The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-11-24
DON'T MARRY THE MAN
By Jeanne Bowman

I "Did you really"
T have no statement to make
Kathleen's voice rang out sharply,
Il will pose for no pictures.
It was then she saw girl with
hair as red as her own. This girl
came pushing through the crowd
until she faced Kathleen. She put
her hands on her hips and thrust
her face forward.
listen, this Is our Job. getting
news and we're going to get Il. We
have to eat and we haven't any
sweet daddy digging gold out OF
the ground for us. Some OF these
folks told us you were a grand
sport. Well you may be to them.
but you're just gilt balloon"
For the first time since the siren
had rang over Neutrality. Kath-
leen laughed.
"And some day somebody Is GO
ing to stick pin in me?" she
asked. Then she sobered.: ''1'm
sorry. ] hadn't thought of this as
being part of your lob. II you'll
wait until have some coffee, I'll
talk. BY the way. have you"
The answer was unanimous
They hadn't had time to think Of
food. Time was precious element
in their work also. And they had
been told they'd have to 20 back
to Neutrality for food.
Kathleen waved them on. They
trooped towards the cornrnissary.
cameras clicking as photographers
ran ahead. And then they trooped
back to the mouth Of the mine and
Kathleen talked and posed.
Suddenly iii
CHE was engaged in this fashion
~ when she heard her name
called. Over the heads of the press
crowd she saw Donald MacDon-
aid. She felt suddenly i'll. He
looked dreadful. haggard. UNI
shaven.
Kathleen Miss Gregory. /
must talk to YOU"
His eyes were feverish, intent
upon her. ignoring the curious men
and women who waited.
Cleo Riley longed to reach out
to him. ease the pain so visible on
his face, help him across this time
Of agonized waiting for word from
his miners. Kathleen Gregory
thought, "He sees me here. posing.
He'll think like this"
She spoke through stiff lips.
"You talked to me last night, Mr..
Donald. There is nothing else
! care to hear"
They piled her with questions
then, closing in about her. leaving
Macdonald on the rim of the
crowd. Kathleen saw him turn
and walk towards the skip. A crew
was coming up. the men reeled
out. Ruth was there. pouring
whiskey. o glass at time. pressing
1t into griny hands.
Norman Macdonald had come
up with them. He threw his arm
about his cousin and led him away.
Kathleen saw them get into a car
and only then was aware Of the
curious silence. These men and
women whose profession 1t was
to gauge human emotions had
sensed something. They were
waiting a cue.
Kathleen diverted them with
the story of Balmy. Old Balmy who
had disappeared in the smoke
choked shaft fourteen hours be-
fore. Love of the old fellow lend
ing color to her words, she painted
a vivid picture of this man they
were to call the Prophet Of the
Hills. when they reached their
typewriters.
It wasn't long before they were
there, tapping out their tales and
Kathleen found herself alone.
Il was strangely silent then.
Nothing but the pump of the mo-
tors and the rattle Of the cables.
Nothing to tell Of the feverish
work going on far below the sur
face.
Morgan. coming from his rest
stopped beside the collar waiting
for a skip. Kathleen ran towards
him. "Take me down. Please. ]
wouldn't be too much in the way.
would I? | want TO see. ] want to
make sure they're doing every
thing"
Morgan ran for slicker and hat
and then they were in the skip.
were shooting down into the
sitting darkness. They reached
the working level and Kathleen
found Il different from her MEM
DRY OF that first trip. Cars were
speeding along the tracks. heaped
with muck, speeding back empty
"We're dumping In old tunnels
to save time Morgan explained.
Il was dark now. save for the
carbide lamps The tunnel was
low. so low they must stoop and
the men working must work in
this bone-breaking position. All
they wanted was room TO pass q
"body or being" There was no
time to waste with enlarging their
passage: no time to timber above
themselves for safety. Beyond
that wall Of rock and earth fifty
three men were waiting: Fighting
for breath to keep life In their
bodies: providing they were still
fighting.
fcesrisGf. 1858. Es4s.s sss~ssj