The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-07-13

sounds. June In New York; Heat
wave time in Gothannl
On the terrace Of building high
above Fifth Avenue sat four young
gentlemen in white linen suits. A
table separated these gentlemen
one from the other and upon the
table were two decks Of cards, and
four tall, frosty, lemons olored
glasses. For this terrace was part
Of the drinking arrangements pro-
vided for the membership OF the
exclusive Penguin Club and the
young gentlemen were all PEN
gums in more or less good stapd-
ing. @ r :
Under an awning in corner Of
the terrace was a small bar whose
presiding deity was one Gus, q
citizen in a white coat. ALI after
noon Gus had been watching the
most desultory of desultory bridge
games with languid eye, but leav-
ing his post behind the bar only
TO refill the tail glasses with more
of the lemon-colored liquid as need
arose. As a creator Of the Collins
Bros, John and Tom, Gus bowed
70 none. And during heat waves, in
fact whenever anything at all was
waving around the Penguin Club,
Gus was unquestionably the most
popular man in the establishment.
At the bridge table Tacks Adams
was dealing. Tacks had keen gray
eyes that appeared to look out
upon this world and find IL vastly
amusing. Separated from the eyes
by wide, smooth forehead was q
wave Of wiry black hair. Below the
eyes was q straight nose, a good
size in mouths and a knife Jaw
which proclaimed that, given GER
tain circumstances, Mr.. Tacks
Adams would stand no fooling. An
overlap Of tan did something extra
special for these rather pleasant
natural arrangements. Looking al
Tacks you would have said that
here was tail, rangy young man
on the sunny slopes of thirty, q
young man who'd gone in plentf-
fully for athletics at-well, Groton
and Harvard. You'd have been all
straight except the Groton and
Harvard. Tacks was Andover and
Yale.
The Groton and Harvard entry
half-sat, half-reclined, directly
across the table from TackS, q
drowsy expression upon his aris-
tocratic countenance. This was Van
Hardness. Even in semi-repoSe Mr..
Hardness contrived to give an
impression OF extreme elegance.
There was a kind of dignified stoop
20 his slim shoulders, q suggestion
Of poised languor in the way In
which his right arm hooked over
the back of his chair. Mr.. Hardness
was, indeed, lily of the field. You
visualized him sauntering care
lessly through life as IL il were his
own private clover patch. But for
all his exquisiteness and insou-
Glance. Mr.. Van Hardness was
right on the verge Of committing
bridges biggest and best bener.
Mr.. Hardness was, however. I'M
aware Of that fact as yet
two hearts, /" said Tacks Adams,
finding his ulitt f1ll OF high class
red ones.
Bill Steele, who sat on Tack's
left. passed. Then Il was that Van
Hardness distinguished himself.
Bye me-" said Van sleepily.
It's Hot
TACKS rlared at him.
i did you or did you not" he
inquired, icily polite. eever hear
Of demand bid2"
1Ehl" grunted Mr.. Hardness.
-Oh, nothingl" said Taclzs: Skip
It. These guysIl SO home with our
shirts, that's all
Anybody who wants my shirt
today, said Van. waking up. @can
have It.
The fourth member OF the most
oesultory OF desultory bridS e
games spoke. Mr. Jumbo Cutler