The Monitor-register., 1896-04-17

twenty-five boys and men had formed il
line, Perry was third in the line.
At nine O'Clock the door was opened
by an elderly man, who gave an exclama
ton OF surprise when he saw how many
were waiting. Then he said:
"Well, first come, first served Sorry
L can't employ all of you, but 1 need only
one. I'll talk with you."
He nodded toward a tall young mar
at the head of the line, who stepped
briskly into the room, and the door wa.
closed.
The young man came out five minutes
later looking a little crestfallen. Their
the gentleman came to the door and said
"Next."
The next young man came out, too
and then it was Perry's turn.
He was asked regarding his age and
family, and his recommendations were
examined.
"Those are all good" said the gentle.
man. "Now, do you know where Lake
Window is ?"
eyes, sir"
"lf l engage you, I would want you tc
go out there and stay until October"
"Very well, SIR"
"Have you ever been out there ?"
Ives, sir; I went out there to a picnic
one day last summer"
"There are picnic parties at the lake
nearly every day from the middle of MAY
to about the tenth of October. The
owners of the lake and grounds want
someone to 60 out there and take charge
of the boats that are hired out by the
hour to picnic parties, and collect the
charges.
"There are some other things to be
done, but nothing that a boy Of your age
could not do. But l want to tell you be.
forehand that you would have a lonely
time of it at night"
"Wouldn't there be any one else there
at night but myself P"
mo; you would be entirely. alone.
There is a cafe there, and a peanut-stand
or two, and a man who takes tintypes.
But these people go to their homes in
Crofton, a town about a mile from the
lake, at night. We should want you to
stay at the grove for several reasons. I
think you would be safe enough, but it
would be lonesome"
Eyes, l suppose so," replied Perry.
Visions of long, lonely nights passed
through his mind; but his need of money
was urgent.
"I'll be glad to go if the pay suits me-"
he said.
swell, will give you ten dollars a
week and your board at the cafe and a
ticket on the railroad, so that you can
come to the city every Saturday night
and stay until Monday morning."
1t was more than Perry had expected.
He had not hoped to receive more than
seven or eight dollars a week for any,
thing an inexperienced boy like himself
could do.
'Thank you, sir" he said. 81 will re-
port for duty to morrow morning."
SAN right. There is to be a big picnic
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 duties. l would
like you to 60 out on the seven O'Clock
train. Call here at about three this after.
noon and get your railroad ticket for six
months"
Lake Window, twenty miles from the
city, was a clear, deep body of water
about three fourths of a mile long and
half a mile wide. The grass grew to the
very edge of the water all around, and at
n side was a large and pretty grove
fitted up for picnic parties that paid for
the use of the grounds.
There were thirty.fve or forty small
boats for hiring out at fifty cents an hour
to picknickers. 1t was Perry's duty to
take full charge of these boats and to
collect the money for their use.
There are some swings with box seats
for four persons e the boats. Ten
cents a half hour was charged for the
swings. There was a bowling alley in
charge of a 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 a pleasant one in
the day time, when the grounds were
often filled with merry picnic parties, but
the silence and lonliness 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 whipporwill.
AS the shadows of the trees heightened
on the lake and the water darkened in the
twilight, Perry would sometimes take a
boat and row for an hour or two, after
walking around through the deserted
woods to pick up things lost by the pic
nickers.
The keeper of the cafe always set out
Perry's supper, and then left for Crofton.
After eating his lonely meal, time would
drag slowly with the boy until nint
O'Clock, when he turned in" for the
night. He slept in a bare little room at
one end of the cafe building-an implanted
and unpl astered structure.
AS the season advanced, the loneliness
of Perry's nights came to an end, but he
would have preferred solitude to the CON-
pany that then resorted to the grounds.
Nearly every night the place was visited
by tramps, whose shouts and quarrels
and brawls increased the disagreeableness
of Perry's situation.
The tramps would wander about the
grove. picking up and eating the food
thrown away by picnic parties, before
going to sleep in the dancing pavilion or
on the long covered piazza in front of the
cafe. Here little that could be stolen or
eaten was kept over night by the propris-
tor, who took his stock in trade to Croft
ton every evening and returned in the
morning before the arrival Of picnic
trains.
The tramps never came around i'm the
daytime, and Perry tried to behave that
they were Ignorant Of the fact that be had