The evening times., 1899-05-31
TAI TsUNG's MAGIC PAINTING.
\ Dresden Chemists Imitation of II
Chinese EmpcrOr's Wonder.


The Chinese Emperor Tai Tsung Ios-
sessed among other treasures picture
known as a magic painting. Ii represented
a pastoral scene with a COW standing in a
field and mountains beyond. When the
picture was shown to 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 II the
room was darkened the COW would think ii
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. apparently asleep. The
picture was water color. over which was
painted in colorless phosphorescent paint
a similar picture representing the COW ly-
ing down. In the light the standing AMI
NAL was seen. but at night or in dark
ened room only the phosphorescent picture
was visible So the magic picture was, az
ter all. a very simple trick. \ Dresden
chemist. named Schade, has discovered
method of initiating it, which can be ac-
complished as follows:
First paint in ordinary colors the pic
ture of the COW standing. Then melt some
Zanzibar copal over n charcoal lire, ana
dissolve fifteen parts of it in sixty parts
of French oil of turpentine- FILTER TINS
and mix with twenty-five parts of pure
linseed oil which has been previously heat
ed and cooled. Now take forty parts OF
the yarnish so obtained and mix with six
parts of prepared white zinc sulphide and
thirty-six parts of luminous calcium sui
phide all of which can be obtained from
any chemist This emulsion should be
ground very fine in a color mill; the result
will be white luminous paint. which should
he used to paint the COW lying down.
Many seemingly wonderful tricks can be
performed with the use OF few simple
chemicals One of them is the ball Of fire.
Take for this barium sulphate tCP). one
part: magnesium carbonate tCP). l part:
gum tragacanth q. $. This shou$d be mixed
and rolled into marbles and kept at red
heat for about an hour. then allowed to
cool slowly and placed in a glass stopper
ed bottle few hours before using place
in the sun. and the marbles at once be-
come luminous. At the entertainment or
binary marbles are passed among the audi
ence one or more of the luminous marbles
being concealed in the hand.
The exhibitor then takes a markle from
some one in the audience. holds it between
his thumb and the forefnger. blows upon
it. and asks to have the lights turned down.
As this is done he substitutes the luminous
marble and the mysterious lisss. is seen.
This is handed around, and changes again
as the light is turned on, when the magi-
clan presents to the audience several of
the ordinary marbles as souvenirs.
Another trick is very effective. Take
two similar punches 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 darkened room lumi-
nous flowers are seen. The magician ex-
hibits the flowers that have not been pre-
pared and shows that there is nothing pc
culiar about them: then. as the light is
turned down, he substitutes the concealed
bunch, blows upon the flowers and presto,
displays to the astonished observers lu-
minous bunch. each flower of which stands
out as if at white heat.
Luminous letters can be written and ex-
hibited in the dark to the wonder of the
audience Luminous ink is made by plac-
ing a piece of phosphorus about the size
Of a pea in a test tube with a little olive
oil. Place the tube in a water bath until
the oil becomes heated and the phosphorus
LIQUID Shake we'll and pour into bottle
with glass stopper. Admit air just pre-
vious to using 1t. and the fluid will be-
come luminous tracery in the dark.
Water can be rendered luminous in n
very simple manner. Dissolve small
piece Of phosphorus in ether for several
days in a glass-stoppered bottle. In this
place lump of sugar. then drop the sugar
in water, which will at once become lumi-
nous. Luminous paints can be made any
color-green, yellow. violet. or blue-and II
applied to various objects make wonder
full display at night.