Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1893-08-10

k'~-N>S~N-
his mind; but his need of money was
urgent.
"Tll be glad to go If the pay suits
me, = he said
"Well, l will give you ten dollars a
week and your board at the cafe and
ticket on the railroad, so that you can
come to the city every Saturday night and
stay until Monday morning."
1t was more than he expected. He
had not hoped to receive more than seven
or eight dollars week for anything an
inexperienced boy like himself could
do.
Thank you, sir" he said. 81 will
report for duty tomorrow morning."
'All right. There is to be a big pic
mic party out at the lake tomorrow, and
the young man who had charge of the
boats and swings last year will go out
with you and instruct you in your du-
ties would like you to go out on the
seven o'clock train. Call here at about
| three this afternoon and get your rail-
road ticket for six months.'
/ Lake Window, twenty miles from the
city, was clear, deep body of water
about three-fourths of mile long and
half mile wide. The grass grew to the
very edge Of the water all around, and
at one side was a large and pretty grove
fitted up for picnic parties that paid for
the use of the grounds.
There were thirty five or forty small
boats for hiring out at fifty cents an hour
to picnickers. 1t was Perry's duty to
take full charge of these boats and to
collect the money for their use.
There were some swings with box seats
for four persons near the boats. Ten
cents half-hour was charged for the
swings. Then there was bowling alley
in charge of young man named Hale,
who lived in Crofton He went to his
home every evening, after turning over
the receipts Of the bowling alley to
Perry
The total sum thus placed in Perry's
charge sometimes amounted to seventy
five dollars.
Perry's situation was pleasant one in
the day time, when the grounds were
often filed with merry picnic parties, but
the silence and loneliness that followed
their departure were depressing. The
lake was secluded, and as night came few
sounds were heard except the dismal
hooting of owls in the dim woods or the
mournful song of the whippoorwill.
AS the shadows of the trees length
ened ON the lake and the water darkened
} in the TWILIGHT Perry would sometimes
take a boat and row for an hour or two.
after wolk;nr ground tbrouob tho a.
serted woods tn nick nm tbin5ss Inst nv
the picknickers.
The keeper of the cafe ALWAYS set out
Perrv,s sumner and then left for Crofton
After eatino his lonely meal time would
DRAG SLOWLY with the how until Q o'clock
when he .:turned inn for the MONT He
slent in n hare little room At one end Of
the cafe bnilding-anu nnainted and m
plastered structure.
Az the season advanced the lonel;nes
If Perrv,s NIGHTS came 10 an end Int he
would have nreferred solitude IN the
comnanv that then resorted tn the
Grounds Nearly avery MONT the n,oce
was visited by tramps. whose shouts and
hrawls increasad tha d;sagreeahleness Of
Perry's situation 80
4 The tramps would wander around the
grove. picking up and eating the food
thrown awav Nv the nicnic parties. before
going to sleep in the dancing pavilion or
On the long covered piazza IN front Of the
cafe Here little that could he stolen or
eaten was kent over NIGHT bv the nro-
prietor, who took his stock in trade to
, crofton every evening and returned in
the nornino before the arrival Of n;cnic
J trains. z
The tramps never came around in the
| DAYTIME. and Perry tried tn believe that
they were ignorant of the fact that he
had money in his possession. Usually
they paid little attention to him.
Z. Perry's instructions we're that he
: should send to the city eyery Thursday
morning his REGENTS for the three IRE.
yious DAYS. and bring in With him on
, Saturday night the money taken during
the three closing DAYS of each week. On
Wednesday night Of the fifth week Of his
, STAY his takings from three large picnics
on successive days amounted to nearly a
l,,nI,a1 1rlla.,