Waiting Table On The Illinois

The steamer "Illinois," on which so many U. of M. boys found a summer's job and a pleasant outing, when touching ports, sends to land home messages.

Bob Dailey, one of the "company," writes of what he will do with his money; says summer resorts cut lid figure and washing dishes is a cruel observance.

The steamer runs between Chicago and Mackinac; but Robert was disappointed in Mackinac, Charlevoix and Petoskey, but thinks it is probably because he saw them "free." The boys are hired to wait table but, Bob writes: "The other day we had two hundred on board and I helped wash the dishes, which numbered about 1500 — ! ! !" 

Having missed the boat one day at Mackinac, "Tommie, Louie, Jamie," and Bobbie lunched on a pound of Saratoga chips, a pound of cheese, crackers and a dozen bananas. The boat picked them up at night and no one on board was very sore. 

Robert says: "the job Is getting. harder all the time, but we will be released from the kitchen in about a week. When the outings begin we carry about 300 people and the tables seat only 84." 

Robert's letter bore no indication of this strenuous lift but then it was written with only forty on board, and the sea was calm.