The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1906-03-09
NO11
IN MARBLE TIME.

You can always tell when spring
has come, for then it is marble time.
On bright afternoons you msy now sec
groups of boys in excited converse
the suddenly gather around a "pot" or
ring, and then the fun begins. At
first calm, then startled cries, "Come
to taw," "fen dubs," "knuckle down"
loud and mysterious words-grave
explanations. A sympathetic crowd
draws near; one would think the fate
of nations at stake. 1t is the ancient,
the classic game, played by Greek
boys hundreds of years ago, as fresh
and delightful as when first invented.
Just now the pockets of the small
boy bulge out in hard and knobby
lunches, and their contents are the
joy of his heart. Alleys and tors and
tlints and CHIMES, and agates and clou-
dies-ah, what delightful list Of
treasures
Nearly all the agates that rattle
around and wear holes in the pockets
of the small boy are made in Germany.
On winter days the poor people Of the
villages collect small square stones,
put them in molds something like large
coffee mills, and grind them until they
are round. These marbles are called
common china, painted china, glazed
china, imitation agate, and black and
white ballots. They are very cheap,
ranging in price according to size
from 10 to 60 for cents. Imitation
agates are made from white stone,
and are painted to represent the prize
marble Of all-the real agate. The
painted china marbles are of plain
white stone, with lines crossing each
each other at right angles painted up.
on them. The ballots are little black
and white marbles that look as if they
would roll forever if once started.
Glass alleys are blown by glass
blowers in Germany. The expert
workman takes piece Of plain glass
and another of red glass, heats them
red hot, blows them together, gives
them twist, and there is pretty al
ley with red and white threads of glass
twisted through it in the form Of the
letter S. Large twisted glass alleys
and plain glass alleys with the figure
of a dog or cat inside are made for
very small children to play with.
But the marble best loved by boys
is the real agate. Oh how beautiful
they are to the young cellectorl No
diamond or pearl in after years will
ever appear as clear and bright Is
that treasure of boyhood days. They
are sea[brown or black in color, and
many of them have large round "eyes"
that are special mark of beauty.
And then the red carnelian and the
translucent burning "cloudie" no
gem could surpass it in value to the
sensible small boy.
American marbles are not valued
much by youthful collectors; they are
called "comies," and one can buy a
handful for penny. The choice
marbles come high, and at this time
of the year you can get almost any
kind of work out of a boy by the
promise of some real cloudies or agates
and the pockets of mothers and sisters
are kept empty BY the constant de.
mand for small change to buy the
popular toy.
Marble time does not last long. It
comes suddenly. One day the streets
swarm with small boys intent on the
game; another day will see tops whirl-
ing about ON pavement and hard
ground, and the marble will disappear.
Kite season Is near, and anon the
game of ball will attract the lively boy.
But just now it is marble time. l
hear the cry of "fen keep!"-"knuckle
down''-sback to taw"-and see the
excited winners as they swap for
cloudies, and loudly crow over their
loss forf friopao