The movie boys at Seaside Park : $b or, The rival photo houses of the boardwalkAppleton, Victor
General
The movie boys at Seaside Park : $b or, The rival photo houses of the boardwalk
Appleton, Victor
Motion picture theaters -- Juvenile fiction
“I wouldn’t wonder if Mr. Jolly might happen along if we stay here
a day or two longer,” remarked Frank. “You know he was the first to
suggest a look at Seaside Park with a view to business.”
“That’s so,” said Randy. “Did you write to him, Frank?”
“Yes. You know when we closed up at Fairlands he said he would take a
day or two visiting some relatives and looking over the movies business
in the city.”
“Ben Jolly told me he wasn’t going to stay idle all summer. Nor let us
do it, either,” observed Pep. “He’ll have something fresh to tell us
when we see him.”
“Well, when we left Fairlands I sent him a few lines telling him that
we were going to look over the field here,” said Frank. “That is why I
think he may drop in on us.”
“I wish he would,” declared Randy. “Mr. Jolly knows so much about the
business. What’s the programme for to-morrow, Frank?”
“Why, I thought we would find out what it will cost us to move our
traps here from Fairlands, the amount of the license fee for the show,
the cost of a lot of electric wiring and current we will need if we
locate at Seaside Park, how much it will cost us to live, and a lot of
such details.”
The boys had a wonderfully refreshing sleep in that high room pervaded
with cool ocean breezes, and got up fully an hour later than they had
planned. After Peter Carrington had left them the evening before they
had strolled down the beach about nine o’clock to get an idea of the
evening crowds. This filled them more than ever with ardor as to their
prospective business undertaking.
“I say,” Randy had observed, “don’t you see, Frank, there aren’t enough
amusements to go around?”
“Yes,” Frank had assented, “the crowds seem just in trim for some
lively entertainment.”
The chums dispatched a substantial breakfast at the restaurant. Then
they started out on their second day’s investigation of conditions and
prospects at Seaside Park.
Frank made it a point to interview several owners of concessions along
the beach. Those with whom he talked had attractions vastly inferior
to the one the chums designed to operate, but the boys picked up many
a suggestion and useful hint. It was shortly before noon when they
sat down to rest under a tree in that part of the town given over to
permanent residences and summer cottages. They began talking over
the ever-present theme of their photo playhouse when there was an
interruption.
Down the street there strolled leisurely a young man who made it a
point to halt whenever he got in front of a house. There he would
linger and begin a series of whistling exploits that made the air
vibrate with the most ravishing melody.
“Say, just listen to that!” exclaimed Pep, in a pleased tone.
“It’s one of those trick whistles,” declared Randy.
“Then it’s an extra fine one,” said Pep.
“I think you are mistaken, boys,” suggested Frank. “Those are real
human notes--at least almost exact human imitations of bird tones.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account