The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-03-29

but the partners had seen much smalle
rations than that in their day. The,
asked for water again when the.
came to house, but the old lady VIII,
opened the door must have been deaf
She only shooed them away as If the,
had been two stray chickens. Next tim,
they had better luck. A fat little woman
with rosy red cheeks gave them bi,
basket to fill with chips, and when it wa
full she brought them each a thick slic,
of bread and butter and a great puff
brown doughnut. Afterward, they dranl
at the well out of sweet tasting dippe
made out of cocoanut shell, and tn,
woman looked up from the bread she wa
kneading to nod and smile as they wen
out of the gate. Next came long striI
of woods, without any houses, and be
yond that, the open prairie again.
think this is about fur 'nough,
said Top, sitting down on log. 90
should kind o. like to have our farm nigh
to the woman who gave us the dough
nuts. She's good one, she is"
"Well," said Tip, "seems to be lots o.
land, and mighty scarce of houses. Let's
take it half an half, woods and per
rary."
| Now that the farm was located, the
next thing to be done was to build q
house. Never did Western immigrants
| find things more convenient, for near the
roadside lay pile of rails that had once
been fence around haystack. These
they dragged into the woods, and pro.
ceeded to build hut against the trunk
of great tree. The result was not ex-
actly palace, but at least it was clean
and airy, and they had slept in much
worse quarters. They made bed of
green boughs and spread Tips other
shirt over it. Everything went we'll
until Tip undertook to climb tree after
some wild grapes. A country boy would
have known better than to trust the old
dead limb from which they dangled !;
but Tip never suspected that atree could
wear out, until he found himself crash
ing through the branches to the ground
He lay there so quiet that poor Top
might as we'll have had no partner at
all. Top was frightened, but he didn't
give it up. He shook Tip, and slapped
his back; ne even lighted a pipe and
blew tobacco smoke into his face, all of
which remedies he had seen used with
success, though not upon people who had
fallen out of trees. After awhile, Tip
begun to breathe again, in jerky fash
ion, and then he got strength enough to
groan dismally.
"Is it yer head ?" asked Top, anx.
iously; care ye all right in yer bones 2"
"Its me laigs, and me spine's all
smashed to finders" moane 4 Tip.
Top managed to drag his unlucky part
ner into the hut; but the bed was any
thing but luxurious, and Tip was no
hero to suffer in silence.
SIS it as bad as a whalin'T 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 that ye came out West ??
"No, not if die" moaned Tip. "I
seen feller die oncet, fallin' down an
elevator" -
Tip tried to get up, but fell back with
fresh howls.f .
"Doh't give up the farm, Top; and
you can have all my clothes and my
other shirt"
Top would have cried had he known
how, but just then man coming down
the wood road stopped moment to look
and listen, and then strobe up to. the
queer little hut, saying: =. y "
"What in creation"
"He's hurt" said Top, nodding his
lead at his partner.
"Hurtl 1 should think sol Who are
you and what are you doing hereT'
"We're pardners, and we've took up
this farm" begun Top; but the man
looked at the pair of beggars and laughed
in a fashion that threatened to bring
the rails down over his head.
"Well, WE'LL" he said at last, wipiDg
his eyes on his shirt sleeve, :" if 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 ladder! Well,
we'll, wellw And he picked up poor
Tip, and marched away with him, while
Top followed meekly. 1t seemed to him
that the man had on seven-league boots,
he got over the ground so fast, while
he could only limp after, for Top was
getting sore and stiff from tramping. BY
and by they turned into a green lane and
came to the back door of a house. The
man laid Tip on bench, and shaggy
dog came and shifted at him.
Molly Apdersonp called the man,
and somebody came trotting briskly to
the door, saying, "Well, Johnp long
before she came in sight.
1t 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 after that for a
good many days, and Tip lad queer
fancies of going on and on, trying to find
a farm to settle down upon. until at last
he walked up to find himself on clean
bed in great breezy garret, with the
pleasant little woman darning stockings
beside him. The man was there, too
and he said in a cheerful voice :" They're
made of cast-steel and whipcords, them
youngsters. He'll be as right as top in
q day or two"
"The other one is Top" Tip tried to
say, but his voice was Sd queer he did moi
know it, and wondered who had spoken
In the end the partners concluded tc
give up the farm but the man who had
befriended them gave them both WORK
for few weeks, and one day when they
rode back to the city in great loaded
market wagon they felt very grand.
1t was grander yet riding back agair
at night, with the new delight of re
turning to home and welcome.
Zip" said Top, as they crept into
bed, "I amt never goin' back to the city
When they won't keep us no more, and
nobody won't keep us, Pm goin' to start
along the road, and keep on till ]
come to somewheres. Roaos is bet
tern streets; they always go to some
where's they didn't come from"
Tops voice died away, and Tip only
answered with snore. The partner
were asleep. -
SoUTHrNaToN Conn. } Sentinel: Their
is man in this town between fifty an,
sixty years of age who has worke'
| for 'his father until the present day
never had dollar in his pocket; neve