Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-07-31
NOT TO BE BAFFLED.
How MIR. Thompson Happened to Cal
His Office BOY ExOsmosis.


How Mr.. Thompson Happened to Call
His Office 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
goodp'
Quickly he looked toward the door
and listened. No sound. Then he
raised the bottle to his lips, took a
lingering drink, and put it down again.
'Pll bet my old hat that's currant wine.
My! amt it good, though ?"
James replaced the bottle, looked al
it a moment then went away and
brought back cup of water, which he
poured carefully into the bottle until ii
was full again. Then he went home to
supper.
The next day James heard Mr.. 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
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 and Billy Peters and
Fred Appel are good fellows, and they
might like little Of that stuff too. y
The three Office boys from across the
hall were quickly brought in, and in
five minutes the bottle Yves empty. 'T'll
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 Mr. Thompson came back he
had friend with him. "Sit down, ole
fellow" he said when he got in. 81
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 n. See
here; there's a bottle of old curran
wine up there that was given to mt
four or five years ago and we'll use i
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 a.
it comes out of the prison. Why tit
looks thin and colorless, doesn't it!'
'Rather-rather watery, l should
say"
st doesn't seem to have any odor
and-and it has no more taste thar
water either! Now, that's mystery
| ought to be able to explain it, too, fo
used to dabble in chemistry. TIL,
cork is slightly porous you see and tn,
alcohol, being volatile, has passed ou
into the air by the aid of exosmosis
carrying the body of the wine with it.
Mr.. Thompsons friend pthought i
might look reasonable, and the tw,
went out together. James slipped out
too, and going across the hall whisper
ed to Tad ''The boss doesn't suspect III
bit! He's just told man that some
body what he called Moses took it."
The dusty bottle still stands on Mr.
Thompson's desk. He frequently ex
plains to visitors the strange passage o
the wine through the neck of the bot
tie. In confirmation, he uniforml,
offers taste of what is left, which can
not be distinguished from water. .-Ney
York Tribune.