The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-02-22
Chapter 81
Queen Civ

ROB'S eyes fingered regretfully
- on the mellow old room.
Il never expected to hate giving
this up! thought we'd moved into
the poorhouse when you picked
this out. But you've made it
mighty comfortable, honey. l
should think you'd have a pang or
two yourself when you think
about leaving it."
"Oh, l do! l love every board in
this funny old floor. | love the
garden / literally wrested from the
weeds and clods of the back yard.
But | can make another garden,
and we'll take this furniture with
us, of course. It's sort of exciting
to create things, isn't it?"
sort of. You don't think the
baby will complicate the situation?
How about doctorS-hospitals? |
don't think Queen City boasts
E2uch in either line"
"It's only ninety miles from
here. | could easily come in. be-
forehand. Are you-are you
thrilled about our daughters m
pending arrival, BOD!
"I'm knocked clean off my feet
at the idea Of having a son." he
countered promptly. You know,
Sue" he went on in a rare burst
of confidence, 1--we wanted kids
lately Not at first. was all in a
ferment about you when we were
first married. And then things got
bsc with the business, and was
worried and upset, and the crash
came. was darned glad then there
weren't children to complicate
matters. | suppose we're really in
no position to have them now, for
that matter. Still, if we're ever
going to"
"Exactly!" she agreed. Pm aw-
fully happy about it, Bob"
She continued to be happy dur
ing the firing days which followed.
A storm of protest greeted the
Trenton's announcement that they
were leaving st. Joseph for the
small town of Queen City. Allen
was seriously disturbed over it.
Talk about a future! What fu1
ture can there possibly be for a
man in a country store? A shoe
store at that! | never even heard
OF ShoStore in town of that size.
Usually shoes are a sideline in the
general stock. Rcb'll find himself
out of a job IL three months time,
you'll see"
Mr. Pearson doesn't think so,
Allen. He was a junior partner
with B35's father. you know,
years ago-before he sold out and
started the PedrSon'S Peerless
line Ee thinks that with all the
good roads and motOrcarS we have
now there IS no reason why every
town shouldn't have its shoeStore.
IT isn't as if it were an expert
ment either. He's established these
stores IN the East and they've sue
ceeded Why not here?"
Because the country is not so
thickly settled, the towns are
farther apart. And even If Bob
does make 60 of this Queen City
store. what is 10 come after that?
A slightly bigger town. slightly
bigger store? No percentage in
that"
But there is, Allen: that's the
point Pearson isn't hiring Bob as
manager; he's giving him a half
interest II he adds a store every
two year5-even every three or
even five he's piling up an in
come Don't discourage m.
Buddv" she pleaded Even If it
fails I'd rather have Bob try than
stay here working for someone
else Pcs got real executive abil-
ity. II just ncc2s developing, that's
all"
Faith
LIE LOOKED at her curiousIy.
II You have a lot of faith in
Bob, don't you. Sis? Goodness
knows you've stuck by him like a
house afire. If he doesn't get ahead
it won't be for lack of encourage
ment from his wife" The bitter
ness IN his tone was significant.
Sue WINGED as she thought of how
little encouragement Allen him
self received.
The Trentons' packing was COM
plicated by the delegations of
friends who dropped in to protest
their departure. Forest and Bar
bara Webb gave what they called
a donation party" on their last
evening in town. The guests
brought their own refreshments,
their own paper cups and plates
and folks, even their own folding
chairs. since the furniture had
gone by truck that afternoon.
Sue ard Bob had expected to
dine out and sleep at the hotel,
driving directly TO Queen City the
next morning.
"All we ask is that you keep the
house warm" Forest had tele-
phoned. Well bring everything
else"
So in they had trooped, bearing
the most absurd gifts: a hot water
bottle in case there was no cleo
tricity for Sues heating pad; can
died fruits. tins of caviar. fat black
olives. the specially imported Irish
bacon which Bob liked so much:
an order on a florist to supply Sue
with budded plants of lilies of the
valley every other week until
Easter: subscriptions to maya
zines. chief among them being