The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-03-04
WE LIKED KEY WEST

Room. Ali the old buildings and
beautiful trees belle the belief
that there are terrific storms in
this climate.
After dinner we walked up the
main street and toured the gift
shops with all sorts of attractive
things to take back home. There
are old-fashioned short order
booths where one may eat hot
bollos and drink Cuban coffee.
These places are as they were
years ago without a sign of
modernism Mixed in with the
tourists and the more modern
inhabitants are some of the older
class of Spanish people who
speak little or no English and
who have not changed their
mode of living since Key West
was first populated, and who add
quaint and romantic aura to this
beautiful tropical island.
Sailors On Shore Leave
We saw outdoor bowling alleys
where sailors enjoyed their shore
leave, as though they didn't
get enough exercise swabbing
decks! Outdoor pool-rooms and
ice cream parlors opening right
into the street, tourist agencies
showing tempting trips to Cuba
and Nassau, department stores
with samples of every kind of
merchandise displayed in their
windows. Some of the hotels have
very modern and beautiful cock
tail bars. but there are few that
have not changed in many years.
One spot, known as Sloppy Joe's,
rings of the old beer gardens at
Coney Island and in the Bowery
before prohibition. There we
found a tumble of tables, varied
assortment of customers, some
regulars and some tourists, a
few sailors and an occasional Ma
rine. The special officers of the
Navy were on hand here as well
as through the rest of the town,
to keep the peace. That did not
seem necessary, however, as we
found the boys to be nice we'll
behaved group, just having fun.
Two musicians pounded out
old-time tunes, one after another,
until they should have been ex-
hausted; the customers danced
and relaxed, and although we did
not dance we enjoyed watching
the others and also enjoyed the
alnging. We liked the Cuba
Libre, too, made of rum, Coca
Cola and lime.
Home again early, for the man
of the house to do more fishing
the next day, and probably the
next and the next. He has been
out on several different boats al
ready, catching all sorts of fish,
both large and small, and we
have eaten so many fish and such
a big variety that we should be
very intelligent. if fish supplies
the brain power it is said to con-
tain.
Fort Jefferson
So far I haven't mentioned the
trip to Fort jefferson, also called
Dry Tortugas, where the remains
of the old fort still hold the cells
and dungeons used in bygone
days and where DR.. Mudd was
exiled after having set the brok-
en- leg of John Wilkes Booth.
The motion picture, SHARK Is
land" was filmed there and tells
the whole story of DR.. Mudd's
Imprisonment and his research to
conquer the then-prevalent yell
low fever He died before re-
ceiving any recognition for his
work.
In the park in Key West huge
tablet bears the names of many
victims of this dread disease, but
that is thing of the past, as it
is never found now in this vicini-
ty.
A Final Thrill
One final thrill came as we
were about ready to leave Key
West. My husband had gone
fishing, as usual, and had left
early in the morning when I was
scarcely awake. l knew that he
had gone with a party of four
others but did not catch the name
of the boat. I thought I knew,
however, from which dock they
were leaving, and promised to be
on hand about 4:30 with my
camera to take pictures of the
fish they were going to catch. :.
SO we could show them to the
folks back home.
l spent the day puttering
around, knitting and writing let
tiers, and at 3so'cIock in the after
noon was on hand on Duval
street with the rest of the town,
to welcome President Roosevelt.
The whole town turned out, wav-
lrg flags and everyone excited.
The little Junior Police were es-
necialIv attractive as they StrnVe