The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1875-09-25
Tne Boy at the Soda Fountain.

Ezh Ehe Detroit Free Press.
! lie was rinsing the glasses when the old la
| dy entered the store. 1t was hot weather, and
the soda fountain looked so tempting that she
conquered her avarice and walked over and
| told the boy she would take glass.
"Do you wish for fly in it2" he inquired in
a whisper.
"a fly grashus mol" she replied, a look of
disgust on her face.
"Just as you say, madam" he went on as he
drew some lemon syrup. People are so differ
ent in tastes, you know. Some object to flies
and some don't. I'll mix some pineapple
syrup with this lemon, and now will you have
a great deal of gas and little water, or great
deal of water and little gas 2"
"Im rurty thirsty" she said.
"Well then you want more water han gas,
and there won't be so much danger Of an ex-
plosion.'
"Expbsion 2" she quered.
"That was the word madam. We have had
but fewsuch accidents here this sum ner, and
truly nope that we may have no more"
"Does soda water blow up folks 2"
"That depends on the state of the health
Some people could stand here and drink all
day, others might get the glass tipped up this
way, and boom they'd gol"
"Bust2"
"Yes'n-fy into thousand pieces. You
never saw a human being explode, di,t you?"
"Mercy, no"
swell, you don't have the least warming
They may be laughing or talking, and all at
once the store is filled with false hair, mono
gram garters bustles, corsets, feet teeth, and
rolled plate jewelry. 1t makes great muss
around here, and if we hadn't three of the
smartest negroes in town to pick up and sweep
out we'd have to shut up the store for a whole
afternoon after an explosion"
lie stood with the glass in his hand agitating
the syrup and waiting and she said:
~ didnt suppose it was dangerous stuff"
"Well, as told you, it depends on The state
of the system. If your liver is torpid and your
digestion impaired, one glass of soda would
blow you higher than Gilderoy's kite, and the
coroner would be lucky to find as much as your
spectaeles to hold an inquest on. If your sys-
tenn Is all right, you might drink hundred
glasses and feel no disastrous effects. Now,
then, you'll have good deal of water but lit
tie gas, eh 2"
She made deprecatory motion and asked:
Flows the stuff made 2"
"Well, can't go on and explain all the pro-
cess. There's marble dust, acid, gas, sugar
coated pills, giant powder, cologne water and
kerosene all mixed together and then distilled.
The distilled liquid is placed in retort, where
chemical action separates it, and the gas
forces it up separate pipes"
Kerosene and pills!" she gasped.
"That's what said, madam. You look in
nocenC ana honest, and l hope you won't say
anything about it. tend this fountain in or
der to support a widowed mother and seven
fatherless children. If you should say any
thing ia be discharged and if l were discharged
should commit suicide You'll have plenty
of water, eh?"
"No, sir, won't" she replied. "Do you sup
pose I'd drink acids and kerosene?"
"Not in their crude state, madam, but this
process"
al don't care for the process !' she snapped
81 wouldn't touch the stuff"
at is mild beverage, and the doc"
"Well, don't want any. When go to swal-
lerng tar and lard and kerosene you'll know
it! Sposen drank some and explodedp'
"Don't mention it~ he whispered. Don't
speak of it %
'1'm sorry for you, young man, but there's
a constable living right in sight of our house,
and think I-I-w
"You'll drive me to suicides grave, you
meant"
She lowered her spectacles, took long look
at him, and went out without replying.