Wine And Water

A good wine story is told of two wellknown merchants of tLds city, one of whom has quite a reputation as a connoisseur in matters of taste. Dining at the merehanfc's table, the latter was particularly requested to taste of a very choice wine, which the host sent him, and give his opinión. The man of taste sipped from his glass, sat it down, and resumed conversation with his next neighbor at the board. The host, observing this, took the first opportunity of challenging his guest for au opinión, with a sly look at some friends, as if he was bound to show how falla oious were judgments in wine tasting. "8ay, my dear Beeswing, you don't teil me what you think of the wine I sent you. " Beeswing looked at the glans without raising it, and quietly said, "No." "Well, now," said the host, "I wisb you would really give me your honest opinión of that wine, Beeswing." "Excúseme," said the other, depreciatingly, "I'd rather not." By this time the attention of the whole table was directed to the dialogue. "But I insist," urged the host ; "for you have such a reputation for taste I want your opinión now. " "It will hardly be courteous," said Beeswing, "to give an honest opinión of the win e white partaking of the hospitalities of the host." "Certainly it will ; out with it, Beeswing ; we are are all friends here. Splendid- eh ?" "The wine may be good, but it is watered." "What," said the host, reddemng to the roots of his hair at this unexpected reply. "Watered? You're mistaken; taste it again." "Yes, watered," said Beeswing, tating another sip, and sitting his glass down upon the table. "Well now, look here, Beeswing, my boy, for once in yonr lif e you are mistaken, for my father bought two caskof that wine abroad ; it carne home in the same ship with him ; it was unloaded opposite his warehouse on India wharf under his own eye ; and hoisted up into a loft over his own counting-room.where after a few months' ripening he had a man come and botÜe it under his own supervisión ; he then sent it up to his own cellar, which since his decease has come into my possession, and his wax sea1, on the bottles is that which is broken to-night. So acknowledge, my dear Beeswing, that you are mistaken about ite being watered wine." "Can't acknowledge anything of the kind," said the obstinate Beeswing, "for I remember your father's importation of that wine very well Charley Van Blane, John Magnum, and myself were your father's clerks at the time, and we had a good many surreptitious drinks aut of those casks white the liquor was 'ripening' in the loft, and always took care whenever we drew out any to turn back the same quantity of water, so that the measure might not fall short. You see I recognize an old acquaiutance, if he is in reduced circumstances. " "The host had the good nature and ood sense to join in the general laugh whiíVIi followed this unlooked-for