Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-12-25
TIPS CHRISTMAS DINNER.


TIPS CHRISTMAS DINNER.
Such a. cold Christmas day as it
was! with the thermometer hiding
shivering at the very bottom of it's
glass prison, and with the wind rae
ing and shrieking wildly along the tele-
graph wires. There was snow, too
tiny, whirling flakes, that felt like
needles when they touched your face
or hands. Even the great, gloomy,
dirt begrlmed warehouses seemed to
shiver and crouch beneath the fury OF
the cruel north wind
"Shine! shine! shine 'em up for a
nickel" Tips shrill, boyish voice
rose above the shrieking of the winds,
and his round face, made rosy and
glowing by the nipping of the wind and
snow flakes, shOne from behind the
folds OF his ragged red ''comforter."
"Whew!" gasped Tip, as sudden
gust ofwind almost forced him to make
anlmpromptu seat OF the hard pave
ment, "what a day! Wish't I was to
home. Even Granny Macarthy's old
shanty is bette'n nothink. l don't
see why they call this Christmas Day.
''Granny must "a had a streak O.
luck when she ga me this comforter.
Jest as good as new, only a little holey.
P'r'aps Jed made a big haul yesterday.
Ugh! Wouldn't 90 a-pocket- pickin'
for a iorchin. Shd think Jed O'Neale
d lay awake all night a-tEinkin' bout
What he's been a-doin'. Stealin' silk
wipes may pay better'n blackin'
boots, but I would't do it for Granny
Mccarthy er anybody else!
"Shine, Sir? Only a Nickel" as fat
figure, all mutt1ed up in a shaggy u]-
ster and a seal skin cap, came putting
and blowing around the corner.
ooh, 60 long, boy" said the fat fig
ure, irately. do you think Pm going
to stand here and freeze to death in
order to get my boots po]ished?"
"Thought you might want rest
right here said Tip, very meekly,
though his bright blue eyes were
twinkling merrily.
With an ineligible snort the fat
figure pulled on again.
"Only two shines to-day" thought
Tip disconsolately, IAN it's past noon.
1 thought I would have a dinner in
style, to-day, with turkey an choc'-
late an puddin' an so forth, but ten
cents won't buy it. Ten cents extry,
now, would jest do it. Heish-ho! why
wasn't l born q swell banker, or else q
oe--yutiful bankers daughter, with
goldin' hair and laughin' eyes?"
Then another figure in an ulster and
sealskln cap came by: This gentle
man wasn't short and fat, but tall and
graceful. He was just opposite Tip,
when his foot slipped on the treacher.
Gus pavement, and down he went with
dull thump.
"Im ever SO glad to say that Tip
didn't laugh. II he had laughed I'm
afraid I'd have been so ashamed of
my hero that would have left this
little story all untold. Most boys
would have laughed, but Tips face
was as grave rs q judges as he limped
over-Iip was lame, you must know
and proceeded to help the gentleman
to his feet.
"A very bad fall that" said Tip,
with solicitude. "Hope you didn't
break no bones, sir?"
ooh, / guess MT, thank you," said
Mr.. John Branch, rubbing his bruises
tenderly. "Don't you want to black
en- my boots, boy?"
. Course, sir" began Tip, bri ghtly;
"but, " obviously, "your boots don't
seem to need much shinin'."
~ think they do need shining" said
MIR. Branch, with quiet decision, fun
ny laugh in the Jolly brown eyes.
So Tip set to work with a will. and
in less than a minute Mr.. Branchs
boots were like twinkiing mirrors.
"Whew! | bet the fellows rich,"
thought delighted Tip, as he pocketed
the quarter of dollar Mr.. Branch in
sisted on his taking. 'P'raps he's too
proud to carry small change in his
pockets. You don't catch me benz
proud as all that. Pennies airs goods
dollars, say, if you've got plenty of
EN-. And now for the SWEETEST res.
taurang in town. O, cricky, that fel-
lows lost his pocket-book,- sure's
guns!' making dive for the pave
ment.
+ Eli! hi, there!" shrieked Tip, shril.
~, ''come back and get your property!
say-y, mister!'' and Tip FASTENED after
MIR. Branch as fast as his lame leg
would permit.
"Wish hid take his cap often his
ears minute" painted Tip to him
self as Mr. Branch never turned his
head sos he could hear. Cricky.
what steps he. takes! !: There-he's
stopped at last, an at the SWEETEST
house in the street, lido believe"
AS Tip paused to take breath, Mr..
Branch tripped nimbly up the marble
steps and opened the massive door.
"Why couldn't he a. waited?''
grumbled Tip; but Tips grumbling,
like everything else about him, was
CHEEKY and good natured. ''Now, I'll
have 20 ring and present my card, and
be oosherd into the elegant boodore.
And Tip laughed at the very thought.
: - .ats5-sS s d.