The daily Alaskan., 1905-02-22

Whenever druggist puts out sign of Boy Wanted" 1t means llcorlce, sweet flag, cough drops, rock candy and lots of other good things to the successful applicant.
 Mir. Siler 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 $4 per month to tend the soda fountain for the win ter the druggist called him into the back room and keyed his voice to the confidential pitch and said:
 "IIoratio, you look to me like a sen sible boy"
 "Ycs, sir, am," was the reply.
 'I believe can trust you with the little secrets of the trade"
 'Yes. sir, you can"
 People will come in, Horatio, and ask for pure slrups and pretend to be very worldly and knowing. You will always have the purest sirups on hand, and be ready to swear to it."
 Mir 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 q difference between hot soda and cold soda. never told any of the other boys, but l feel that can trust you.".
 "One Is hot and the other is cold" said the boy after some deep thinking,
 Exactly, my son. A hunk of ice makes one cold, and hot water makes the other hot. Never in all my drug store life have l 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
 "Ihe gee -whiz-hzz," murmured the boy.
 You will sell hot soda. It is hot wa,er soda. There is no carbonlc acid gas in it. It is plain, cheap hot water. but not one man in ten thousand knows it. He calls for hot soda under the im- pression that he's going to get enough gas to run sawmill for a week, and he goes away thinking he's been load cd up. It's all deception, my son-one of the little tricks of the trade. give 1t away to you that you may feel tic kled 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 1t will depend en- tlrely 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 inductcd and initiated into the mysteries of the soda fountain. After an hours labor the use of the various levers, springs, ratchets, fau- cts and balance wheels became plain 10 him, and the man who called for the first glass of hot soda took him for | veteran.
 For the first half day all went well. The hot soda went off with rush, and every drinkcr went out of the store ceiling that the gas was lifting him or his heels. Horatlo enjoyed the situa. .ion immensely, but it suddenly oc- urrcd to him that it was all one sided. When you beat man and he doesn't snow it, there isn't much hilarity in aughinG behind his back. It would bc | good deal funnier if the other fellow was put on," and uOratiO soon pHt him there.
 What dye think yer gittin'T' he .lueried of an old baldhead who had just downed a glass and was mentally estimating the gas pressure at a hun fred pounds to the square inch.
 Hot soda. of course" was the reply.
 Peel the gas wOrkln'T'
 "In great shape. You seem to have q pig head of it ofs"
 That's where you are left. Ha, ha, la." rOared uoratio. "Its nothing but jlain hot water. and the gas is all in ;Our eye"
 Boy, don't you fool with me" warned the old man.
 And don't you imagine you are go- ing to draw any saw logs to r'ilfwith that gas"
 The first three or four customers let into the secret took the boy as a fresh" and let it go at that, but after awhile he got hold of man who walked down to the rear of the store and shouted at the druggist:
 "So that's your little game, Is it leaving out the gas? If want hot wa ter can get 1t at home, and if owe you anything send around your bill as soon as you please"
 Then Horatio was called into the back room for another talk.
 It didn't last long, and 1t wasn't con fidential or hilarious. Mir. Siler simply took him by the ear and said:
 "Horatio, we must part. Take this in kind remembrance of a druggist who departed from his policy"
 And when Horatio got outdoors he a Il aH~ a1