The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-04-23

| smart HOIelS With some OI the ITlonOS
she made. or with Pima or Owen.
The riding lessons were fun; so was
the tap dancing.
Iris thought on the whole she was
enjoying herself, but the days were
so full she had scarcely time to think
about it. The day was engineered.
dovetailed relentlessly.
She Jaw Dicky Hamilton a good
deal. He gave her, indeed. sort Of
little-brotherly relationship which
she found was his with most girls; a
small-boy-privileged air.
Camilla Wendell. oddly enough,
came to be Iris's most frequently
met friend. Iris had the house to
herself, with occasionally Owen, in
the afternoons she was not riding
or at dancing class. 1t was delightful
and incredibly effortless.
A little group got into the habit
of making it a rendezvous: Dicky
and handful of his friends; Ca
milla, one or two other girls. Com.
ing in for tea. Do have those little
toasted things" voice would say
over the telephone; or. bringing a
crowd. Tell Honora not to stint the
bacardi-"
LAS if it was a clubhouse!" Ca
nilla said angrily to IRIS one day.
Il adore it," Iris said. Its like
the stories was brought up on. OF
how the Lannings used to keep open
house. If anybody interesting or IA
nous came to Persia. they were al
ways entertained there: and there
were always people in for dinner
and coming and going" She lauged.
Il suppose it was one reason we lost
some of the money we did lose"
1T isn't DIT all like that" Camilla
said, her brows knitting. She looked
almost distinguished, still and
straight in the lalf light. Iris
thought, but why need she be cross
about it? And then a wild cry rose
from the other end of the room.
IRIS. hey, Iris! Some of these
L dumbbells want to go to the
movies to see Mae West, and we
want to go-on over to Tony's. Make
'em see reason"
81 couldn't make anybody in this
room see reason!" she said, laugh
ing. "And | have to dine at home.
anyhow Fight it out the best you
can"
Presently they were gone, and
HJnOra reentered to air the room
and collect the glasses. The two
girls drifted up to Iris's own room.
Maybe l can get little painting
done before it's time to go out with
Phina," Iris said She knew Camilla
was Eappiest when ore didn't focus
on her. She went over to the window
and began to paint. 1t was a NINA.
lure of Phina, partly from a photo
graph and partly from moments
snatched from Phina's busy life.
"Abou, this gang" Camilla began
again.
"Oh. please don't. Camilla"
"All right. Who taught you to
do all the things you can do?"
MY father and aunt and uncle.
| lived with three people who hadn't
much to amuse them except giving
me lessons"
Camilla relaxed into the soft chair
for a minute, then Strengthened her
sho llders in the perfectly-ftting
dark crepe that. when she sat prop
erly. triumphed over her awkward.
ness.
"ThinK Of doing what you like to
GO," she said passionately. 81 can't
ever remember doing anything |
really enjoyed since was born. Ex-
cept one thing" She colored q dark
red and stopped short.
Iris supposed it was going to be
Owen. but it was not. I'll like writ
ing POEMS" she said in a shamed
low voice.
To Iris. brought up in the faith
that any expression of art was more
sacred than money. food. shelter,
almost than life, this was simple
enough os s2,ss;.
I'D love to see some." she said.
You're wonderful" Camilla said.
People either giggle or get embar-
raised. usually, about poetry. And
my mother hates it, because won't
read to people in parlors and bore
them. | know bore them. But /
cave to write. or wouldn't" She
was alive and natural for the first
time since Iris had met her. She
clicked her handbag open and shyly
gave Iris some clearly written
sheets to read.
Iris. expecting to be kind, to be
enco.raging-Iris. who had been
reared on poetry. as on music and
art. since she could remember
read. reread. and looked up, amazed.
This girl she had thought a stupid
good-hearted fool had written poems
which. if not great, were certainly
lucid, exquisite. and technically fine.
(CosyrisEf. 1856. AG,ss,st Wi84sme,I
Iris finds one of her dreams shat.
tered. tomorrow.