The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-01-12
A SUMMER
BOOM
BY M QUAD
Copyright, 1911. by Associated LII
erary Press
BY M QUAD

1t. The doctor sent him off to sum
mer resort for two weeks to get rlt
Of fever. and when he came home hr
had the biggest kind of an idea in ms
head He got down to the postoflice
that same evening and said to the
crowd
What we want to do is to turn III
and make High Hin a summer resort
She's got everything the heart could
wish for, and IL we don't see 10000
our own fault. I'm primed with facts
and statistics, and | move we call Il
public meeting for next Tuesday even,
ing"
The idea met with favor, and the
meeting was called, and during the
interval the price of butter and eggs
went up 80 per cent. Most of the
families in town decided on taking
boarders. and they decided that $40
! per week would be fair charge
/ There was large turnout at the
meeting, and Deacon Spooner went
right to business by calling for order
and saying:
The idea is to turn High Hill into
summer resort and welcome thou.
sands TO her gates. To get a boom
| under way our motto must be Pro
| Bono Publico.' There must be no
hanging out, no examples Of individ.
ual selfshness. I'm one who is will
ing to turn my house into hotel for
the summer to accommodate the
strangers who will come here, and
I'll also make the price of board as
reasonable as possible"
Deacon, about what would be your
price for board?" asked Truelove
White from the audience.
From $40 to Sl2 week. l guess.
was the reply.
And what would you fodder the
people onY
MOSTLY on meat and taters. but of
course apple sass and custards would
come In pretty frequent"
Then ! move that the price of board
be fixed at S11 per week all round
with extra for waShbowls and lookin
glasses"
The deacon put the motion to the
meeting, and 1t was carried, and be
then said:
There will be hundreds come here
who will want to buy land and build
cottages. I've got twenty village lots. ,
and in order to start the ball rolling
I'll put EN- in at q low value. | hope
others will follow my example"
What would you call a low value,
deacon?" asked Moses Turner as he
rose up.
We'll, | might say S40o apiece. /
presume they'd bring twice that. but
we don't want to rob anybody"
Then came the question Of hauling
the people to and from the railroad
Nothing so discourages a person as to
meet with extortion on the start. He
had thought the matter over, and it
was his idea that the charge should
be So per capita in each direction. In
case any one started a livery stable in
town-and three or four such institu-
tons would be sure to rise up-the fixed
rate should not be above IS an hour
for a horse and blackboard. When he
was at q summer resort he had long
ed for pumpkin pie, and it was not to +,
be had. People who came to High Hill
would long. The pumpkin pie would
be ready, but there must be no extor- +
ton. Every pie. no matter whether +,
round or square, should be cut into !.
four pieces and the price per piece
should be % cents.
There was one thing more, and the
deacon proceeded TO state it. The
people should turn out to welcome ,
every new arrival and make him feel |
20 home, bur for every such turnout !
there should he fixed charge OF 30
cents, and the same should be collect I
ed with the board bill. The meeting |
adjourned amid great enthusiasm. and !
several Of the houses were illuminat |
ed in honor of the occasion. and every !
body went 10 bed happy. They were |
still rejoicing next day when tin |
peddler came along He heard what |
had happened. and then he shook his /
head and mOurnfully replied:
I'm sorry, but you people will be
disappointed
But how?" was asked
why. Halifax is Offering all that
you are and is going to throw in two
mudholes and the brickyard for moth.
ing, and the crowd will all go that .
way"
Then we've got to have a cave" |
said one OF the boomers. Everybody |
coming to summer resort expects to /
see cave and is willing to pay 80 |
cents to wander around in it,"
But Halifax has got one, and the |
admission is only 10 cents"
But we can advertise spelling
schools every evening In the summer"
They've thought Of that over
there"
Then Wen have a camp meeting. |
That'll be a novelty worth a dollar a
head to sinners from the city"
Halifax is already advertising that
very thing"
Look here" said the boomer in |