Year: 1878

with marbles, and l certainly was not
unlike other boys in this respect. My
fendness for marbles began very early,
and when was about years old led
me into curious experience, which /
am about to relate, A great rivalry for
acquiring marbles had suddenly arisen
at that time among the boys Of the town,
and TO possess as many Of the 9ttle round
beauties as my Oldest brother owned soon
became the desire of my heart and the
hight of my ambition.


| had all eady obtained a large number,
when one day 1 overheard my Oldest
brother telling one of his schoolmates
that he had made the important discov-
cry that marbles could be formed from
coal-tar, OF which there was large
quantity on 3 certain street IN distant
part of the tewn. He did not eondeScend
to explain the process of manufacture,
but he showed the marbles he bad made
black, round and glossy. The sight
inspired nae with ardent desire to posses
An unlimited quantity.


My brother told me just where the COW
etsd treasure was to be found, and, in the
afternoon, l started of, without eonHding
to any one my intention, to 1nd the spot
and lay in supply of the raw material,
which | could convert into marbles when
| had leisure. 1t was a very hot July
afternoon, and was in n violent heat
but the sight Of tho heaps of coal-tar put
all thoughts of anything unpleasant quite
out of my head. 1t caused me to forget
also that had on suit of new clothes,
Of which had been cautioned by my


mother to be extremely careful.


| need hardly remark that was not


very well acquainted with the substance
l was handling, and my only idea OF its
qualities was, that it could be nodded in
to any shape pleased. was not sware
that i! has all the qualities Of ordinary
tar-melts with heat, aud becomes tho
toughest, stickiest, and most unmanage.
able Of substances with which small
boy can como in contact.


fell to work to collect what / wanted
to carry home. ! flIod the pockets OF
my pantaloons, and of my jncket, and
lastly, when these we're stuffed to their
utmost capacity, | filled the crown Of my
hat so full that it would hardly 60 on my
head. The place was at some distance
from my home, and did not wish to re-
turn Immediately for more.


With heart filed with triumph, l
started Off toward homo. BY this time ]
began to realize that the weather was
not cool. 1t had been long walk, and
was pretty tired, but | was al8o in a
great hurry TO begin making marbles, So
walked as stas could. After lit
tie time began to be sensible Of n dsa-
Ereeable feeling Of sickness about my
waist and slight trickling sensation in
the region Of the knees.


A cioud not bigger than q mans hand
fitted across my horizon. Perhaps coal
tar might melt


A very slight inspection Of my two
pockets satisfied me that cosl-tar was
capable Of becoming liquid, and, if !
needed further evidence, the sable rivu.
let's that began to meander down the
sides Of my face COVE ample corrobera
ton OF the fact. | tried to take Off my
hat, but it would not come.


! looked down at my now trowsers with
feelings Of dsmay, Ominous spots Of a
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, unmanagcable stuff.


That should get whipping for spoil
ing my new suit, if I could not manage
to get the tar of, | was quite certain, and
, had no permission to 60 from home,
and on the whole the outlook was not
cheerful in that direction. Quite driven
to desperation, seated myself on the
ground, and tried TO scrape of the black
spots which had now extended to formi-
dable dimensions while | could feel
small streams coming down inside Of the
collar OF my shirt, and causing rather
singular sensations Of a rope around my
neck. My labor was ali in vain. | got
a good deal of, but there seemed to be an
inexhaustble quantity on. l gave tup in
despair, and burst into uncomfortable
tears. The Gow oftears thinued the lava
like huid, and it now resembled ink,
which covered my face like veil but
in the extremity Of my anguish hope
dawned upon me. | found that l could
wine off with my hand this thinner solu.
ton, and if water would do it, water was
plenty, and I would wash it of. A cou-
sin OF mine.lived not very far of, and
knew that in the yard Of her house there
was a pump. Inspired by this idea, sot
Dff at 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 bsne-
ii Of the stream from its mouth, and il
was emily complete shower bath that
would restore mo to respeetability.
yet to work to find rope, and fastened
ogether quite a complicated piece of ma
ihnery, as | thought, by which / man
Iged to pump the ice cold water upon my
levoted head. The effect was not as i'm
Mediate as had hoped. But 1 had faith |
hat if a little was good, more must be
,etLer. Creak- -oreak-went the
lump handle, which did more work that
Ifternoon than in half dozen days
Washing


Creak- k-ereak-creak | But tho tar
,nly became harder and harder, until l
vas encased in sheet aFmor, like tho Ia !