The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-07-27
A BOYS EXPERIENCE WITH TAR
MARBLES.

Almost all boys, at some period of
their lives, devote their spare time to
playing with marbles, and | certainly
was not unlike other boys in this re-
spect. My fondness for marbles began
very early, and when | was about seven
years old led me into n curious expert
ence, which | am about to relate. A
great rivalry for acquiring marbles had
suddenly arisen at that time among the
boys of the town, and to possess as
many of the little round beauties as my
oldest brother owned, soon became the
desire of my heart and the height of my
ambition.
| had already obtained large num-
Der, when one day | overheard my old
est brother telling one of his school
mates that he had made the important
discovery that marbles could be formed
from coal tar, of which there was u
large quantity on certain street in u
distant part of the town. He did not
condescend to explain the process of
manufacture, but he showed the mar
bles he had made-black, round and
glossy. The sight inspired me with
ardent desire to possess an unlimited
quantity.
My brother told me Just where the
coveted treasure was to be found, and,
in the afternoon, | started off, without
contiding to anyone my intention, to
find the spot and lay in supply of the
raw material, which | could convert
into marbles when | had leisure. 1t
was a very hot July afternoon, and |
was in a violent heat; but the sight of
the heaps of coal-tar put all thoughts
of anything unpleasant quite out of my
head; it caused me to forget also that
had on a suit of new clothes, of which
had been cautioned by my mother to be
extremely careful.
| need hardly remark that 1 was not
very well acquainted with the substance
was handling, and my only idea of its
qualities was that it could be nodded
into any shape pleased. | was not
aware that it has all the qualities of
ordinary tar-melts with heat, and be-
comes the toughest, stickiest, most I'M
manageable of substances which a
small boy can come into contact.
fell to work to collect what wanted
to carry home. l filled the pockets of
my pantaloons, and of my jacket, and
lastly, when these were stuffed to their
utmost capacity, | filled the crown of
my hat so full that it would hardly 90
on my head. The place was at some
distance from my home, and l did not
wish to have to return immediately for
more.
With heart filled with triumph,
started OFF toward home. By this time
| began to realize that the weather was
not cool. 1t had been long walk, and
| was pretty tired, but | was also in q
hurry to begin making marbles,
walked as fast as | could. After lit
tie time | began to be sensible of a dis
agreeable feeling of sickness about my
waist, and slight trickling sensation
in the region of the knees.
A cloud not bigger than mans hand
fitted across my horizon perhaps coal
tar might melt.
A very slight inspection of my two
pockets satisfied me that coal-tar was
capable of becoming liquid, and, if
needed further evidence, the sable riv-
ulets that began to meander down the
sides OF my face gave ample corrobora-
ton of the fact. | tried to take off my
hat, but it would not come.
looked down at my new trousers
with feelings of dismay. Ominous spots
of dismal hue were certainly growing
larger. tried to get the tar out of my
pockets, but only succeeded in covering
my hands with the black, unmanage-
able stuff.
That [ should get whipping for
spelling my new suit, if | could not
manage to get the tar off, l was quite
certain, and | had had no permission to
90 from home, and on the whole the
outlook was not cheerful in that direc-
ton. Quite driven to desperation, |
seated myself on the ground and tried
to scrape off the black spots, which had
now extended to formidable dimen-
sions; while could feel small streams
coming down inside of the collar of my
shirt, and causing rather singular sug-
gestions of a rope around my neck. Ny
labor was all in vain. Igot a good deal
off, but there seemed to be an mex
haustible quantity on. l gave it up in
despair, and burst into uncomfortable
sobs. The flow of tears thinned
the lava-like fluid, and it now resem-
bled ink, which covered my face like a
veil; but in the extremity of my anguish
hope dawned upon me. found that
l could wipe off with my hand this
thinner solution, and if water would do
it, water was plenty and | would wash
it off. A cousin of mine lived not far
off, and knew that in the yard of her
house was a pump. Inspired by this
idea | set off at run, and did not
slacken my pace until l reached the
spot. Here another difficulty met me.
| could not reach the handle of the
pump so as to get the benefit of the
stream from its mouth, and it was
only complete shower-bath that would
restore me to responsibility. l set to
work to lind rope, and fastened to-
gether quite complicated piece of ma
chinery, as | thought, by which l man
aged to pump the ice-cold water upon
my devoted head. The effect was not
| aS Immediate aS | had hOned Pint |