The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-11-01
Chapter Is
SOapy Bluffs

SOapy buns
DUFF'S coy apartment was fillec
- with a laughing group of youns
people. Van, one of Bluffs satel-
lites. aroused Tins disapproval al
once.
what do you do?" Tim asked
him.
81 model in SOAP"
"You-what?"
"Model in soap. It's one of the
newer arts. Soap is d softer me-
dunn than marble and - though
this shouldn't be taken into con-
sideration less expensive. I'm
doing a rather good thing of Buff
now: three in hes hig h, full
length"
docs she know it?"
The artist shook his head.
"My dear. no. and / hope you
won't tell Ter; il ruins spontaneity
10 have the model conscious of
posing. Here a little and there a
little-her uphung arm one day,
her ankles another"
Tim found the idea of this p =
sons concern will. Bluffs ankles
singularly repellent.
what" he demanded, shall
you do with your figure when it's
completed?"
"Sell it. Oh, always sell my
things" he went on cheerfully.
"Not for anything like their true
value, Of course. but even Z sculp-
tor must eat. There's a gift shop in
town which handles my work with
some profit to us both"
"And how much do you expect
to get for this-thiS masterpiece"
"A dollar and eighty cents"
sighed Van. THE shop takes the
rest as its commission"
mot this one!" Tim spoke sharp.
~. $50 far as any figures Of Miss
Carroll are concerned. they're al
ready sold to me"
The artist grinned and ran his
fingers through his hair, increas-
ing his appearance of artistic di-
sheVelment.
"opens a nice little avenue for
blackmail, if you get me! But Art
comes first with me always. Be-
fore | execute your commissions
oh, Joy and gladnesS. at last I'm
using that longed-for combination
of words!-I hev5 lc know what
you will do with the figu- mes"
dissolve 'em in Water!"
Van shook his head. There goes
a weekly payment on my grocery
bill" was his mournful comment.
az was afraid you were like that.
D'you think I'm going to toll with
skill and a pairing knife for hours
only to have you make a suds of
Buff? Nay, not so. and no. no. Ma
nettel"
"Then I'll keep EN-" Tim prom
ised recklesSly. mot more than
one a week, however; and aside
from not destroying 'em, it's none
Of your business what / do with
'em. Is that perfectly clear?"
Perfectly" Van scrambled to
his feet and raised his voice. wav-
ing a long arm toward the seeth-
ing Tim. Friends, behold my pa
tronl / have a weekly commission
from him - indefinitely. On the
strength of funds to come l invite
you all to eat scrambled eggs and
saltines with me me-. Saturday
night. knew if / held on long
enough success would surely
comet"
Tim, feeling as though he had
borne as much of this sort of thing
as he could. departed abruptly.
In a few days a small box was
delivered at his clearinghouse. 1t
was plastered with labels, warn
ing all beholders tn a it was
Fragile" "Perishable," Break
able" but its flimsy container was
little or no protection to the figure
within. Tim took it out and viewed
IL carefully, hoping or fearing that
several serious accidents en- route
accounted for its appearance. If it
was as it had left the creators
hands, then Tim was paying two
perfectly good dollars a week for
practically nothing at all; for by
no stretch Of the imagination could
Buff be recognized in the weird
object thus disclosed. Beyond the
fact that il was female and pre-
sumably human, it looked like
nothing on earth.
BOBBY PRICE,
IIIEEKES came in and found him
w staring at it.
"Booby prize at a baby party?"
was his cheerful inquiry. Soap,
isn't it? don't advise using it, Tim.
You might cut yourself on all
those sharp lines"
Tim put il on his closet shelf. 81
think you're right, George Don't
be surprised if you see more of
them appear. It's my way of con-
tributing to the Community Chest.
that's all"
He took occasion to make a tour
OF the gift shops in the town. In a
window he found several of the
soap fgurines. Even while his sur
prised gaze rested on the display,
a clerks hand withdrew the most
hideouS. Presently a woman came
out, bearing triumphantly parcel
which Tim was sure contained
one Of the VanLander MASTER
pieces.
Tim wandered away in a trance.
THAT makes three dollars and
eighty cents he's earned-earned
good Lordl-this week. suppose
on the strength of it he will give