Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-06-09
THE MAGIC PAINTING
WHEN THE ROOM WAS DARKsNsD
THE COW WENT TO SLEEP.

The Chinese Emperor Tai Tsung pos
sessed among other treasures a picture
known as a magic painting. 1t repre-
sented pastoral scene with a COW
standing in field and mountains be-
yond. When the picture was shown 10
strangers or guests and they admired
it, the emperor would say
'Yes. this is a remarkable painting.
The COW, as You see, is standing, but
if the room was darkened the COW
would think it night and would lie
down,
Then the emperor would order the
room to be darkened. and the cow
would be seen to be lying down, ap'
parently asleep.
The picture was a water color over
which was painted in colorless phos-
phorescent paint a similar picture repre-
senting the COW lying down. In the
light the standing animal was seen. but
at night or in darkencd room only the
phosphorescent picture was visible. SO
the magic picture was. after all. very
simple trick
A Dresden chemist. named Schade
has discovered a method Of initiating il
which can be accomplished as follows
First paint in ordinary colors the pic
ture Of the cow standing. Then melt
some Zanzibar copai over a charcoal fire
and dissolve 3 parts Of it in 90 parts
of French oil Of turpentine Filter this
and mix with % parts Of pure linseed
oil which has been previously heated
and cooled.
Now take 40 parts of the varnish so
obtained and mix with six parts Of pre-
pared calcium carbonate, II parts Of
prepared white zinc sulphide and 80
parts Of luminous calcium sulphide. all
of which can be obtained from any
chemist
This emulsion should be ground very
fine in a color mill The result vii. be
white luminous pain, which should be
used to paint the COW lying down.
Many seemingly wonderful tricks can
be performed with the use Of a few sim
pie chemicals One Of them is the ball
Of fire. Take for this barium sulphate
(CP) l part; magnesium carbonate
(CP). part; gum tragacanth q. :.
This should be mixed and rolled into
marbles and kept at red heat for about
an hour then allowed 10 cool slowly
and placed in a glass stoppered bottle.
A few hours before using place in the
sun. and the marbles at once become
luminous.
At the entertainment ordinary mar
bles are passed among the audience, one
or more Of the luminous marbles being
concealed in the hand. The exhibitor
then takes a marble from some one in
the audience. holds it between bis
thumb and forehnger. blows upon IT,
and asks TO have the lights turned
down. As this is done he substitutes tile
luminous marble, and the mysterious
lioht is seen. This is handed around.
and changes again as the light is turned
on. when the magician presents to the
audience several Of the ordinary mar
bles as souvenirs.
Another trick is very effective. Take
two similar lunches Of artificial flowers
Brush one over with glue or mucilage
and powder it with the dust from one
of the marbles described. Then place in
the sun. When taken into a darkened
room. luminous flowers are seen. The
magician exhibits the flowers that have
not been prepared and shows that there
is nothing peculiar about them. Then,
as the light is turned down. he substi-
tutes the concealed bunch, blows upon
the flowers, and, prestol displays to the
astouisked observers a luminous bunch.
each flower Of which stands out as If at
white heat
Luminous letters can be written and
exhibited in the dark to the wonder Of
the audience. Luminous ink is made by
placing a piece Of phosphorus about
the size Of pea in test tube with a
little olive oil Place the tube in wa
ter bath until the oil becomes heated
and the phosphorus liquid Shake well
and pour into bottle with a glass stop
per. Admit air just previous to using
IT, and the fluid will become luminous
tracery in the dark
Water can be rendered luminous in a
very simple manner Dissolve a small
piece of phosphorus in ether for several
days in a glass stoppered bottle. In this
place a lump of sugar, then drop the
sugar in water. which will at once be-
come luminous
Luminous paints can be made any
color-green, yellow. violet or blue
and if applied to various objects make a
wonderful display at night New YORK
Sun.
An Inn In Japan.
The singing girls sat round ana gig.
gled while we drank tea. They giggled
and sang and giggled while we were
initiated into the mysteries OF Jap
apese dinner. They danced and ate
sweets and sucked oranges while We
had our after dinner smokes, and then,
at about o o'clock. they dropped or
their knees at tne uOOI, lOuSncu "a.
mats with their foreheads and shufiiee
away, giggling and chatting. down tn
stairs.
What impressed us was the cleaph
ness Of the inn. There was simplicity
about everything. No attempt wa
made at shoddy grandeur. The mat
were unadorned. the woodwork was un
painted, but blue vase in one coener
wherein wac stuck green branch, IN
significant though it was, gave artistic
fragrance to the apartment The ZOO
was served neatly in trim dishes ant
all the dishes were arranged trinity OF
lacquer trays
II was. however. not particularly ap
petizing to three hungry wheelmen
japanese fare is scrappy and nnicky
On a pleasant aatgIan afternoon. wRe'
You have been rechning in J~srikisha
dawdling through sylvan lanes, tin
morsels of fish and a cupful OF rice an
several curious messes seasoned with
mixture Of salt and sugar may be 81
right. but when the weather is Geld. an
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