Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-30

A MAN THINKS THE PRESENT GENERATION OF
BOYS DEGENERATE AS TOP sPINNFRs-LEssER
SPORTS CROWDED OUT BY FOOT BALL AND
BASE BALL-How SENATOR'S INFLUENCE
WAS WON.
whats in season, sonny?"
The STAa reporter put the question to a
young man Of about fourteen summers who
Wars lettering along the street, apparently in
search OF adventures. He answered at once:
"TopsI"
1t takes a father of a family to appreciate
these different seasons with boys. Allys, or
taws, or marbles, are i'll season at one time of
year, kites and tops at another, and during the
ally season You never see a boy with a top.
There is no rule, apparently. governing these
observances, yet they have all the force of law.
Why should not tops be a sport of the fall
instead Of the spring? Let us be content with
knowledge Of the fact, and not ask the why
and wherefore.
This city is the paradise for tops, as it is for
other things Of more importance, but it should
be put down to the citys credit nevertheless.
Tops" said the father OF several boys to
the writer, ARE really good sport and some
times when think no one is likely 10 find me
out like TO spin one myself. There is really
good deal OF skill in it. OF course anybody
can SPIN top; but the game comes In when
you can hit another fellows top and knock it
out OF ring, or possibly split it with the
point OF your own top. l remember when /
was boy we used to use hard lockwood tops
and insert long steel points In them-usually
the blade of an awl-and then when another
boys top was hit sometimes piece of it would
come out and sometimes a lucky stroke would
splt top IN two. OF course these tops with
long points are not very good spinners but
they are famous tops for fighting. In the
course OF my life l have had several delight
full triumphs. but have had few that gave me
pleasanter sensation than the memorable
occasion when the point of my top struck
another top directly in the center and stuck
there fast"
LOST ART.
"Are boys as expert with tops as they used
to be?"
swell" he went on, 81 doubt il they are.
We old fellows are accustomed to consider the
boys OF the present day inferior TO the boys of
our time, whether they really are or not;
stu think we used 10 spin tops better than
our sons do. At least know can beat my
boys even now, although l am very much out
ofpractice."
The truth is that base ball and foot ball have
rather crowded the lesser sports to the wall.
Inc fermer begins early in the spring and lasts
and as much of the winter as can be used for
out-of-door sports. But there is skill and
great deal OF 1t In tops and for marbles
why, good player is hardly ever met with.
billiards and pool are not more difficult to play
we'll
New, all this il but preface to a good story
about top, Senator, a clever fellow and an
omce-ol account of the three last named the
story Is peculiarly local one. The Senator
Is no longer in Office, there is no harm in
telling the yarn now. 1t WAS told by the gem
tieman above quoted who is SO fond OF tops.
THs SENATOR AND THE TOP
Some years ago there came to the city q
bright young man who wanted to be chief of
small bureau in one of the departments. He
really hadn't much backing, but he had plenty
of brass. He had voted the republican ticket.
it is true, and he had hustled a little for the
candidates of his party, but when he got to
washington he found the place overrun with
applicants for Office. all of whom had done
party services that would seem to qualify them
Tor cabinet positions Some OF these, he found
started out by applying for foreign missions
and ended by jumping at positions as depart
ment messengers He saw some who wanted to
be assistant secretaries and were finally pleased
to go Ms consuis to the MOSQUITO
coast. or Zanzibar, and he found still more who
wanted ANYTHING that offered slight salary
and were not able to get anything al all. But
he was not TO be daunted, 30 he went right off
to his Senator and told him what Office he
wanted and asked him to get it for him. The
Senator hemmed and hawed and asked him
what district he came from. 1t was clear that
the big man knew nothing about his constitu-
ent SO the constituent went away without
having obtained any satisfac ton. But mas
much as the big man knew nothing about the
little man the little man determined to find out
all about the big man. and In that way to find
his weak spot and to work upon him accord
in0 Ha ant IN eohx
Senator and asked him questions.
when you and Senator were at school
together" be said, was he good at any studies
in PARTICULAR
NO" was the answer; cant say he was.
Yet he was bright boy, too"
WAS he good at his sports?"
No; can't say that either. He played mar
bles very poorly and tops only fairly we'll"
Tops; that's It, said the young aspirant for
office. Tell me what ne did Al a top spinner"
Why. recoilect he never made but one
really good stroke with tops and that was when
he knocked Jimmy Deans top on the
side, SO that it jumped in the air aud
went clean down the school we'll That
was good one, though, and nav
be = wasn't proud; but 1 rather guess be
atterward."
Whose Jimmy Dean3" the young man
oh" said the Senator's schooImate. "You
know HIM. Hes an elder in the church OUT
our way and school trustee. He'll be going
into politics next"
Armed with the information about the sena.
tors solitary triumph with tops the youno
office seeker called to see h,m again He
found him taking his ease in his shirt sleeves
smoking cigar and going to sleep over . Roy,
eminent report
well. young man, he said a. he looked mn.
II guess you are flying rather too high a kite
In asking to De appointed chief of . bureau"
pardon me, Senator" said the Young man.
tops are in season and would not AZ . kits
ut this time of year.
"Tepsr' said the Senator; s.topsi By love.
used to be . sumner with tops Why, once
Knocked"
Yes. said his visitor, interruptins him. 81
have often heard how you knocked Elder
Deane TOP down the school we'll when you were
ooth boys together. have heard Hr. Dean
himself say is was the finest stroke With tons
he had ever heard of
'Ah! said the Senator. "In all the annals Of
sePe there 10 nothing that approaches that
achievemens Of my early years. Il ought 10
De IN the congressional directory, only i felt 4
little modest and left it out"
And thus young .Nieolo Mschiaveli actually
got the senator 30 pleased over the recoiles-
non q his achievement with his TOP that he in.
oorseo ms constituents application. carried II
up 70 the department himself and followed the
msstef up until the appointment was given 10
the young fellow, Wke had no b.cfine. but
plenty 0f brass. '1'
30 much for tops Important matters oft.,
are decided upoa apparently trivial circnro-