Year: 1878

nous Black Knight. Presently, my cou-
sin Jenny, an especial friend of mine,
hearing such continual pumping and be-
coming anxious for the family supply Of
water, came out to see what was the mat
ts~. Seeing small figure curled up un-
der the pump, drenched to the skin and
black as Othello, she stopped down to in
vestigate the phenomenon. Oh, what
was my despair when she discovered who
1t was, and in what plight


/ To say she laughed would be to give
feeble idea Of the pesls of laughter that
succeeded each other rs she stood and
1 looked at me. She would try to control
1 her merriment for moment, only to
| break forth afresh, un.l she was obliged
/ 20 sit down from sheer exhaustion. Ev-
cry time she glanced at my Woe -bogone
countenance and drenehed condition, sho
would 60 into fresh eonvulsions of fun.
| AT last sho recovered breath enough to
| inquire into my case, and to assure mo
| she would do what she could for mo but
she soon found, to my despair, that what
she could do was not much to my relief.
The clothes could not be got of, and cer-
tainly they could never be got elean.--
She did manage, with a strong pair OF
shears, to cut of the pockets in my
breecheS, aud then fearing my mother
would be alarmed, she bsde me go home.
aud she would promise to secure me from
a good whipping


fancy she thought this last promise
would be easily kept.


Somewhat comtorted, l took up my
line Of march toward tho paternal roof,
but, as | went slong, my heart began TO
sink again visions of a rod, with which
my not too sanity character had mado
me somewhat familiar, loome1 up before
me but worse than all, the thought Of
my brothers. ridieule made my sentative
spirit quail. | thought would evada
all for that night, however. by going
quietly up the back stairs, going 10 bed.
and "playing sick" Fortune favored.
me. | reached the bed without being
seen and, just as was with my hat on,
for it could only hGvo come OF with my
scalp, got into bed and covered myself
entirely up with the bed clothes. 1t was
now dusk, and folt for tho moment quite
safe. Presently my aunt came into the
room to get something for which She was
looking, and could hear her give sever.
al snina, and as she went cut heard her
say: certainly do smell tar where
can it come from ?" an interval of peace
followed, and then in came my mother.
"Tar Smell tar? Ofcourso you do;
it's strong enougl in this room. Bring
light"


II was tho sound of doom


My mother soon camo close up TO The
bed, and hold tho light so that It fell full
upon me as she tried 10 turn down tho
bed clothing. Probably, ifit had not
been for several previous scrapes in which
| had been involved, she would have
been much frightened but, as II was,
tho sight of her blackamoor had much
the same effect upon her as upon my
cousin. Her exclsmatioas and shrieks
Of laughter brought every member Of the
/ household success lively TO the room, and
as one after another came in, fresh zess
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 | clearly foresaw
that il would be rehoarsed by Jack and
Tom to all the boys in the neighborhood.
| Besides this, was not In Il condition to
DO hilarious Pnstered witt tar from
head to foot steaming with perspiratidn
at every psre my clothes drenched
my hair matted together, and my straw
hat, soaked with water, fastened upon II,
and falling wet and limp about my eyes
| was not rendered more comfortable BY
the fact that / could not move without
taking pillow and bed clothes with me,
as, in my desperate desire TO conceal my
self from view, had become enwrspt in
the bed clothing like caterpillar in ito
chryshlis and | was conscious Of q dun
fear that if sat up, with spilow stuck
fast on the top Of my hat, the sight Of mo
might produce fatal results upon the al
ready exhausted family.


At last the point was reached where I
thought patience ceased TO bo virtue,
and | rebeled against being any longer
made a spectacle.


declare II they would all 60 away but
mother, / would tell her all about it,
The crowd retired, commissioned to send
up crock OF butter, = tub of hot water,
and pair OF shears. Maternal love is,
strong, but doubt if it was often put 70
seyerer test OF its long suffering than
was that of my mother that night,


Suffice it to say that, after my clothes
had been cut to ribbons, the shsets torn.
up, my head we.l-nigh shaved, and my
whole person subjected frst to an African
bath Of melted butter, and Afterward 20
one Of hot soap suds, had had my GIL OF
bathing for ono day, and was, shortly
before midnight, pronounced to be tolsr-
ably clean.


p. ST. never made any marbles OF
coal tar.-H. Nicholas.


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