St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-08-02
hand fitted across my horizon,-per-


capable of becoming liquid, and, if I
needed further evidence, the sable riv-
ulets that began to meander down the
sides of my face gave ample corrObOra-
ton of the fact. l tried to take off my
hat, but it would not come.
1 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, unmanagea-
BILE stuff.
That 1 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
go from home, and on the whole the
outlook was not cheerful in that direc-
ton. Quite driven to desperation, 1
seated myself on the ground, and tried
to scrape off the black spots, which bad
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.
My labor was all in vain. | got a good
deal off, but there seemed to be an in
exhaustible quantity on. l gave it up
in despair, and burst into uncontrOlla-
BILE sObs. The flow of tears thinned the
lava-like fluid, and it now resembled
ink, which covered my face like Il veil ;
but in the extremity of my anguish a
hope dawned upon me. | found that L
could wipe off with my hand this thin
ner solution, and if water would do it,
water was plenty, and l would wash it
off. A cousin of mine lived not very
far off, and knew that in the yard of
her house there was pump. Inspired
by this idea, set off at a run, and did
not slacken my pace until reached the
spot. Here another difficulty met me.
I 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 re-
store me to responsibility. l set to
work to find rope, and fastened to-
gether quite complicated piece of ma
chinery, as | thought, by which man
aged to pump the ice-cOld water upon
my devoted head. The effect was not
as immediate as l had hoped. But
had faith if a little was good, more
must he better. Creak- creak-creak
went the pump handle, which did
more work that afternoon than in half
IA dozen days washing.
Creak-creak But the tar
only became harder and harder, until
was encased in sheet armOr, like the
famous Black Knight. Presently, my
cousin Jenny, an especial friend of
mine, hearing such continual pumping,
and becoming anxious for the family
supply of water, came out to see what
was the matter. Seeing a small figure
cured up under the spout of the pump,
drenched to the skin and black as
Othello, she stopped down to investi-
gate the phenomenon. Oh, what was
my despair when she discovered who it
was, and in what plight!
To say she laughed would he to give
feeble idea of the peals of laughter
that succeeded each other as she stood
control her merriment for moment,
only to break forth afresh, until she
was obliged to sit down from sheer ex-
haustiOn. Every time she glanced at
my wOe-begone countenance, and
drenched condition, she would go into
fresh commissions of fun. At last she
recovered breath enough to inquire i'll
to my case, and to assure me she would
do what she could for me; but she
soon found, to my despair, that what
she could do was not much to my re-
lief. The clothes could not be got off,
and certainly they could never be got
clean. She did manage, with IL strong
pair of shears, to cut off the pockets in
my breeches, and then, fearing my
mother would be alarmed, she babe me
go home, and she would promise to Sc
cure me against a whipping.
fancy she thought this last promise
would be easily kept.
Somewhat cOmforted, l took up my
line of march toward the paternal roof,
but, as | went along, my heart began to
sink again visions of rod, with which
my not too sanity character had made
me somewhat familiar, doomed up be-
fore me; but worse than all, the
thought of my brothers. ridicule made
my sensitive spirit quail. | thought
would evade all for that night, how
ever, by going quietly up the back
stairs, going to bed, and playing sick"
Fortune favored me. | reached the
bedroom without being seen and, just
as | was, with my hat on, for it could
only have come off with my scalp, |
got into bed, and covered myself en-
tirely up with the bed-clothes. 1t was
now dusk, and | felt for the moment
quite safe. Presently my aunt came
into the room to get something for
which she was looking, and | could
hear her give several inquiring shifts,
and as she went out | heard her say
inIx Il hnr
come from 2" An interval of peace fol-
lowed, and then in came my mother.
"Tar? Smell tar &? OF course you do :;
it's strong enough in this room. Bring
a light"
1t was the sound of doom
My mother soon came close up to
the bed, and held the light SO that it
fell full upon me as she tried to turn
down the bed-clothing. Probably, if
it had not been for several previous
scrapes in which had been involved,
she would have been much frightened I;
but as it was, the sight of her young
blackamoor had much the same effect
upon her as upon my cousin. Her ex-
CARNATIONS and shrieks of laughter
brought every member of the house.
hold successfully to the room, and as
one after another came in, flesh zest
seemed to be given to the merriment
of which | was the unfortunate victim.
But every renewal of the fun was an
added agony to me, for I clearly fore
saw that it would be rehearsed by Jack
and Tom to all the boys in the neigh
bOrhOod. Besides this, was not in a
condition to be hilarious. Plastered
with tar from head to foot streaming
with perspiration at every pore; my
clothes drenched nv hair matted to-