covered and concealed
by the thumb and the ends of the fingers of the operator, and may be
kept closed or may be slightly opened at pleasure. By this means any one
of five different liquids may be poured from the mouth of the bottle.

[Illustration: Fig. 2.]

Of course it requires some dexterity to manipulate such an apparatus
skillfully, in order to keep all the holes concealed from the
spectators, and to open the right one, just enough to admit the air, and
at the right time. The point of interest, however, for the general
reader in the whole subject is the philosophical principle which is
involved, namely, that the pressure of the atmosphere in every direction
all around us is such that no liquid can issue from any orifice against
the force of it acting _from without inward_, unless by the admission of
air or the providing by some other means of an equal force to act _from
within outward_ as a counterpoise.

TWO WAYS OF PUTTING IT.

The Sultan awoke with a stifled scream:
His nerves were shocked by a fearful dream:

An omen of terrible import and doubt--
His teeth in one moment all fell out.

His wisemen assembled at break of day,
And stood by the throne in solemn array.

And when the terrible dream was told,
Each felt a shudder, his blood ran cold,

And all stood silent, in fear and dread,
And wondering what was best to be said.

At length an old soothsayer, wrinkled and gray,
Cried, "Pardon, my lord, what I have to say;

"'Tis an omen of sorrow sent from on high:
Thou shalt see all thy kindred die."

Wroth was the Sultan; he gnashed his teeth,
And his very words seemed to hiss and seethe,

As he ordered the Wiseman bound with chains,
And gave him a hundred stripes for his pains.

The wisemen shook as the Sultan's eye
Swept round to see who next would try;

But one of them, stepping before the throne,
Exclaimed, in a loud and joyous tone:

"Exult, O head of a happy state!
Rejoice, O heir of a glorious fate!

"For this is the favor thou shalt win,
O Sultan--to outlive all thy kin!"

Pleased was the Sultan, and called a slave,
And a hundred crowns to the wiseman gave.

But the courtiers they nod, with grave, sly winks,
And each one whispers what each one thinks,

"Well can the Sultan reward and blame:
Didn't both of the wisemen foretell the same?"

Quoth the crafty old Vizier, shaking his head,
"So much may dep