strengthening of the faint lines
in the skull but, upon persever.
ing in tie experiments, there became Wis
ible, at the corner ofthe slip, diagonally
opposite to tho spot in which the death S
head was delineated, the figure of what
at first supposed to be goat. A
closer scrutiny, however, satisfied me
that it was intended for kid"
F" Ha ha !" said |, to be sure ]
have no right to laugh at you--a million
aud a halt of money is too serious mat.
ter for mirth but you are not about to
establish thitd LUX in your chain
YOU will not find any esnocial comma ion