The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-08-06
Chapter 90
The Mexican Quarter


The Mexican Quarter
FRANKS sister, Ruth, took Jan
I in charge when she arrived in
Los Angeles.
What can you do?" she asked
Jan.
WELL" Jan smiled. albeit for
lornly, 81 do know how to cook
and keep a house"
you've probably had your fill
of that" Ruth pursed her full
rouged lips and frowned. "You
might &C down to Olvera Street
in the morning and see if you can
line up anything there. noticed
a'place or two that employ artists
to do portrait sketches for the
tourists and sightseers. Would
you like that?"
ct sounds fun, if I could do it.
I'm not particularly adept at
sketching people, though, at least
! don't think / am. How about
letting me try sketch of you,
Miss Cronin?"
Ruth took off her hat and ran
strong, well-kept fingers through
her mass of dark hair. Fine" she
said. what must you have in the
way of materials"
"a sheet of white paper and a
soft-leaded pencil will do" She
pulled off her beret and hung her
short white jacket over a chair
while Ruth hunted pencils.
The sketch, finished twenty
minutes later, surprised both of
them with its excellence. Flat
tering, too" Ruth laughed, (which
should bring you customers, or
do you cali them 'sitteeS'? Sign
It and take it along as a sample.
Ever been to Olvera Street,"
mo. I've heard of it. though.
Isn't it called "a street of old Old
Mexico'?"
sIt's authentic Mexican gone
tourist" Ruth said. "Still it's very
foreign and enchanting, and the
ancient adobe buildings are mar
vels of endurance and solidity.
Wish could go with you, yet
you'll probably enjoy discovering
ii for yourself. Be sure to peek
and poke into every shop. See
them blow glass miniatures and
dip candles and make tortillaS and
weave sombreros and baskets"
Il think I'd better go To bed
before I become too excited to
sleep"
"You don't go to bed here"
Ruth smiled, pointing to a pair Of
discreetly draped French doors.
THE bed comes to you when you
swing it out of the wall and pull
it down after you move forty
dozen rugs. vases and end tables"
AT Ruth'S urging, Jan stayed
on with her a few days. They
were interesting, exciting days,
filed with exploration of new
and strange and exotic places.
She found herself intrigued by the
short tiled street called Ell Paseo
Olvera, for it was by far the most
colorful place she'd ever seen in
her life. and she loved color.
gaudy or subdued. just so it was
In. its rightful place. Palm and
olive trees grew in the street and
gay awnings were suspended over
vari-colored shop doors. The ven
doris, Shopkeepers, mu sicia
artisans, candleStick makers. were
Swarthy Mexicans who spoke fair
English to patrons and gabbled
among themselves in dialect. And
sure enough, in a smallish patio.
she found rows and rows of
tackled up sketches of movie stars
and other well-known people
with signs advertising portrait
sketching for fifty cents in fifteen
minutes.
One Old, One Young
ON HER first two visits Jan Just
" drifted. in and out of the
shops. browsing. lettering. drink
ing in the YividneSs hungTily. She
bought two petfumed candles for
Ruth; pair of white "huarachaS."
hand-woyen slippers, for herself:
gay, pointed-crown beach hat
for Norma: and box of sticky.
Sugary pralines for Lance.
On her third trip to OlVera
Street she went into the little art
store which. to her surprise, she
found wasn't little at all. but ex-
tended way back into dark, musty
depths where dcutter
whitfield and planned images from
precious Lebanon Cedar. The
owner of the place was a small.
dark man with quick eyes and
very white teeth. who spoke ex-
cellent English. He told her he
had two artists now and did not
think the trade would support an
other. She smiled. admired some
of the really lovely old prints and
oils he kept in a special room.
They had come. he said. from
ancient missions in the heart of
Old Mexico.
The interview ended when he
agreed. with shrug. to allow her
space on one side of the sun
Splashed patio. He was to receive
fifteen cents out of every fifty she
made.
Her fellow artists. whom she
met at once, were two men.
strange types TO her. one old and
one young. Both of them affected
paint-Splotched smocks. flowing
ties and pancake berets-pictur-
esque. if a bit too atmospheric.