New-York tribune., 1901-04-14
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TOPS THAT BLOOM IN THE SPRING.

TOPS THAT BLOOM IN THE SPRING
Tops do not change in fashion from spring to
spring any more than tulips and jonquiIs do.
and every year new boys learn how to spin them.
There is popular impression that a boy is born
knowing how spin a top But this is not So
The boy who lives in the house. or in the
same block, Just around the corner, tell you
some interesting things about tops. if you ask
him.
In this story it is the boy around the corner who
was consulted the subject He says there are
three kinds Of tops this spring-tte wooden top at
penny, the rubber peg top, at two. three.
five cents, and the lockwood top. at 10 and Is
cents The lockwood top is the most desirable ton
there is. and he states that if he were to have a
choice of the thing he like best at the pres
ent time 1t would be lockwood top He has a
good many tops as it is. He has tin bucket full
but as there are games to be played with tops he
has none too many. He scarcely knows where he
got all the tops in the bucket. but he thinks he
won some of them playing peg top" and then he
bought some Of them and and then he found
one. The fact is boy in the spring is a kind OF
magnet for tops. They just naturally draw 70 him
from all directions
"A top having large wooden peg IN the top
IT is not good top to spin said the hoy around
the corner ''If you want it spin properly it is
necessary to cut the peg right off with your jack
knife The peg makes it top heavy, and it is
likely to spin on the peg the point" Here
the boy illustration of the behavior of
top with big wooden peg it, and enough,
away it went whizzng on it's head in manner
that made 1t feel dizzy and tumble over
It's side. where 1T lay very still. though quite
exhausted.
There is great trick in having the string
actly the right length" continued the boy. You
have to gauge the length of the string by placing
| your toe end of it, and then reaching up
as high you The highest you reach
with the string In your hand is the longest you
can have the string. If you, have the string
longer. when you throw the top. after winding it,
the string will all unwind and So OF course
| the top can't spin II you throw it properly.
| Then, If the string is too short. 1t unwinds too
| soon, and then also the top cannot spin Here
the boy illustrated the scheme OF measuring top
| string, and he quite tall boy for one
who had just begun two figures in writing
down his age. why. 1t took rather a long string.
Yes. girls spin tops after fashion, ad-
| nitted the boy with half concealed contempt
| for feminine limitations. That is. if a girl has a
| brother she may in time spin top. My sister
! sometimes spins my top. but she Is sure
! when she winds throws 1t that IL will spin. A
| boy always knows. He knows that II the top
doesn't spin properly, II is the fault OF the top.
! and not his own fault"
1t only after expert cross-examination
that the boy induced TO confess that the first
time that he ever succeeded in making a top spin
! he was surprised. He had tried all one day, and
although he had repeatedly failed. still he per-
| severed lie knew that 1T a mere question OF
| time. that later that top would have to
/ give in, and do what was expected of it. But It
! was very stubborn top Every time he threw it
| all It did go wabbling off on its side and try
! amount OF attempts II at last behaved handsome
| y, and rewarded his perseverance by humming a
| 1t seemed to be asleep. That night he dreamed of
| tops. and the next morning he up bright
| never had any trouble with that top. with any
other since that time. By the end Of the next day