The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-03-17
KEY WEST.
What Tourist is Likely TO Experience In that
Island,
FRANK Leslie's Popular MonhIyl

Frank LeSlie's Popular Honthlyl
1t was regarded as going directly in the face
Of Providence, | believe, this determination of
ours to get at the true inwardness Of place
that everybody had bad word for but we
started at an immense advantage. We had a
welcome awaiting US and pleasant foothold
promised US among the leading families" nor
did We have to pause for the lack of either an
unnecessary moment.
No sooner were we safely on land than warm
Southern greetings allayed our strangeness and
dispelled the dangers Of our ignorance. 1t did
not in the least matter that we were only
friends of friends" of our host and hostess,
with no other claim upon their hospitality than
an introduction by letter. From the moment
of our meeting until that Of our rcgretful de-
parture we became the objects Of unremitting
devotion and delicate attention, which would
have made wilderness blossom as a rose, and
which changed our sef-imp0sed task of local
| investigation into days of delight.
But let US be just before we are even gener-
Gus. To the newly arrived, hotel bound stranger
| the brief glimpse of Key West likely to be his
between the departure of the New York and
the arrival Of the Tampa steamers is depressing.
Instead Of arriving at shutdown, after the glare
of the day has quite passed and the evening sea
| breezes have taken possession of the heated
| streets, he generally finds himself suddenly
! dropped into the midst of motley collection
of broken-down carriages, whose single horses
| seem 10 share the fatigue aud Indifference oil
| their shabby drivers.
He looks up and down long, fat streets
whose old-time shade trees fell into ashes in the
| great IRE OF SIX years ago, and experiences fol-
the first time the direct rays of tropical gun
| that resolve all his energies into one absorbing
desire for shadow and rest.
No friendly hand or word guides his footstep.
| TO any of the cool, roomy houses where such
luxuries can be had for the paying. No timely
| advice su ggests walk just around the corner
to one Of several hotels where questions can be
| answered.
The cabbies" eye him with designing non
chalance and he feels sort of gratitude to TIT
only one who is energetic enough to meet him
take his luggage in charge, as well as himself
and finally deposit both at the door Of the big
| gest hotel in town, sar."
To be sure, his charges are just four times to-
high, and the short distance has been via dolo
roso that threatened with every step fractured
back or dislocated knee. The vehicle, too
seemed probable trap for all known dirt ant
disease incidental to heat and thriftlessness
Key West streets during the dry season ar,
horrors OF alternating sand aud rock, and afte
| a rain are only less horrible to those who pfefe
damp unpleasantness to sitting dust.
The Key Yves. Boniface, however, stand
ready to comfort aud mitigate such introductor,
trials, and then comes the turning point of tn,
| travellers experience. If he is philosophit
enough to keep out of the streets until they Ii,
in shadow, in the meantime taking his observa
tions from breezy veranda, or, as the Ke,
Westcrs call il, gallery, enough will pass unde
his eye both to interest and instruct him.
But If he suecumbs at once to the unqnes
tionable lack of many Northern comforts, ast
will not accept any substitutions, it is well 70
him mot TO speak OF others that his stay shoult