The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-07-29

4
thing else.
I've been waiting yearsI"
DeFek greeted her at the bottom
of the stairs. He noted her cos
tune and his eyes crinkled with
amused laughter. You look like
a little girl playing dress-up in
her mammals clothes" he teased.
What is Rose trying to accom-
plish?"
She glared at him. IF you say
one more word shall scream and
go upstairs and put on my slacks
and sweatshirt!"
"Oh, puss-cat, l was only teas
ing. You look delightful and de-
lovely and-what's the reside
lirious? Anyhow, come along and
don't trip with those high heels.
You aren't used to them. you
know"
Don't I knowl" she asserted
with emphasis. MY feet are al
ready protesting these straight
jackets. I'm as hard to get into
shoes as an Ozark hillbilly. ] Stop
around in sandals too much. I've
nearly forgotten how to pick up
my feet"
Where the cobbled walk, Dor
dered by bleached sea shells, met
the cement strip of the beach
boardwalk" Derek placed his
hands on her shoulders and faced
her toward the sea. "Close your
| eyes and make me promise" he
ordered.
Eyes, sir" Obediently her thick
lashes swept down.
Repeat after me: |, Jan Mer-
riner. hereby promise TO abandon
care and worry for tonight, be-
cause: Care to our coffin adds a
nail, no doubt-And eUery grin so
merry drdtUS one out'
Toss Your Troubles
CHE fingered over the words of
- the quotation. "Who said that?"
"Wolcot, a British satirist of the
eighteenth century. It's part of a
collection of his Epostulatory
Odes' and the old boy sure knew
what he was talking aboutl What
I'm trying to convey is please toss
your troubles back where they
came from and let's see how many
c0ifi7: nails we can draw out to-
night with our grins. How about
it?"
Promise"
He said, touching her elbow as
they walked, Here comes a man
with a huge and quite awful nose.
I'll wager he'd give lot to trade
noses with most anyone. but he
looks the type who wouldn't go
near a plastic surgeon because
God gave him his nose and he
must bear up under it,"
Jan giggled. Stop it, Derek,"
she pleaded. Il want to worry
about my worries and you're
making il impossible"
Il aim to please, Ma'an. Well,
hold your hat. Jan, the first thrill
is just ahead" He mimicked the
barker's ballyhoo for the roller
coaster: Its the High Boy, folksi
A long, safe, high. sensational
riiiiidel Only dime for the thrill
of a Iifetimel"
Two. please" he smiled at the
ticket girl.
The car awaiting them was full
except for the back seat. ooh, no."
Jan protested, drawing back. ats
the worst seat of all"
"Oh, yesp he insisted and lifted
her in. Better take your hat of"
She did, while the attendant
buckled strap across their
Stomachs.
"All sell" the starter shouted.
The car started off around a
neck-jarring curve, clanked its
way up and up toward the sky,
then hurtled down, a Lucifer's
chariot plummeting to Hades. On
the steepeSt downgrade, Jan, ter
rified, closed her eyes and chung
TO Derek, sure her heart was on
its way out of her mouth
Take my arm" he ordered
when again they stood on solid
cement. She put on her hat. He
reached over and gave it tug
over one eye, achieving deity q
! jaunty tilt. LET'S not skip any
thing till the moneys all gone"
ne said.
Jan hurried a little 10 keep I'D
with his long strides. looking up
az him with shining, excited eyes.
The May evening was warm,
clear, starry, benevolent as a
philanthropist- Nearly all Of the
concessions and assorted rides
were open for business and a
goOd-siZed crowd thronged the
pier.
Jan chung proudly to Derek's
arm, smiling at the good-natured
sallieS proffered by the conces-
sionaires. her friends. She intro
duced him to several Of them.
why didn't you warm me you
knew everybody" he asked. eff
I'd known had TO run a gauntlet
I'd have washed behind my earsi"
They tossed pennies into hoops
and won a streamlined red cat
for Jan; they shot popguns fitted
with corkS and won cigarettes for
Derek; they threw baseballs at
milk bottles and won nothing at
all, bounced balls into boxes and
won a ham; rode the merry-go-
round and missed the gold ring;
went into the fun house and re-
cei"ed a thorough shaking I'D:
rode whirling cz-S that periled
their necks; rode a great swinging
shoe that turned them upside
down until their faces grew scar
let; shot down a sparkling water
way in white gondola, and got
lost for several minutes In the
tunnel OF love.