own as the
main parlor. His wife was an invalid, and the poor man was beside
himself in his perplexity.

With wondering, smiling faces they came--a pleasing array of city
boarders--ease and comfort written upon every face.

His audience assembled, the distressed gentleman proceeded to pour forth
his grievances. He asked what he should do in such a dilemma. His help
had been engaged from the swarms of colored persons who infest the
stations and public resorts along the coast. They had given trouble ever
since the hotel was opened. They complained and annoyed him first about
one thing, then about another, till he was well on to the verge of
lunacy.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," he pathetically continued, "if I try to
soothe and satisfy, and raise wages and make promises, what guarantee
have I that the same thing will not occur to-morrow, and next day, and
next week? I engaged them fairly and squarely, and have held strictly
to my contract. They are so spoiled and unmanageable that there is no
satisfaction in their service. Even now, while I am talking they are no
doubt still in an uproar. Why, it is a wholesale mutiny. Something must
be done at once. I have come to you for advice. If, as I say, they could
be persuaded to remain, I cannot promise you any comfort. If I discharge
the whole crew, it will be a day, perhaps two days, before I can supply
their places; for I shall have to go to New York for white help. Can you
solve the problem?"

For a moment there was silence. Then Miss May Delano, a handsome,
wealthy city girl, said, with a challenging glance all around: "I'll
wait upon the table for my part, if somebody will get me something to
serve!"

This was received with an outburst, and instantly all was chatter and
confusion as they caught up the spirit of the thing.

"I'll fill the orders as fast as you can take them," boasted a Wall St.
exquisite, who would have unbent his dignity to any degree to please the
bewitching heiress.

"I'll help anywhere--wherever I'm needed," exclaimed another city belle.

"And I!" came in chorus. "We'll be chambermaids," said a party who had
just donned bathing suits of blue flannel.

"All right! Get to work!" commanded the crowd. "You have on just the
dress for the business."

"Well, Mrs. Ingalls," smilingly encouraged a plump matron, "I suppose
we might do as good cooking here as we have done at home in times of
emergency. Shall we try?"

"I'm agreeable," laughed the lad