Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-05-10
DAILY SHORT STORY
Mr.. SiIer's Mistake.
Copyright. 1904. By c. b. Lewis

certain policy with them. his IDEA
was not to let them know too much.
lie argued that a knowledge of drugs
and chemicals made a boy cOnceited
and that soon after the conceit made
its appearance q raise OF salary would
be demanded.
One day, However-one day when the
first demand of the season for hot soda
came in-Mr. Siler put up a sign of
Boy Wanted and wondered if lie
shouldn't adopt a new policy. There
was n vague fear that he hadn't given
the boys a fair show, and the more he
thought of it the more it troubled him.
Dozens of boys came, of course.
Whenever druggist puts out u sign
of Boy Wanted" il means Hcorice,
sweet flag, cough drops. rock candy
and lots of other good things to the
successful applicant.
Mr.. Siier selected one boy above all
others-a boy who looked humble and
enduring, but whose ears proved that
he had judgment and discretion. When
he had been engaged at 81 per month
to tend the soda fountain for the win
ter the druggist called him into the
confidential pitch and said:
"HOratiO, you look to me like q SEN
sible boy"
Yes. sir, am" was the reply.
81 believe l can trust you with the
little secrets of the trade"
Yes. sir, you can"
People will come in, Horatio, and
ask for pure sirups and pretend TO be
very worldly and knowing. You will
always have the purest sirups on hand,
and be ready TO swear TO it."
AIr. Siler winked at the boy, and,
after taking time TO think it over, the
boy returned the wink and murmured
that he wasn't born the day before.
And l want to tell you particularly
about hot Soda" resumed the druggist
as he felt that he was doing the right
thing. There is a difference between
hot soda and cold soda. 1 never told
any of the other boys, but 1 feel that
1 can trust you"
zone is hot and the other is cold"
said the boy after some deep thinking.
Exactly, my son. y hunk of ice
makes one cold, and hot water makes
the other hot. Never in all my drug
store life have 1 told one of my clerks
that carbonic acid gas was the life of
soda water. but I'm going to tell you.
It's what makes the fizz. you know"
The gee-whiz-fizz." murmured the
boy.
You will sell hot soda. 1t is hot
water soda There is no carbOnic acid
gas in it. 1t is plain. cheap hot water,
but not one man in ten thousand knows
.I,,. . ,g,9 tn,
preston that mes going to get enough
gas to run sawmill for week, and
he goes away thinking he's been load
ed up. It's all deception, my son-One
of the little tricks of the trade. l give
it away to you that you may feel tic
Killed. half to death all the time, but on
your life you must not betray me.
Later on other and greater secrets
will follow. but this is enough for the
present. Come and go To work tOmor-
row morning. and it will depend en-
tirely upon yourself whether you lose
your job inside of three days or even
tually become the thriving and rOtund
proprietor of this corner establish
ment."
The boy was on deck at an early
hour, as all new boys are the first day, |
and he was indicted and initiated into |
the mysteries of the soda fountain. !
After an hours labor the use of the !
various levers, springs. ratchets, fau- |
Gets and balance wheels became plain |
TO him. and the man who called for |
the first glass of hot soda took him for |
i veteran.
For the first half day all went well. |
The hot soda went off with n rush. and |
every drinker went out of the store |
feeling that the gas was lifting him off |
his heels. Horatio enjoyed the situa- /
ton immensely, but it suddenly oc- |
Cured to him that it was all one sided. |
When you beat man and he doesn't |
know it, there isn't much hilarity in |
laughing behind his back. 1t would be |
a good deal funnier if the other fellow |
was put on" and Horatio soon put |
him there. J
What dye think yer gittin'E" he |
queried of an old baldhead who had |
just downed Il glass and was mentally |
the gas pressure ut Il hun
dred pounds TO the square inch.
Hot soda. of course was the reply. |
Feel the gas workin'f'
In great shape. You seem to have
big head of it on
That's where you are left. Ha, ha,
ha,' roared HoratiO. It's nothing but
plain hot water, and the gas is all in
your eye
Boy don't you fool with me-
warned the old man.
And don't you imagine You are go
nS to draw any saw logs to mill with
that gas
The first three or four customers let
into the secret took the boy as I
fresh and let it go at that, but after
awhile he got hold of a man who
walked down TO the rear Of the store
md shouted at the druggist:
so that's your little game. is it
eaviuG out the gas? If 1 want hot wa
ter l can get it at home, and if owe
you anything send around your bill as