The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-10-28
Chapter Six
Neutrality

Chapter Six
Neutrality
go YOU can't take it." OBJ
- served Bridget. then she
started to laugh.
Il don't know what you're
laughing at" spat Kathleen.
"Just remembering a remark Of
yours. All you'd need would be
propinquity. II you two had been
any nearer there'd been a combus-
tion they'd have heard in Spain"
Kathleen relaxed and laughed
with her. II might as well give UP. :"
she said ruefully. Il haven't a
chance now"
Hmm" unused Bridget. "Vapid
fiapper. Well, maybe you're right.
However it would be too bad.
q you've made such an excellent be-
ginning"
Excellent" echoed Kathleen.
81 "Umhuhm. If Macdonald ever
has a suspicion that you came out
to vamp right-of-way from him.
he'll smother it. He'll know you
would never have started with a
verbal club"
Kathleen made no comment.
They had topped sharp rise and
Neutrality lay below. Neutrality
consisted of a single street, straight
at one end, at the other curving
into the distance.
The straight end was evidently
the business thoroughfare, one side
at least. The left side was brightly
lighted. Colored signs whirled be-
fore plate glass windows. "A queue
Of people waited before the en-
trance of amotion picture theater.
The lights or iie right side were
few and far between. The shops
looked drowsy, i'll kept. Even the
pavement was full Of holes.
Bridget, who had been reading
signs, burst out with q sudden.
SCleo, do you realize everything
on the left side is MacD donald and
on the right. Gregory? Look at the
signs"
Kathleen groaned. She had
been looking at signs; hotel signs.
The Macdonald had a tiled front,
yellow lights and the windows OF
the grill room were stean1y with
the promise Of warm food.
The Gregory boosted only a blue
globe above the entrance, dim
lobby beyond. A lunch counter
with high stools opened onto it.
Resolutely, Kathleen pulled up
before the curb. Bridget followed
her into the lobby. across lino-
leum covered floor. where's shirt
sleeved proprietor leaned across
the desk, resignation in his eyes.
Two rooms with a connecting
BATH ordered Kathleen.
~Sorry ma'am, but there amt
but one tub in the house and / don't
know as you could get to it, to-
aDoes The Macdonald have
more than one tub?" she de-
manded.
well, ifyou want to be known
as one OF them stiffnecks. it amt
no business of mine. Folks who
come TO Neutrality have to be one
or the other. Can't straddle fences
in these parts"
He closed the register and sat
back. mouth pleated into lines of
dixpleasure.
you mean person has to be a
Macdonald or Gregory What do
the commercial men dor
They stay on the SIDE Of the
street they're seilin' No Gregory
would buy from a Arm Sellin' the
M4cDonaldS." SAN 50
Would you mind telling me
why they call this Neutrality"
begged Kathleen.
Achingly Tired
avxlELI., ma'am, II was this way.
w Macdonald and Old Angus
Gregory lived in a cabin up the
hill. When they had their fight
neither would give Up 10 the
other, so they divided that cabin
in two and run their road down
the hill. side Of each other. Then
when the miners started comm in,
they took 70 buildin' along side
of the road they was representa-
Then come the women folks.
They didn't have many bonnets in
those days and they got so all
fired tired of havin' holes shot in
EN-. while the Macdonald and
Gregory miners were afightin'
that they marked of q portion
where they could shop in peace
and quiet They called Il the
neutral zone and that's how the
town got its name"
kathleen's eyes had been grow
ing larger and brighter as the man
talked. Why hadn't her people told
her fascinating tales like these!
What started the feud9" she
asked, eagerly.
Well now una'am. don't know
as could say. Don't think ! ever