The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-04-30
Chapter %
Only Half Alive

Chapter %
Only Half Alive
A GOOD quarrel would have
cleared the atmosphere but
they were so careful, so very care
full to avoid even a remote hint of
one. Perhaps neither could have
told why they feared an eruption
even while they longed for one
that would rock the earth.
Hurry and change, Reuben, I"
Judith filled bud vase with wa
ter, put the geranium in it and
placed it in the center of the sr all
table richly laid with danask, sill
yer, crystal, "Ill keep the things
warm until you're ready"
Despite their combined efforts it
was not ( festive meal. The dis
heartened turkey was quite taste
less from too i0re hours spent in
steamer. The cranberry Jelly was
i leathery. The potatoes soggyL il
While they were pretending to
,fatS enjoy Il. emselves Mrs. Kraus came
busting in with platter of piping
hot 'hon1e cooked turkey The skin
golden brown, the meat ten
: n der. Juicy. The dressing and gravy
Isc; Gssy9ry dreams.
'S''i'in IF could cook like that" Ju-
bHiai envied.
you could, if you tried hard
enough" the woman told her. 1.-THE
Row feels sorry for Mr.. Oliver"
Sorry"
The woman nodded. "It amt
right for a man to have to do out
side work and inside too, so when
saw him coming with basket
The 1eighbors felt sorry - not
FOR her - for Reuben They felt
sorry for Reuben
III I'm afraie wasn't cut out for
miners wife" frigidly.
~ Mrs. Kraus agreed, But the one
sure way to keep your man always
IN the mine is to let your end
- down"
Don't mind her." Reuben said
WHEN they returned to their inter-
rupted meal. This tuI key is worth
few insults"
Judith tried valiantly to capture
the holiday spirit, so did Reuben.
They tried too hard Perhaps that
was why il eluded them.
- They had so pitifully little in
common Judith trieG t take an
interest in Reuben's work, but she
hated the mine, so did Reuben. He
would have talked of their days
in Maryland but the subject al
ways led to regrets and hurt feel
ings. so they spoke brightly OF i'm
personal things.
II had q letter from JIM" Reu-
ben remembered suddenly and felt
his pockets. Left ii in my other
coat"
What dlo he say?"
Hugo IS fine Jim has been hunt
ing witt him lot this autumn"
He wanted TO add that he hoped
To send for Hugo soon. but plan
ning for the future was taboo be-
cause Reuben visiored largely
a panorama of vast proportions.
SGme day he would buy back Five
Chimneys buy her sables
yacht - When man has no future
the less he says about it The better.
so Reuben banked the fires of his
ambition deep within himself.
Sometimes sitting IN the clut-
tered little room with Judith so
near he could touch her he knew
a loneliness greater than any he
had fell in the heart OF the wilder
ness II for an hour. she would UNI
derstand II he could hear her
laugh IN the old spontaneous way
He lnoKed al her across the table
With ITS lavish display OF elegance
50 sadly out of place IN the mean
room Perhaps he could find the
81 right word
Judith
She mel hts eyes and smiled alb
senuy She was reminding herself
that me easiest way was lust IT,
live for one day at time. 10 feel
nothing. want nothing. remember
uothing-that was wisdom.
Self PITY
WINTER set IN IN earnest. Snow
w Wind BlzZGrdS Sleet rhawS
Reuben's wet muddy boots dry-
ing by the kitchen stove Tht air
filled with wood smoke. drying
leather stewing food but at last
Spring, bringing hlnt OF beauty
even Ia Fordney'S Gulch with IT'S
mining shafts. its smoke.
The muddy pocket handkerchief
of lawn sent out feeble shoots OF
grass. Judith planted petunias and
nasturtiums close TO the water
pipe fence and bought . green
window box The plants ade q
brave effort to live. Flowers
bloomed sparsely. feebly bat be-
fore the pitileSS summer sun and
dry. soaring heat withered. grew
altogether discouraged died
Judith wilted too Each day
when she had made the little house
tidy, she would lie on the unco0-
Portable sheraton :ufa m the
crowded ugly living 'r~- '~
slope rooted 6cdycNs