We are almost sure that our secrets thus written will not be brought to the knowledge of a stranger, because he does not know the solution which was used in writing, and, therefore, does not know what to apply to bring out the letters.
To Light a Candle Without Touching the Wick.
Let the candle burn until it has a good long snuff; then blow it out with a sudden puff, a bright wreath of white smoke will curl up from the hot wick. Now, if a flame be applied to this smoke, even at a distance of two or three inches from the candle, the flame will run down the smoke and rekindle the wick in a very fantastic manner. To perform this experiment nicely, there must be no draught or “banging” doors while the mystic spell is rising.
Magic Milk.
Lime-water is quite transparent, and clear as common spring water; but if we breathe or blow into it, the bright liquid becomes opalescent and as white as milk.
The best way to try this simple experiment is to put some powdered quicklime into a wine bottle full of cold water; shake them well together, now and then, for a day; then allow the bottle to remain quiet till the next day, when the clear lime-water may be poured off from the sediment. Now fill a wine-glass or tumbler with the lime-water thus made, and blow through the liquid with a glass tube, a piece of new tobacco-pipe, or a clean straw, and in the course of a minute or so—as the magicians say—“the water will be turned into milk.” By means of this pastime “Wise Men” can ascertain which young ladies are in love and which young gentlemen are not. With a shrewd guess they present, as a test, a glass of lime-water to the one and of pure water to the other, with unerring effect.
The Mimic Vesuvius.
This experiment is a demonstration of the heat and light which are evolved during chemical combination. The substance phosphorus has a great affinity for oxygen gas, and wherever it can get it from it will, especially when aided by the application of heat. To perform this experiment, put half a drachm of solid phosphorus into a Florence oil-flask, holding the glass slantingly, that the phosphorus may not take fire and break the glass; pour upon it a gill and a half of water, and place the whole over a tea-kettle lamp, or any common lamp filled with spirits of wine; light the wick, which should be about half an inch from the flask; and as soon as the water is boiling hot, streams of fire, resembling sky-rockets, will burst at intervals from the water; some particles will also adhere to the sides of the glass, immediately displaying brilliant rays, and thus continue until the water begins to simmer, when a beautiful imitation of the aurora borealis will commence and gradually ascend until it collects into a pointed cone at the mouth of the flask; after a half a minute, blow out the flame of the lamp, and the apex of fire that was formed at the mouth of the flask will rush down, forming beautiful illumined clouds of fire, rolling over each other for some time; and when these disappear, a splendid hemisphere of stars will present itself. After waiting a minute or two, light the lamp again, and nearly the same phenomena will be displayed as at the beginning. Let a repetition of lighting and blowing out the lamp be made for three or four times, so that the number of stars may be increased; and after the third or fourth act of blowing out the lamp, the internal surface of the flask will be dry. Many of the stars will shoot with great splendor from side to side, while others will appear and burst at the mouth of the flask. What liquid remains in the flask will serve for the same experiment three or four times, without adding any water. Care should be taken, after the operation is over, to put the flask in a cool and secure place.
The Real Will-o’-the-Wisp.
Into a small retort place about an ounce of strong liquor of potash; that is, pure potash dissolved in water, together with about a drachm of phosphorus. Let the neck or beak of the retort dip into a saucer of water, say half an inch deep; now very gently heat the liquid in the retort with a spirit-lamp until it boils. In a few minutes the retort will be filled with a white cloud; then the gas generated will begin to bubble at the end of the saucer; a minute more, each bubble, as it issues from the boiling fluid, will spontaneously take fire as it comes into the air, forming at the same time the philosopher’s ring of phosphoric acid. Care is required in handling phosphorus; but our young chemical readers will, we think, not forego this wonderful experiment for the want of due attention; for, without proper care on their part, we must give up showing them wonders even greater than these.