The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-12-05
Chapter Five
sFeeling Humble

Feeling Humble
VOU-are you sure you're not
i hurt?" ! asked Adam.
"On the contrary, it hurts like
the dickens, but I'll recover. ] got
out from under very neatly. but
one hoof caught me in the midriff
and knocked my breath into the
middle of next week. | was con-
scious but numb when young Tar
zan, here, snatched me UP and
swung off through the trees"
Everyone was suddenly help
less with laughter-everyone but
Elizabeth.
That's al very WELL" she said
calmly. But don't forget you've
promised to stop at the hospital
for thorough examination before
you go home For all you know you
may have a broken rib"
Adam grimaced. 1--WE had spills
before"
please" / said.
He looked at me very soberly
for a moment, an odd, questioning
look in his brilliant eyes.
"Of course" he said gently. "But
] won't stay home from the party
tonight if / have to come in a wheel
chair. And if anyone makes a
crack about Adams rib ="
The game had been abandoned,
the horses led away. Somewhere
close at hand a bugle broke into
urgent summons. Faces turned to-
ward the flag that floated high
over headquarters.
Adam released my arm, settled
his helmet and stood at salute.
Across the field the cannon
crashed and the band struck UP
the first measured bars of the ma
tional anthem. Gracefully. slowly.
the flag dipped earthward. tug
ging reluctantly at its rope S,
foated and dipped again, lower
and lower, caught at last by many
hands and furled before it could
touch the ground. Across the
lengthening shadows on the plain
the last notes of music died away.
"And so goodby - until later.
said Adam.
mot yet" reminded Elizabeth.
Were going to drop you at the
hospital"
We did. Adam submitted grace
fully, even saluting us gaily from
the door before he disappeared
inside. Then, and not until then.
did Elizabeth drive on.
She delivered me at the house
gently ordered me to rest and de-
parted again in her little car, muir
muring something about sewing
and a sergeant's wife.
wandered into the house, found
the colonel's den, shabby and filed
with books. / inspected the shelves,
hoping to find something distract
ing: $780,.
There was a weII-worn set of
Dickens; a shelf Of biography: a
shelf devoted to heavy tones on
military history, science and tao
tics; and stack of decorative VOL
umes that caught my immediate
interest. HotCitzers, the West Point
yearbooks.
Titan GAO.
I DREW out the top one--it was
4 three or four years old--and
carried 1t to the Colonel's chair.
It fell open with the obedience
OF a book often spread at the same
page, and found myself staring
at the face Of Barney Nelson.
He had not changed that / could
see. The same rather withdrawn
eyes. the Immediately modelled
features that made him almost too
handsome.
Below the picture was a brief
biography. / read it with interest.
His name was not Barney, but
Bjorne. and his nicknames were
many: Swede, Handsome. Barney.
Julian. This last was too obscure
for me until ] glanced at a snap
shot IN the lower corner of the
page. At first sight 1t was beau
tiful, stately blonde in floating
draperies and q picture hat. Then
] realized that II was Barney,
dressed for : Hundredth Night
show.
! sat there giggling, picturing
the size Of him masquerading as a
woman. A brief list OF honors con-
fsrmed my guess. Football Squad,
Baseball "a" Corporal, Choir.
Hop Manager, Hundredth Night.
The biography, rich in idiom,
made cryptic allusion to ''you great
big handsome man.; to mysteri-
Gus talent for falling out at pa
rade: 10 his gifts as a snake, a
spoonoid; to his oevy of femmes.
leafed through the book. look
ing for more acquaintance. had
Charles volume at home, two or
three years later in date. for he
was only a year out OF the Aead-
envy. ] had been pleased by al
lusions TO a Titan O.A.O.-short
for One and Only.
/ turned another page. All, here
was a member of the garrison,
Philip Shaw. He and his wife were
friends OF Anne Carewe. She was
the kind who allowed no one TO
forget that she was from the East
He had q round, babyish face and
strove for a cynical manner.
he had been undiStinguiShed at