A Lesson in Chemistry.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 168, 20 February 1902, Page 4

A Lesson in Chemistry.

An elderly man dropped into a wellknown chemist’s a short time back, and produced a much-iuk-bespattered but originally costly white sbh l-fiont. “ ftpilt the maiking-ink ovrr it,” hs exp hilled, “ and I’ve just culled lo ask if you can get it out any way. I’ve tuard it's possible.”

“ Oli, yea, certainly,” said the person add res td “ that is, it it ia the ordinary marking ink.” And taking the damaged article of dress, he proceeded to eradicate the luaraa, explaining the method im.auwhile.

j “You see, all these inks are chiclly composed of nitrate of silver, and Una [solution”—pouring some liquid over the front and allowing it to lie in a tray—- “ is bichloride of mercury, usually known as corrosive eublimate , and its action is really to bleach the parts acted upon by the sliver—same principle as intensification, us practised in photography.” “ Er—yea. Just so,” said the inter- ■ Hied watcher. In the space of a few 'minutes the chemist, Caving rinsed the solution out ot the article, handed it limp but white to its owner. “ Bow much ?” asked that worthy. ‘•One shilling, please,” was the reply. “ Too much,” remarked the gratified but ungrateful “customer,” laying a sixpence on the counter. “Just as you say,” returned the chemist, with alluded carelessness, “but 1 sec time is ono spot not erased yet. Allow me ; ’ and he received the IToufc back to remove the imaginary tpot, “ You see,” he went ou, laying it in another dish and taking a bottle from the snelf behind him, “ the solution does not really eradicate the ink, hut bleaches it; and tnis,” lie added, blandly, pouring some liquid over it, “ is ammonia, which instantly restores the spots to then 1 previous blackness, with perhaps rather more intensity.” The “customer ” looked on in dismay, while the cuemibt coolly rinsed the article and handed it buck to him, with the remark : “1 am always pleased to show these lit! le expet iurents, sir, and if you wi»h to have those ink stains removed again I shall be very glad to do so for five •hillings. Weil, good morning, sir j‘* and, a-> the elderly skinflint left the shop ina towering rage, the man of drugs went behind lua dispensing screen to enjoy a quiet chuckle.