Down
in the long rows of benches, crowds of people sat watching the game,
while occasionally a father might arise and go near to shout
encouragement, cautionary commands, or applause at his flying offspring.
Frequently mothers called out: "Be careful, Georgie!" The orchestrion
bellowed and thundered on its platform, filling the ears with its long
monotonous song. Over in a corner, a man in a white apron and behind a
counter roared above the tumult: "Popcorn! Popcorn!"
A young man stood upon a small, raised platform, erected in a manner of
a pulpit, and just without the line of the circling figures. It was his
duty to manipulate the wooden arm and affix the rings. When all were
gone into the hands of the triumphant children, he held forth a basket,
into which they returned all save the coveted brass one, which meant
another ride free and made the holder very illustrious. The young man
stood all day upon his narrow platform, affixing rings or holding forth
the basket. He was a sort of general squire in these lists of childhood.
He was very busy.
And yet Stimson, the astute, had noticed that the young man frequently
found time to twist about on his platform and smile at a girl who shyly
sold tickets behind a silvered netting. This, indeed, was the great
reason of Stimson's glowering. The young man upon the raised platform
had no manner of license to smile at the girl behind the silvered
netting.
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