The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-08-17
The Little Folks Column.
A Boys Experience with Tar
Marbles.

4
for marbles began very early, ant
when | was about seven years ole
it led me into curious experience
which l am about to relate. 4
great rivalry for acquiring marble.
had suddenly arisen at that time
among the boys of the town, anC
to possess as many of the little
round beauties rs my oldest broth.
er owned, soon became the desire
of my heart and the height OF my
ambition.
L had already obtained large
number, when one day / overheard
my Oldest brother telling one Of
his schoolmates that he had made
the important discovery that mar
bles could be formed from coal
tar, of which there was large
quantity on certain street in a
distant part OF the town. He did
not condeseend to explain the pro-
cess of manufacture, but he showed
the marbles he had made-black,
round and glossy. The sight in
spired me with an ardent desire
to possess an unlimited quantity.
My brother told me Just where
the treasure was to be found, and,
In the afternoon, | started off, not
contding to any one my intention,
to find the spot and lay in sup
ply of the raw material, which L
could convert into marbles when
L had leisure. 1t was "a very hot
July afternoon, and WAS in vio-
lent heat but the sight of the
heaps of coal tar put all thoughts
OF anything unpleasant quite ont
OF my bead. 1t caused me to for
get also that / had on suit of
new clothes, of which / had been
cautioned by my mother to be ex-
tremely careful.
l need hardly remark that I was
not very well acquainted with the
substance l was handling, and my |
only ideas of its qualities was that |
1T could be moulded into any shape
l pleased. Twas not aware that it |
has all the qualities of ordinary
tar-melts with heat, and becomes
the toughest, stickiest, most un-
manageable of substances with
which a small boy can come into
contact. l fell to work to collect
what wanted to carry home. II
tiled the pockets of my panta-
looms, and of my JACKET, and, at
last, when these were filed to their
utmost capacity, I filled the crown
Of my hat SO full that it would
hardly 60 on my head. The place
vas at some distance from my
home, and / did not wish to have
% return Immediately for more.
With a heart filled with triumph
started off toward home. By
his time 1 began to realize that
he weather was not cool. II had
'een a long walk, and 1 was pretty
lred, but | was also in a great
'urry to begin making marbles, so
walked as fast as l could. After s
little time l began to be sensible {
4 disagreeable feeling of sticki- !
ess about my waist, and a slight
rlckllng sensation in the region of l
ne knees. 1t fitted across NV c
ind, perhaps coal tar might melt /
! very slight inspection of my two
ockets satisfied me that it was ca L
able of becoming liquid, and, if | b
eeded further evidence, the black 4
vulets that began to flow down L
le sides of my face gave ample b
roof of the fact. / tried to take b
4 my hat, but it would not come "
looked down at my new trousers Il
18th feelings of dismay. Ominous &
'ots of dismal hue were GER s
inly growing larger. / tried to IL
I the tar out of my pockets, but 81
ily got my hands covered with t
e black, unmanageable stuff! 81
That | should get whipping for n
'oiling my new suit | was quite n
rtain, and as | had no permission tt
go from home, the outlook was fo
1t cheerful in that direction. j;
AS desperate. and seated myself I'll
the ground and tried to scrape W
the black spots, which had now t.
tended to formidable dimen- 70
'ns, while / could feel the small ell
'eams coming down the inside of to
shirt, causing rather singular w
question of a rope around my in
ok. My labor was all in vain. / Il
t a good deal off, but then there VT
,med to be ar inexhaustible suo- co
:! l gave it mp in dispair, and tn
rst into sobs. The flow of tears th
nned the black fluid, and it now fa'