We'll build a couple of benches out
of this old refreshment board--we'll drive stakes in the ground--and
one of us will go to town--I mean the mainland--with a big sign telling
people they can buy seats for ten cents--because in the boat races when
Sir Thomas Lipton's yacht got beaten lots of people paid to go out on
excursion steamers and this island is better than an excursion steamer,
because they'll go right around the edge of it--right around the coast
and everybody'll get a dandy view."
Thus it was that on Thursday and Friday there; appeared in the
_Bridgeboro Evening Record_ an advertisement which read:
See the High School events on the river from Alligator Island, seats
ten cents. Fine view of the races. Free transportation both ways.
Alligator Island belongs to the boy scouts and is in the middle of the
river, commanding a fine view because the boats go around it. Boat
goes back and forth from Gilroy's field. Absolutely safe. Take the
beautiful ride to Alligator Island and see the races for only ten
cents. Children in arms if not accompanied by parents have to pay five
cents.
It will be observed from the advertisement that Merry-go-round Island,
alias the Isle of Desserts, was now masquerading under a new name,
which had been given it in the hope of obliterating all memories of its
wandering past.
Being now a respectable stay-at-home island, stuck fast with each part
of its coast true to its proper compass point, what more natural than
that its roving youth should be treated as a closed book by its owners?
There it sat in the middle of the glinting river, its sturdy
understructure reposing upon Waring's reef.
Pages:
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123