The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-15

CNcW IOTk times.
1t is discovered that good many
things supposed to be modern go back
to remote origin; In fact SO far that
they cannot be traced definitely to their
source. but only some distance toward
IT. The steam engine, the printing
press. Its carollary the newspaper, pun
powder. even the corset turn out to be
mere re-discoveries Of things known
to the ancients. One fond illusion af-
ter another thus goes out and new
force and meanings are continually
lent to solomon's declaration that there
Is no new thing under the sun
That celebrated dictum, however,
goes rather too far. 1t Is not every
thing belonging to modern life that
can be hunted back into crypts and
caverns Of antiquity. and among the
limited number of such devices the So
da fountain must certainly be rank
ed. There Is no hint of 1t in the sculp-
tural remains of Thebes and Memphis
TO such thing adorned the Pylae of the
Memnonium of the Labyrinth: none
was to be seen in the Peristyle of Di-
ana's Temple at Ephesus. When Iais
or Phryne or Aspasia Jared abroad
| there was no Athenian pharmacist at
the corner in the foreground of his
array of bottles filed with favoring
/
along the silvered spigot line to hand
forth to her the foaming nectareous
urn. Not knowing how cooling and
soothing and inspiring it's contents
were, those famous old-time ladies
could not be aware how much they lost
but 1t was good deal-enough to
strip the garland of life of one Of its
most fragrant blossoms. They were
no doubt, stayed with other flagons
and comforted with apples galore. but
SO far as the ambrosia of the soda
fountain is concerned, with its foaming
and variously tinted nectars. worthy OF
Ganymede's Offering to Jupiter, they
could have no experience of it. A
more smiling fortune reserved 1t for
their successors OF q later time. and
almost any popular stand. particularly
in hot weather. will supply evidence
that the gift has not been thrown
away on them.
| Considering how proud a trophy of
the modern time the soda fountain Is,
it's root owning no nurture from the
mould and moss of antiquity. 1t seems
not in keeping that its record should
be blemished by any acts of Its minis
trants. But the commissioner of ex-
else brings forth the charge that a
good many of them do what is practi-
cally saloon business by purveying
wine, whiskey, and other alcoholic
drinks under the guise of innocent So
da water which even fay and fairy and
seraphim might taste with no dread Of
disturbing the delicate poise of their
mental faculties. This gives token of
n state of things to invite further in
vestigation and such correction as the
case may be found to require. 1t will
never do to have our soda fountains
tempered with in this way and almost
the only original device which the NOR
ern time can boast thus turned away
from it's true and innocent function to
a noxious aud destroying one. II hard
drinks are a necessity of the social or
der let them be purveyed by themselves
under the responsibilities which the.
law attaches to such purveyance, but at
any rate let us guard the innocuous-
ness of our soda fountains and see
that nothing is distributed from
them which ought not to be.