The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-22

proceeded to build hut agalns5 In
trunk of a grer; tree. The result wa
not exactly palace, but at least it we
clean and airy, and they had slept II
much worse quarters. They made a bee
Of green boughs and spread Tips othe
shirt over it. Everything went vel
until Tip undertook to climb tree aftel
! some wild grapes. A country boy
/ would have known better than to trust
the old dead limb from which they dan
gled; but Tip never suspected thata tret
could wear out, until he found himself
crashing headlong through the branches
to the ground. He Lay there 80 quiet
that poor Top might as well have ha6
no partner at all. Top was frightened
but he didn't give it up. He shook HE
and slapped him on the back; he even
lighted q pipe and blew tobacco smoke
| in his face, all of which remedies he had
seen used with success, though not upor
people who had fallen out Of trees
After while, Tip begun to breathe
again in a jerky fashion, and then he go1
strength enough to groan dismally.
"Isit yer head 7" asked Top, andously'
"Are ye all right in yer bones"
"It's me laigs, and me spines is al
smashed to flinders" moaned Tip.
Top managed to drag his unlucky
partner into the hut but the bed wa:
anything but luxurious, and Tip was nc
hero to suffer in silence.
"Is it as bad as q whalin'a 7" asked
Top, meaning to be sympathizing.
"Wuss," groaned Tip but, after all
the suggestion had some comfort in it
"Tip," said his partner, presently
"be ye sorry 20 come out West9"
"No, not if die" moaned Tip. "]
seen feller die oncet, fallin' down
elevator"
Tip tried to get up, but fell back with
fresh howls. H.,
"Don't you give up the farm, Top
and you can have all my clothes and m!
other shirt"
Top would have cried if he had know
how, but just then man coming dow
the wood road stopped a moment tx
look and listen, and then strodc uT
to the queer little hut, saying:
"What in ore-a-tion"- .-
"He's hurt" said Top, briefly nod
ding his head at his partner.
"Hurt! I should think so ! Who
are you9 and what are you doing here9'
"We're pardners, and we've took up
this farm" begun Top; but the man
looked at the pair of beggars and
laughed in fashion that threatened to
bring the rails down over his head.
"Well, we'll" he said at last, wiping
his eyes on his shirt sleeve, eff that
amt the biggest joke"
Then he sobered down little, and
felt of Tips bones-and, in fact, Tip was
not much else but bones.
"No more meath a ladderl Well,
we'll, wellr" And he picked up poor
Tip and marched away with him, while
Top followed meekly. It seemed to him
the man had on seven league boots, he
got over the ground 30 fast, while he
could only limp after, for Top was get
ting sore and stiff from tramping. By
and. bye, they turned into a green Lane
and came to the back door of house.
The man laid Tip on bench, and a
shaggy dog came and shifted at him.
"Molly Anderson |" called the man,
and somebody came trotting briskly to
the door, saying: "Well, john" long
before she came in sight.
It was the woman who had given them
the doughnuts. Tip cried when he saw
her, though he didn't know why, for he
felt wonderfully glad.
Things were mixed up after that for
good many days, and Tip had queer
fancies of going on and on, trying to
find the best kind of farm to settle down
upon, until at last he walked up to find
himself on a clean bed in great breezy
garret, with the pleasant little woman
darning stockings beside him. The
man was there, too, and he said. in 6
cheerful voice: "They're made of cast
steel and whip cords, them youngsters,
He'll be right as top in day or two. u
"The other one is Top" Tip tried to
say, but his voice was so queer he did
not know it, and wondered who had
spoken.
In the end, the partners concluded to
give up the farm; but the man who had
befriended them gave them both work
for 9 few weeks, and when one day they
rode back to the city in great loaded
market wagon they felt very grand.
It vas grander yet riding back again
at night, with the new delight OF return
ing to home and welcome.
"Iip," said Top, as they orept into
bed, 81 amt never goin' BACK 70 tne
city. When they won't Keep us no
more, and nobody won't keep us, I'm
goin' to start along the road, and Keep
on till I come to somewheres. Roads ls
better'n streets; they always go to some
where's that they didn't come from -
Tops voice died away, and Tip only
answered with snore. The partners
were asleep.-&. Nicholas.