Year: 1877

Herald Of Health.



TIP AND TOP $50 WEST"


Tip was the older of the two. I can't
really say how old he was, and what is
more, Tip himself didn't know. He
wore a mans coat and a pair of very
small trowsers, but neither fitted him.
His hat was an old felt affair that he had
picked up in a back alley, and his head
seemed very much as if it might have
been picked up with it.


Top was the other partner. II was Top
who bought the melon, because he had
sold all his papers but one, and had an
uncommon handful of change. The
melon was cheap, too, and only trifle
spoiled, 20 the partners sat down on a
stone and ate it. Then Tip wiped his
mouth on his coat sleeve and looked at
Top, who had spread his last paper over
his'knees, and was slowly spelling out the


"There's a row somewhere, but / cant
make out which side is lickin'; it's the
Turkeys or the other fellers. What be the
Turkeys, TipT'


"Base ball fellers, reckon; them kind
is great at skrimmage."


"And a freshet carried off railroad
bridge. Tarando' in Dubbs County
blowed all the oats down. Does oats grow
on trees, Tip, or bushesW


Bushes, and kind o. limber."


"Terrible catastrophe What is cat
astrophe, Tip?"


ITS kind of fjumpin' animal Don't
ye mind the one we seen at the circus W
Top folded up his paper with sigh.


The circus was the beginning of the
partnership, when the two boys, curled
up together in a crockery crate, had
been awakened in the dusk of May
morning, by The long train of circus
wagons rumbling away into the country.
Half asleep, they followed on, keeping
pace with the great brown hulk that
strobe with swaying trunk after the wag-
ons, and glancing half fearfully ut the
awkward camels that barred their great
teeth viciously, as If they would not at
all mind making mouthful of the two
little vagabonds. Once driver noticed
them, and cracked his long whip at them,
but they only fell back few steps.


"I say, Tip, let's 60 on till it stops"
whispered Top; and with nod the bar
gain was concluded.


1t was ten o'clock before the circus
stopped, and the boys, footsore and hun
CRY, hung around the wagons, getting
plenty of kicks and abuse, which were
no more than they were accustomed to
at home, but rewarded by a glimpse OF
the animals as they were fed, and making
q rare breakfast on loaf of bread that
girl in dirty spangled dress snatched
from one of the wagons and tossed to
them.


Top had risen in the world since then.
He had left rag picking and gone into the
newspaper business, and even picked up
little learning at the night class in the
newsboy's home. But he was loyal TO
his partner, and often shared his good
fortune with him. He had plan now
for them both.


"I say, Tip, let's you and me go to
farmin'."


Tip looked at Top, took off his hat,
turned it over as if looking for an idea
in it, and put it on again, and said moth
ing.


"There's a chap came down to the
home told us fellers if you go out west a
bit, guvment would let ye have a farm
free, Jest for livin' ont. Best kind O.
ground, too. We could raise things to
sell. besides havin' all the melons and
stuff you could swaller every day."


"Cm on" said Tip, his mouth water
ing at the thought. is it fur, out west,
do you reckonY"


money, and we can walk it easy. Git
yer other shirt, an we'll start tomorrow
mornin'."


That night Top drew all his money
from the deposit of the newsboys home
three dollars and sixty-fve cents. The
first thing he did was to buy two clay
pipes and paper of tobacco. Then he
laid in store of provisions, in the shape
Of sheet of stale buns, triangle OF
cheese, and dozen herrings. Tip was
on hand promptly. with his other shirt
in wad under his arm, and the two
started Z" out west"


"May as we'll ride ten, cents worth, !"
said Top, paying fare for the two on an
omnibus that ran to the city limits.


Afterward, they walked on toward the
open prairie, breakfasting as they went
and adding to their stores a turnip and
a couple of tomatoes that had jolted from
some laden market wagon. Miles after
miles of market garden, where women
and children were hoeing, wedding and
gathering vegetables. They stopped at
one house and asked for water, and a
woman in brown stuff petticoat and a
white short gown offered them some milk
in big yellow bowl, and piece of black
bread. A boy was washing long yellow
carrots by the pump. Tip bit one, and
liked it. lip was always hungry. Then
they went on, and by-and-by came to the
end of the gardens. There were great
stubby fields and a stack of yellow straw
They sat down by this stack to rest, and
then Top thought of the pipes. The men
whom he knew always smoked when they
rested at noon, and so be and TIP tried
1t. They had tried it before with ends oi
cigars they had picked up, and once Tor
had bought new cigar, a fifteen center
and smoked it all, though it made him
fearfully sick. The pipes did not seem to
agree with them. Tip felt particularly
uncomfortable, and wished he had not
eaten that carrot. They did not make
any remarks about il, but presently they
put away the pipes and went to sleep In
the sun. When they walked 1t was sun
set and growing chilly.


"No use 10 90 any furder tonight,
said Top; and they burrowed into tn.
straw and were as snug as two field
mice.


In the morning there were only her