Evening star., 1922-03-26

hluQS OF OOpe on WneTe W BO aAteA
we landed. Inez, for instance. had
been talking with honeymoon
couple from Fitchburg. Mass, who
had planned out a regular sight-see-
ing tour. starting in at st. Augustine
and ending at Palm Beach. So she
was all for that.
If you're strong for making one
night stands" says Barry Platt, land
for packing and unpacking trunks.
that would do fine. But it doesn't
appeal to me. Besides, We are about
three weeks too late in the season,
and we'd finGh the east coast hotels
pretty well thinned out by this time.
1t gets hot down there. too
well, them" l asks, Whats the
idea? Want to stay here?'
Hardly" says Barry. This isn't
really Florida. It's merely the front
gate. And I'll say it's some toll-gate.
too! Do you know what they've got
the nerve to sting me for a single
room and bath here?"
wasn't interested. nor would I
wall with Barry over the prices asked
by some of these pirates who drive
for-hire touring cars.
Forget it," says I, ''and give US
your hunch."
!. !: = :.
"A Nd it seems he'd got acquainted
with some young sport who was
headed for place in the center of
the state. where there was a cracker
Jack golf course and good black bass
fishing.
Not that noisy young hick who's
still telling the world about this and
that" says I. Say. he's just natu-
rally bound to be wrong that bird.
Besides. Barry. why be satisfied with
a fresh water lake when there's such
q lot of real seashore on either side
Of the state? Also, who wants to
watch you play a punk game of golf?
None of the rest of us has that vice,
you know
"All right" says Barry. you tell
us where to CO..
"Cheerfully." says I. The Belle
vista. It's the only regular spot on
the west coast"
How you know so much. when you
amt been here before?" demands
1neZ.
Simply because I've had expert ad-
vice" says l. Remember the zippy
young woman with the Frenchy get
up who was vamping the wireless
operator SO consistent? She figured
on the passenger list as Mile. Latour.
but 1 happen to know that her real
name was Maggie Ryan. WE'LL she's
the millinery expert in charge of DOLL
1nger & Co.'S resort branches. and
she's on her way to this Bellevista
Joint to conduct closing-out sale
and move what's left of the sport hat
display up to White Sulphur or Pine
hurst. And if there's anything she
doesn't know about tourist spots. it's
something that's been developed with
in the last few weeks. She assures
mo that the Bellevista has class
two jazz orchestras. tiled swimming
pool. Japanese tea house. roof
garden grill. roulette club, and a
whole stablefu1 of real riding horses.
That last listens good to me. for /
haven't been on the upper deck of a
horse since I used to gallop old
Buckskin over the three miles of
sand from DodSe's Clearing to Tama-
rack Junction. I vote for the Belle
vista. It's just a nights ride south
Of here"
'Lotta swells there?" asks Inez:
x 4 4 =
"A BsOLUTELY." says 1: steel
plutes, pickle kings, shaving
soap barons and chain grocery store
magnates. All the names you see in
the full-page ads. and some that get
S,t atx-
tour tells me that most of the men
are poddy old boys. who still have
bristles on their necks, but that some
of their fat wives dress up like plush
horses and come down to breakfast
so splashed with diamonds that they
look as if they'd been through a sleet
storm Ought to be worth seeing,
eh?"
could tell that I'd won Inez over.
just by the way she paused in her
gum stroke. but Uncle Nels, who had
been playing a thinking part up to
this point. shook his head.
Them big hotels 1 don't like says
he. "AIl time hafta give somebody
ten cents tip
"Wha-a-at" I gasped. Dime tips.
Why, they haven't heard of those
since the panic of 81. You'd have to
spray the help with real money
ones and fives and tens-to get any
service in joint like that"
"I couldn't do it," says Uncle Nels.
"No. I wouldn't like that Bellevista."
Huh" grumbles 1nez. And then.
under her breath, she adds: "Old
tightwad"
But / couldn't help geeting his point
of view after ALL" says I, "Uncle
Nels is giving the party. Perhaps he
has picked out a place for himself.
1t seems he had. An old boy he'd
been cumming with in the smoking
room had given him full descrip-
tion of what he insisted was the one
bright particular spot in Florida.
We'll, what's it got on the rest of
sem?" says 7.
Lolita things" says Uncle Nels;
~benches on sidewalks"
"I don't follow you" says 1.
swhat's the special merit in that?"
$50 you can sit around and talk to
other people," explains Uncle Nels.
s"rhey got checker tables on the side
walk, too. Then there is a big park
where they pitch horseshoes, and the
band plays, and a long dock where
YOU can fish. and a place to swim.
Nice folks go there"
"Ye-e-esr says I. "But who Is
this new friend of yours who's such
q good Judge Of people?"
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