Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-07-12
NOT TO BE RAFFLED.
How MT. Thompson Happened to Call
 hls OfEice Ksoy ExOsmosis. A..

How MT. Thompson Happened to Call
 hls Ofice Boy ExOsmosis.
 James is an apple-faced office boy. He was looking intently at big dusty bottle which had stood for long time on one corner of his employers desk. He had often before wondered what was in the bottle, but this time curiosity seemed have become so strong that he could no longer resist. No one else was in the room. He stole up to the bottle and with an effort pulled out the cork. ''Whew! if it isn't something goodl''
 Quickly he looked toward the door and listened. No sound. Then he raised the bottle to his lips, took lingering drink, and put it down again. ''Pll bet my old hat that's currant wine. Myi ain't it good, though ?"
 James replaced the bottle, looked at it a moment then went away and brought back cup of water, which he poured carefully into the bottle until it was full again. Then he went home to supper.
 The next day James heard MT. Thomp- son calling him. He appeared at his employers desk trembling with fear, and looking toward the floor.
 James, am going to be away for two hours. Tell any one that comes in that will be back by twelve o'clock" and Mir. Thompson picked up some papers and went out
 The heart of James rose rapidly. His eyes rose at the same time until they rested on the dusty bottle.
 ''Now, Tad Roy and Billy Peters and Fred Appel are good fellows, and they might like little of that stuff, too" The three office boys from across the hall wore quickly brought in, and in five minutes the bottle was empty. "T1 have to fill it up with water again" |" James decided, and he did it. Then he. sprinkled some dust over the top of the bottle.
 When Mir. Thompson came back he had friend with him. ''Sit down, old fellow" he said when he got in. "I was telling Mrs Thompson only yester- day that didn't know what had become of you. Why, haven't seen you before. Tom, since the night we had the jam boree when we left college in TT. See here; there's bottle of old currant wine up there that was given to me four or five years ago, and we'll use it to celebrate your visit with. Two glasses, James. You can almost see the sparkle through the dusty bottle. Now see the light shine on the juice as it comes out of the prison. Why. it-it looks thin and colorless, doesn't ltr'
 "Rather-rather watery, I should say"
 Ut doesn't seem to have any odor, and-and it has no more taste than water either! Now, that's a mystery. ought to be able to explain it, too, for I used to dabble in chemistry. The cork is slightly porous you see, and the alcohol, being volatile, has passed out into the air by the aid of exosmosis, carrying the body of the wine with it. ," MT. Thompson's friend thought it might look reasonable, and the two went out together. James slipped out, too, and going across the hall whisper ed to Tad: '"rhe boss doesn't suspect us bit! He's just told man that some body what he called Moses took it" The dusty bottle still stands on Mir. Thompson's desk. He frequently ex- plains to visitors the strange passage of the wine through the neck of the bot tie. In confirmation, he uniformly offers a taste of what is left, which can. not be distinguished from water.-New York Tribune.