The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-04-07
lie &e1!x,s,,s,,4I! e. s -.
By BLANCHE,


for someone worthy of that 10y
atty.
Grams Corner
| a MANDA GOODLOE came
II through the wide doorway I'M
der its delicate fanlight. AT the
thres hold, his wizened face
wreathed in smiles, she was met
by an old negro carrying foot
stool and bowling profoundly.
"A, fine day. Amos"
Eyes ma'am. Miss Mandy.
mighty fine"
aOnly the sixth of May, and
warm as July. Wen have tea in
the garden"
"Yes'm."
Four fifty-fve to the minute
marked the beginning of the tea
hour at Goodies Choice. In
pleasant weather it was always
served out of doors. usually in
Amanda's favorite corner where
the box grew thickest and
blended its spicy fragrance with
| the aroma of Oolong and mint.
| Sometimes the young people
clamored to have the table close
to the swimming pool. the tennis
courts. or down on the lowest ter
race which gave upon the meadow
where hurdles for trying new
hunters had been placed. Usu-
| ally though. it was in "Gran's own
corner" that everyone assembled
during the long summer after
moons to fritter away a golden
hour.
Amanda took her leisurely way
there-a slender, erect, white
haired figure. She crossed the
colnmned portico and formal
stone terrace. walked. between
box. down five steps to clipped
green sward. past centurv-old
rose arbors. a lily pond. and
turned into a narrow walk. where
wild violets pointed the way to
her peacock chair under the oak.
About to seat herself Mrs.
Goodloe Strengthened and stood
at attention. Her keen old ears had
caught a sound more heavenly
than the chanting of celestial
choirs-the sound of galloping
| households. The light staccato
| football of the thoroughbred as
different from the more deliberate
tread of his plebeian cousin as day
is from night.
1.-THE children are coming! Hear.
| Amos?"
eyes. Miss Mandy"
BE sure there are enough sand
witches. The children will be hum
grv "
"Ain't 1t the TRUTH" Amos
smiled broadly. at do beat all how
thew can eat"
miss Judith likes strawberry
iam-and tt ere will be guests"
Woe To The Climber!
THERE were always guests. The
| Goodies never "gave a tea"
but If one was lucky enough to be
inside the lockwood hedge. which
grew three rows thick in places
one received q fragrant pink
luetre cup from Amanda's hand.
Having tea at Goodloe's Choice
was like being presented at Q
private MISUNDERSTANDING
to boast ahnut casually. II placed
one very definitely. for although
the hour was informal. Amanda
did not pass out tea promiscuous-
Il " Woe be to the climber who
penetrated her hedgel
THROUGH contented eyes she
looked about her. OF all her DOS.
sessions-they were many and
varied-she nlaced the highest
value upon the lockwood hedge. II
was a concrete symbol of all that
had gone to make up the 20 amaz-
in" wears Of her life.
She had not been born within
its aristocratic confines. A Goodloe
sad married her. and her sub
stantial bonds. after the loss of a
beloved Young wife and when the
sheriff's hammer threatened the
hox Amanda had saved II then
from preedv creditors. Many times
since. she had saved II from the
sr~ndthrifi Gondlncs themselves.
SDicilv fragrant. greenlv re-
mote. II guarded her from an In
ftrnsive world while IL proclaimed
snnre hlatantlv than a radio loud
sneaker. the difference between
/ those within and those without Its
sacred boundary In proportion 10
'he sacrifices she had made for IL
Amanda loved the lockwood. In
'enselv iealauslv proudly she
loved II IN the innermost DEPTHS
If her soul she venerated IL.
The first Eoodloe. who had come
ever with Calvert and his cava-
Tiers, had brought with him hum
lreds Of tinv green shoots EN-.
Nedied in the beloved soil Of old
England. Il blended So well with
he new strange earth that the box
took root at once and started
hravelv to outline Goodies
Choice" in nv Lord Baltimore,s
s~~~ain.
He builded we'll. On this sixth
~ Nav. in the year az Our Lord.
Nineteen hundred and thirtv-five,
the great house. an impressive
monument 10 his perseverance
Ssnod overlooking the landscape of
his dreams and Amanda waited "a
see Young Judith Goodloe put her
hunter over the hsaxwood-six feet
Aiph and broad in nronortion-ag
she very snot where her ancestor
e~d whinsicaIlv jumped the suin
llv fo'tr inch shoots nearly three
49,, se'rSos earlier.
{ fgesv+yss4. 1858. ssz.sas s~aGA Ksxsms@a