The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-05-24


her incredulously. This
~ the shortest street,
that enchanted scene of Aunt
Anne's girlhoodl 1t could not
be-
And yet it was, of course. There
1t stretched, only one block long,
closed on the south by a small
park, on the north by a rusty iron
fence behind which mouldered an
old brick mansion, long deserted.
Here were the three houses fac
ing west, the seven smaller ones
opposite which caught the morn
ing sun. Ten homes -. and Bren-
da knew by hearsay who lived in
them all.
But DR.. Wilson's has a con-
serVatory, and the VanNesS's a
fountain. and there's an enormous
block of pure marble with Burn
ham carved on it in front of our
place"
Her dismayed thoughts jolted to
a sudden stop. Here wa a block
with BurnhGm on it indeed; but it
was neither large nor of marble
1t was a dingy thing of Clipped
cement, slowed rakiShly sideWiSe
perhaps by some skidding truck.
The girls blue eyes travelled
upward to the house where she
expected to live for at least a
year. Bewildered they identified
this landmark and that, each spe-
officially as Aunt Anne had men,
toned. yet all so unbelievably
small and shabby. The paint was
peeling from the four porch pill
lars The great" bow windows
upstairs were entirely unimpres-
slve. The formal planting of
shrubbery" edging the walk from
street to house was merely an un-
pruned mass Of dusty green,
For a moment Brenda's heart
failed her. She could not. she need
not. climb the steps and ring the
belll No one had met her train in
spite Of the many letters Aunt
Anne and Mrs. ROSttetor had ex-
changed. or the telegram which
heralded her actual arrival.
What neither aunt nor niece
had realized was that more than
twenty five years had elapsed
since the older woman had lived
on the shortest street.
It'll find drugstore and teIe-
phone for taxi" Brenda planned
feverishly. 'Tll 90 to hotel un-
til discover the right sort Of
clearinghouse. Nothing will in
duce me to live in neighborhood
like this"
But practical difficulties at once
presented themselves. For in
stance. there was no drugstore in
sight. The shortest street was
tiny island set in a sea of smart
residences. And her trunk would
arrive any minute. Besides -.
The place sort of grew on. you.
the longer you looked at il. she
admitted reluctantly. The win
dOw-paneS all shOne in the late
afternoon sun. There was friend
illness about the way the yards
one could not call them lawns
ran into one another. And there
fDGs the VanNesS's fountain. even
If bone-dry; and the glassed-in
alcove next door might turn out
to be the glamorous "conServa-
tory" of legendary fame
Her hesitant ring at the bell
brought no answer. She pressed
the button again and with en-
phasis. The front door stood open
and through the screen she saw
the square hall where Aunt Anne
had received" at her debut. ST.
lence now seemed to emanate
from IL.
She rang a third time. then ap-
piled small doubled fists to the
frame Of the screen. Patience was
not a Burnham virtue.
A chair creaked protestingly
som w ere above. Footsteps
sounded. an ANNOYED masculine
voice spoke from the landing.
Were taking all the.magazines
we can possibly read. And we
don't want the Magic DiShcloth.
any sort of broom or mop. or
books on the care Of children"
THAT is fortunate" replied the
new arrival coolly. "since I have
nohe of those things to offer. Will
you come down, please. and let
me IN? Or shall I admit myself?
am Miss Burnham."
A Welcome OF Sorts
THERE was short silence, then
L an appalled, voice calculated
softly: @Merciful catSl"
FootsfeDs clattered down the