Morris tribune., 1881-03-17
A RUNAWAY TOP.
Story for Boys and Christine Queer An
tics of Billy's Top and the Explanation.


old MI. Shedrick Powell as he stood on his
spotless marble steps and buttoned his great
coat preparatory to his regular morning
walk.
Billy looked up at old Mr.. Powell and
then down at his red top which had just
rolled from the smooth stone pavement of
North Broad street to the roots of a tree
near the curb.
why is my top like Johnny Carter?" said
Billy. knitting his brows; Il guess I don't
know, unless it's because the top doesn't
60 to Sunday school and neither does
Johnny
Old Mr. Powell didn't relish Billy's re-
ply very much, for Johnny Carter was old
Mr.. Powel's grandson, but he laughed nev-
ertheless and said: "Your top is like bad
boy, Billy, because it has to be whipped;
isn't that SO, now? Come, come!"
The old gentleman enjoyed hisjoke so
much that he laughed until he was purple in
flashing the top to the pavement tried his
best to make it spin: But something SEEM
ed to be the matter with the top. Its
more like a balky horse than bad boy, ;" he
said, and Mr.. Powell, who still stood
watching him, grunted assent. Billy whip
ped and whipped until his arm was tired.
The top wouldn't turn. Itstaggered around
like tipsy person, utterly refusing to do
duty.
NO use to getvexed, said old Mr. Powell,
who saw that Billy was losing his temper.
why don't she 60, them" said Billy
giving the bit of wood a savage scutch.
Just then the top seemed to leap into life.
Billy's hard hit sent it flying through the
air directly upon the toe of old Mr.. Powell's
boot, where it spun like mad.
"Get out !" shouted Mr. Powell, dancing
frantically. "Get off my toe Ouch, ouch,
Billy, what's gotinto this little beast of top?
Oh! oh oh It's boring hole into my toe"
Billy folded his arms and looked on in
amazement He was half tickled and half
in terror. What could the top mean? He
shouted Johnny! Johnny" as loudly as he
could call, and Johnny Carter came run
ming as fast as his legs could carry him.
Meanwhile number Of persons attracted
by the old gentleman's strange dance halted
in front Of the steps. One of those who
stopped was a fat man. The putting fat
man pulled off his hat and began to rub his
bald head with handkerchief just as old
Mr.. Powell gathered himself up for ire
mendous kick. The kick accomplished two
things It sent Mr.. Powell backward off
the step and hurled the whizzing top to the
bald head of the perspiring fat man. The
latter did not understand for a moment
what had struck him, and when he realized
his predicament he rau wildly about, groan-
ing, shouting, swearing and tapping fran
tically at the top with his bandanna. But
the top held it's own, while Billy, Johnny
and the other boys for great crowd had
now gathered) stood around in open
mouthed wonder
Look out! there she goes!" screamed
Billy, as the top, now thoroughly wild,
bounced from the bald head of the fat man
to the back of Aunt Nancy, Mr.. Powells
old colored servant, who was leaning from
a window.
o-Oo-O 90, crickety, scat, let this chile
lionel" shrieked Aunt Nancy, tumbling
headforemost cut of the window, and as she
fell the lodging and excited spectators
heard her exclaim: Its Gabr1s trump
a-blowin'"
Apparently tired of teasing people the
mad top flew from Aunt Nancy back to the
peak Of the nearest street lamp and thence
to the tip of a horses ear, all the time max
ing, as it seemed to Billy, somewhere in the
| neighborhood of ten million revolutions a
minute. I'm fact" whispered Billy to
Johnny Carter, "it was a-goin' SO fast
while ago that it looked as if it was a-stand
in still and now it's a-going SO fast that it
er direction" ....r ..
cts bewitched," said one policeman to
another.
Its new perpetual motion machine, "
said university student. ,.-..
It'll explode bimeby," yelled drayman,
hearing which loud announcement the dumb
founded crowd of five hundred people scat
tered as before kissing stream Of water
from piece of hose. In the midst of the
running to and fro and the loud clamor that
followed the drayman's shout the top gave
magnificent bound and shot like sky
ball to the very peak of church steeple,
hundred feet above. Seeing the leap Billy,
Johnny and the other boys told the fright
ened spectators not to be afraid, and pro-
curing spy glass they watched the runaway
top with intensified interest. Dozens of
opera glasses were brought out and Billy's
big brother sighted along the barrel of a
rifle for the purpose of shooting it from the
spire.
Just as Billy's brother was about to pull
the trigger, Billy elevated his spy glass and
exclaimed breathlessly. "She's a-goin' on
up
Into the sky?" asked Johnny
Yes, she's goin''on up, as sure as live.
She's"
"Come, wake up, Billy" said Billy's
mother; there's it's nine o'clock and Satur-
| Clay morning and Johnny Carter il having n