The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-08-06
THE MAGIC PAINTING
When the Room Was Darkened
the Cow Went 10 Sleep.
IT WAS A VERY SIMPLE TRICK
How the Transformation Was Effected
and How Some Other Seemingly
Wonderful Effects May Be, Produced
by the Aid OF Chemicals.

Wonderful Effects May Be, Produce
by the Aid Of Chemicals.
The Chinese Emperor Tai Tsung nos
sessed among other treasures pictur
known as a magic painting. II repre-
sented a pastoral scene with Gov
standing in tleld and mountains be
yond. When the picture was shown /,
strangers or guests and they admlret
II, the emperor would say:
Yes, this Is remarkable painting
The COW, as you see. Is standing. bu
II the room was darkened the COW
would think II night and would llt
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 water color, over
which was painted In coloress phos.
phorescent paint similar picture rep.
resenting the COW lying down. In the
light the standing animal was seen.
but at night or In darkened room
only the phosphorescent picture was
visible. So the magic picture was, aft.
er all. a very simple trick.
A Dresden chemist named Schade
discovered method OF initiating Il
which can be accomplished as follows
First paint In ordinary colors the
picture of the COW standing, Then
melt some Zanzibar copal over char.
coal fire and dissolve fifteen parts of It
in sixty parts OF French oil OF turpen.
tine Filter this and mix with twenty.
five parts of pure linseed oil which has
been previously heated and cooled
Now take forty parts of the varnish
so obtained and mix with six parts OF
prepared calcium carbonate. twelve
parts Of prepared white zinc sulphlde
and thirty-six parts ,of luminous cal
cium sulphide. all of which can be OBJ
tanned from any chemist.
This emulsion should be ground
very fine In color mill The result
will be white luminous paint which
should be 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 (CP) one part. magnesium
carbonate (CP) one part. gum traga.
canth g. s. This should be mixed and
rolled into marbles and kept at a red
heat for about an hour. then allowed
to 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 ex.
hibitor then takes marble from some
one In the audience, holds It between
his thumb and fore6nger, blows upon
It and asks to have the lights turned
down. AS this is done he substitutes
the luminous marble, and the mysteri
BUS light is seen. This Is handed
around and changes again as the light
Is turned on. when the magician pre-
sents to the audience several Of the
ordinary marbles as souvenirs.
Another trick is very effective. Take
.wo similar punches of artificial how.
ers. Brush one over with glue or md.
:ilage and powder 1t with the dust
rom one Of the marbles described.
Then place In the sun When taken
nto darkened room. luminous flow.
,rs are SEEN The magician exhibits
he flowers that have not been prepar-
ID and shows that there Is nothing pc
.uliar about them. Then as the light
S turned down he substitutes the con.
'ealed bunch, blows upon the aow-
rs and, presto, displays to the as
onished observers a luminous bunch.
ZACH flower of which stands out as If
1t white heat
Luminous letters can be written and
exhibited in the dark to the wonder Of
he audience. Luminous ink is made
" placing piece of phosphorus about
be size Of pea in test tube with a
title 'oliye oil. Place the tube in a
water bath until the oil becomes heat.
d and the phosphorus liquid. Shake
veil and pour into a bottle with a
lass stopper. Admit air just previous
o using 1t, and the fluid will become
luminous tracery in the dark.
Water can be rendered luminous In
very simple manner. Dissolve a
mall piece Of phosphorus in ether for
eyeral days In a glass stoppered bot
lie. In this place a lump Of sugar,
hen drop the sugar in water, which
viii at once become luminous.
Luminous paints can be made any
oor-green, yellow. violet or blue
nd IF annlind tO various objects make