Peeling A Pearl

Peeling a Pearl.

The lapidary was skinning a pearl according to the Philadelphia Record. He had on gloves of a very delicate sort of kid and the glasses that he wore had lenses of such great magnifying power that his eyes through them looked as big as saucers. "I wear gloves," he said, "because the hands perspire freely in this work, and perspiration has often been known to discolor pearls. This stone was injured by the accidental dropping on it of some acid. The disaster discolored it, you see. With this very delicate little tool I am removing the outer skin, and if I find that the acid has filtered through and discolored the inner skin also I may remove that as well. A pearl, you see, is composed of concentric layers or skins, and you can, if you are a clever workman, peel it down and down until it disappears."