THE TONIC PORT
WE do a large export trade (that is, the firm does), and there are often samples lying about in the office. There was a bottle of Tarret's Tonic Port, which had been there some time, and one of the partners told the head clerk that he could have it if he liked. Later in the day the head clerk said if a bottle of Tarret's Tonic Port was any use to me I might take it home. He said he had just opened it and tasted it, because he did not like to give anything away until he knew if it was all right.
I thanked him. "Tastes," I said, "just like any ordinary port, I suppose?"
"Well," he said, "it's more a tonic port than an ordinary port. But that's only what you'd expect from the label."
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