The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-09-10

to know that ! had walked past tie
old brick quarters that faced up
the Hudson, had probably read
the neatly lettered sign, 1T. COL.
REMNANT, on the doorstep-the
quarters where Mimi had come as
a bride, where JEFF had lived. every
moment of his free time during his
first three years at the academy,
until after his frst-claSS summer,
when Sandra had come to the PEN
nant's for visit and Julia had lost
him to her.
Julia took me inside those quar-
tiers now, showed me a homesick,
scared plebe lodging into them
like a spent fox to cover; resting
awhile, not saying much, gather
ing courage to go forth again.
I'll never forget that first
Christmas" she said 81 brought
three girls home from school and
we had a party every night. The
plebes aren't permitted to leave,
you know, and they try to make up
for all the fun they've been miss
ing. Every time We turned around
we ran into mob of them. Those
girls went to town, I'm telling you.
Even Mimi had herself a time. She
was twenty-eight or nine, but she
didn't look much older than the
rest of us. I was fifteen, and thev
let me have some Slinky clothes.
There was one black satin evening
dress that was a skirt and a
prayer that / practically wept for
when / saw it and Mimi said, Let
her have it-there'S a moment that
comes once in a lifetime"
Only Me-
TJ1HERE was Sandra them"
w an Texas, with JefFs mother
and father. Mrs. Tack died the fo'-
lowing summer, and Colonel Tack
had a nervous breakdown and was
nearly a year in the hospital, so
jeff had no home to go to the next
Christmas, and spent his Furlo
with three other cadets on cattle
boat that went to South America.
I think his father turned against
him. You know how nervous
breakdoWns are. jeff never spoke
of it, but ! know he never went
home, except for his mothers
funeral; not even after Colonel
Tack was retired and he and San
dra took an apartment in San
Antonio"
$50 he didn't see her either dur
ing that timer"
mot until his first-claSS sum-
mer. Colonel Tack never got COM
pletely well-hiS heart gave out.
Sandra stayed with him until he
died, and then she did what she
had always wanted to do-came to
New York to study acting. And in
a weak moment we invited her to
West Point"
JEFF had never had any girl but
Julia. Had never, apparently
looked at anyone else. They were
both growing up, and what had
started as a natural companion
ship based on childhood aSsocia-
ton, was heading apparently to-
ward one of those early marriages
that often turn out so well. Julia.
at least, never doubted that they
would be married in the chapel on
his graduation day.
"Why, everyone knew he was
mine" she told me, clenching her
hands on the wheel and staring
desperately at the road. There
were week ends when ] couldn't
get home-Mimi was set on my
finishing school - but he never
even took a blind drag. He'd spend
the evening with Dad and Mimi
or maybe he'd take Mimi to the
hop or the movies. He liked Mimi
thought she was cute. For a
while he used to call her Nom,
just tc tease her. but she didn't
take it very well, so he quit. You
might not think so, put Jeff's very
sensitive to peoples feelings. He
can't bear to hurt anyone. Only
only me-"
She stilled the quivering of her
lips and turned the car carefully
between the stone pillars that
guard the entrance to FieldStone
Inn.
81 don't want anything to eat,
but / expect you do" she said
when she had parked
ordered for her, nevertheless,
and watched her make a small
meal without, was sure, knowing
what she put in her mouth.
The place was not unduly crowd
ed, and ! had chosen an isolated
table. talked bit while she ate,
told her about Charlie and the
girl he had fallen in love with.
and that it didn't hurt any longer.
l brought out all the familiar
platitudes about fish in the sea
and a hundred years from now.
She listened and tried to take
some comfort from it. But when
I finished she silenced me COM
pletely.
quietly, spreading her ringieSS
fingers and looking at them as if
she had never seen them before.
"And after a while the stump
will quit hurting, / suppose. But
you can never find another hand
that will take the place of that
hand or be just as good. And be-
sides, there's JEFF TO think about
She'll make him unhappy. know
she will She's such a devil"
It was said so diSpaSSionatefy
that my flesh crawled. But in my
heart I agreed with her. After all
she had told me. my instinct cried
foul play. But how, and by whom.
could only surmise.
] To be continued