The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-06-24
MARBLES TOWN FAD
The Only Game Sandy Hook,
Kyy Knows.
OLD AND YOUNG PLAY IT.

Women Shoot For Agates IN Streets
Instead Of diving Card Partles--Man
on Trial For Life Plays With Jailsr
IN Town Prison Yard.
Judge James Hargia. who Is in jail
at Sandy Hook, Ky, awaiting trial for
ais life on the charge OF numbering DR.
Cox, created sensation in the court
house yard recently by pretty nearly
winning the marble playing champion
ship from Sandy Hooks crack agate
twtriers. says a special dispatch to the
Chicago Tribune.
II was an exciting contest, and town
and county officials, with farmers from
miles around. gathered to see the I'm
aah. Hargis had vanquished one after
another three Of the best marble play
aEs In the town. but the fourth, q veFi
table wizard at the game, proved his
master When II was over the town
breathed freely again. For awhile It
looked as II stranger and a man &C
'eused Of murder at that was going 10
make Its champions blush.
Every one in Sandy Hook Is hoping
COW that II won't be long before the
RFiai Of Hargis starts, because It Is felt
that with little more practice In the
courthouse yard he'll have TO be &C.
&nowledged champion.
This may sound odd and curious
anywhere else on the map except at
SANDY Hook. that outpost OF civili-
zation. But In Sandy Hook marbles Is
the real national pastims. They have
heard Of baseball In a hazy sort OF
way without understanding. Bowling.
azoif. tennis and even croquet are just
words that convey no meaning to
: sandy Rockers If any one set up d
aennis net In Sandy Hook or swung a
driver on the front lawn the natives,
young and old, would think him crazy.
Marbles IL the thing, and young and
old of both sexes play and talk mar.
bies all day and dream OF marbles at
might. There are more marbles In
SANDY Hook than in any other place
three times Its size In the United
states. The front parlors Of the houses
OF both rich and poor are studded with
brilliant classics and multlcolored
asates won In many hard fought CON
aest
Nobody knows how the game seized
upon the town, Everybody has played
marbles ever since he can remember.
The "Reminiscences OF the oldest IN.
nnhitants are tangled up with thrilling
memories OF marble games they have
won and lost
!, Oh q warm day the public square
- ono big marble arena II echoes
with shouts OF "plcks" and "fan" and
all the vernacular Of the game. II Is |
common TO see girl of eighteen who
IN another place would be a social belle !
'aUwn on her knees In tho dust knuc- |
kllng powders with a man OF sixty and |
ooh playing with the utmost gravity. |
Business men In Sandy Hook do not |
AnYite acquaintance to lunch at the |
Einh They ask them out ON 10 the I
square for game OF marbles WO- |
men IN Sandy Hook society do not give
card parties. They gather their friends
and 70 out In the street and shoot for
ANainA It's the only form Of amusO-
Enent Sandy Hook knows. and the
whole town plays II 10 the exclusion Of
mvugything else.
iAe = Isn't remarkable that when
kanxgls went 10 Sandy Hook to be tried
Kor murder flrst his iailers aud then
4he officials OF the county In an effort
20 b. 40 hoapltable as they might ask
ed him To play marbles And IT'S nat
4Aral when they found he might be able
70 beat them all with little practice
that they should be anxious 20 get HE
trial over aud be rid OF him.