The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-04-20

SHdIuio uuCAuaAtCu w any OeAGi
that | know. TIC me it is a regret
that the tourist so rarely stops
in Key West long enough to
glimpse at least few of the
quaint and lovely seatu.es that
make this island city unique. For
here are found exotic qualities
not elsewhere to be discovered in
our work-a-day American world.
An Isle o. Dreams, Key West i'm
vites the tired soul to rest and
muse and take fresh inspiration
beneath her always-summer foil
age, beside her ever-summer seas.
The exotic quality Of Key Vests
quaint old streets and houses, seen
by glorious sunlight or by witching
moonglow such as the North never
lkn0ws--this, and dimly-perceived
figures murmnring together in
/ Spanish, and glimpses of strange
flowers, and palm-plunes gently
Whispering iii the trade-Wind. all
appeal to the understanding heart.
And though your calendar pro-
claim the season winter, selfishly
You exult as you inhale the balm
like air, or swim in milk-warm
surfs on coral beaches:
"Thank God. winter is over for
me!'
Key West Is more than mere
city, a collection of houses and
human beings, a subject for trade
statistics and figures on The
sponge. fish and cigar-business. 1t
1 is a state Of mind, dreamland Of
sunny skies and breeze-swept
shores. q haven of refuge from
King Winter and all his distress
ing legions. In many ways Key
West-my home for many winters
seems to me what heaven would
! be if | had the planning of heaven
and could surround it with coral
reefs. with seas Of deepest sap
phire and of opalescent, melting
turquoise.
If you are looking for Society,
in the grand manner; for osten-
| tation. display or excitement,
come not hither. Key West has
no roaring caravanserais, no beau
ty-shows, no jazz-up and hectic
nightiife. Her best hotel can give
you every comfort and refinement
that any reasonable soul requires.
and at extremely moderate rates;
but do not expect to dwell in
marble halls or peacock alleys.
[ Key West has the distinction of
lying several hundred miles farth-
er south than Cairo, Egypt, and Of
being far and away the most
southern city in the United States.
The very most southern house in
our country stands here; and it so
| happens that ! dwell next door to
lit---a great distinction, SURELY
The coral island whereon this sea-
going city SO contentedly basks is
only d little over a mile wide. by
less than five long. II occupies
1.-THE center Of genuine Paradise
for the fisherman and yachtsman.
THE swimmer and sunbather. and
FOR such as love to dream and lux
uriate in warmth while all the rest
OF the country shiyers.
This Island City Il never-end-
ing inspiration to the beauty-lover
and the seeker after things both
colorful and quaint; to those who
yearn for murnsuring surfs on
long curves Of shell beaches gleani-
ing white; tremendous and trans.
parent Moons with ardent sun cast
ing joyous benedicti0ns over vastly
indigo dreams Of sea; golden
dawns across horizons of flaming
orange and crimson; sunsets Of
allnring and incredible beauty.
| Here. King Winter and his
knave Jack Frost are BY sun and
sea forever barred; for Key West
lis the only American city which in
all its history has never known
hail. snow or ice. In SO years
Of record. only once has the mer-
curry sunk even to al degrees.
Only twice has IT risen as high as
% degrees. The average annual
temperature Il about 81 degrees;
and what more could the heart
Of any warmth-loving human re-
Quire.
J Here Ii Key West you shall find
queer. cid. Spanish houses. rena-
inisceni Of other times when once
the Don held sway. From An.
i Gent walls, swift little chameleons
i peep cut. jewel-eyed; or skitter
around . date-palm: or whisk up
q tall-spiked siaal. Here. under
/ the dreneh 81 glorious tropic sun
| shine. live and move people Of
foreign aspect and entertaining
ways Can All this be q part and
I parcel IL the UnifSd States? Aye;
verify: but : queer corner Of our
Uncle Samnel's domain L Is. IN.
deed!
| Everywhere ii Key West you
see swaying and leaning coco
palms with eraeile trends and
clusaered nuts: and here ard there
ron find the raRgedly-splis and
vivid green % hanana-palnas. Ts
me palms ~ III sorts spell Ro