The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-13
A REASON.
How MIR. Thompson Happened to Call HI
OHlce hoy Exosmosis.

How MIR. pson Happened to Call His
Office boy
From the New York Tribune.
James is an apple-faced Office boy. He
was looking intently at a big dusty bottle
which had stood for n long time OH one
corner of his employers desk. He had
often before wondered what was in the
bottle, but this time curiosity seemed 10
have become 80 strong that he could no
longer resist il. No one else was in the
room. He stole M 10 the bottle and with
an effort pulled out the cork. "Whew.
10 il isn't something good"
Quickly he looked toward the door aud
listened. No sound. Then he raised the
bottle To his lips, took a lingering drink
and put il down again. "Aiy! amt il
good. thought
James replaced the bottle. looked at il a
moment, then wen away and brought
back "a cup Of water, which he poured
carefully into the bottle until il was full
again. Then he went hoinc 10 supper.
The next day James heard Mr.. Thomp-
son calling him. He appeared at his en-
ployer's desk trembling with fear and
looking toward the floor.
"Jamcs, | am going Ia be away for two
hours. Tell anyone that comes in that |
will he back by IL o'clock and Mr..
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 aud Billy Peters and
Fred Appel are good fellows and they
might like a little of that good stuff, too"
The three Office boys from across the hall
were quickly brought In and in about five
minutes the bottle was empty. "Ill have
IN flII IN, NTH vvnfnr nnnin Ian.aa sl.-
cided aud he did IL. Then he sprinkled
some dust over the top OF the bottle.
When Mr.. Thompson came back he
had a friend with him. "Sit down, old
fellow" he said when he got in. 81 was
telling Mrs. Thompson only yesterday
that | didn't know what a become of
you. Why, haven't seen you before,
Tom, since the night we had the jam
boree when we left college in W. See
here; there's a bottle of old currant wine
up there that was given TO me four or five
years ago, IN we'll use IL To celebrate
your visit with. Two glasses, James. You
car almost see the sparkle through the
dusty bottle. Now see the light shine on
the juice as IL ONE out of its prison.
Why, it-it looks thin and colorless,
doesn't ftp"
"Rather-rathe watery. | should say"
at doesn't seem to have any odor, and
and it has no more taste than water
either! Now, that's n mystery. i ought
to he able to explain it, too, for l used to
dabble i'm 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 il. That looks reasonable
doesn't il ?"
Mr.. Thompson's friend thought il might
look reasonable, and two went out to-
gether. James slipped out, too, and GO
ing across the hall whispered to Tad:
1.-THE boss doesn't suspect IA a bit! He's
just told "a man that somebody hat he
called Moses tool it,"
The dusty bottle still stands on Mr..
Thompson's desk. He frequently ex-
plains to visitors the strange passage Of
the wine through the neck of the bottle.
In confirmation. he uniformly offers n
taste of what is left which cannot he dis
tinguished from water.