The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-06-12
Chapter Eight
Truck Farm
| ATE In the afternoon the crowd

I ATEin the afternoon the crowd
Il insisted on feting their con-
quering hero and arranged an inn
promptu dinner and dance at the
club: inviting everyone to stay on
in sport clothes and join in the
private celebration. Jocelyn per-
ceived that Bob longed to get
away, and she reflected spitefully
that he probably wished to see
how his proteges were doing at
Seacliff.
However, as he was, guest. Of
honor. he had no opportunity and
so it was well past midnight when
they got home.
An unfamiliar reiterated sound
woke her at daybreak. Her mind,
sleep-drugged. finally identified it
as the Growing of a rooster. Pulling
the covers over her ears she start
ed drifting back to sleep when sud-
denly the realization smote her
that there treTe no ROSTERS at Sea-
cliff. It took a few minutes for this
thought to penetrate. but when 1t
did she struggled upright and
strained her ears. It tcns a rooster.
Curiosity overcame sleepiness.
After taking cold shower to wake
up, she toweled her tingling body.
then stepped into flannel Stacks
and slipped woolly blue sweater
over her tousled curls.
Her stealthy creeping down the
back stairs was halted by a new
sound. A sort of low, rumbling ami
NAL sound :. the lowing OF a COW!
One minute later she stood on
Mack territory surveying with as
constituent what had yesterday
morning been a double tennis
court and was now a chicken pen.
The tennis nets had been taken
down and the entire space enclosed
in close-mesh wire. Dozens OF
white chickens pecked at grain
strewed plentifully over the hard
rolled turf.
Again she heard the COW. Two
spots Of angry color appeared in
her cheeks. She marched to the sta
bic and jerked open door: peered
into the comparative dimness; saw.
on the left side beyond the three
horses selected by the Macks. two
black and white cows.
"Of all the nerve!" she ex-
claimed.
@Oh. good morning. Miss Rus
sell. called an amused voice. "Ad-
miring my livestock"
Joeelyn headed for the voice;
found Tally calmly sitting on a
box milking one of the animals.
How dare you put cows in
here?" she whispered.
They are fine representatives.
Of the bovine genus" Tally ratified
on impeIturbably. Guaranteed to
give Ave gallons Of milk day. The
chest Of drawers in Gretchen's
room bought these"
"And ichat bought the chick
ensgF she choked.
Two tables and three chairs.
And the plow cost bed. Chicken
feed and human feed cost two pic
lures and a tapestry
~Plo.w -pl W." she stam-
mered.
'Sure. For the garden. If | pillow
up all the ground from the tennis
courts back to the stables-on my
side. of course-I can raise enough
potatoes. peas. beans. carrots and
onions 20 feed my family and have
sorne left 70 sell
Jocelyn counted to ten and swaE
lowed hard. "But .ou can't do
thisI" she declared. "You-you
Just can't turn Seacliff into IA
truck farml It's dissertation. You
just can't do It'll"
~CORRY. I've already done It.
- Since circumstances forced US
To- live on this feudal estate Of
yours, that same circumstance
forced me to find some way to eat
and make q living. There's really
nothing you can do about it, Miss
Russell. Would you mind leaving?
You seem to be making the cow
nervous and IL she gets nervous
she won't give milk" ].
"Oh!s she choked. feeling as II
her face were purple. so make
your COW nervous, do II | hate you
-you-peasant!
PLEASE, Miss Russell, If you
don't stop upsetting my cow ! shall
have TO put you outI Oh. by the
way, are these horses broken to
harness? ! shall have to use two
Of them for blowing"
~Listen-listen to me-" she i'm.
plored wildly. IF you had to raise
money why didn't you give me an
opportunity TO buy my own grand
mothers possessions, instead OF
selling them TO strangers? would
have paid you the same amount.
Those things are heirlooms: they
tnean something to q Russell. II
was horrid thing to do-I'n metz
er forgive you for itl''
SORRY again" he apologized,
yet he did not sound the least bit
regretful. 1T never occurred to me
l you'd want that crealy old stun.
Believe me, the next time ] shall
inform you"
y The merit timel"
Certainly. II just happens I am
more concerned with living right
now on food instead Of living il
the past on memories.
you've already sold everything
OF any value to : dealer. " she COM
planned bitterly.