The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-04-19
Chapter IL
Peter Falls

CnapLer IL
Peter Falls
DOLLY watched him disappear
Il into the shadows of the tree
tunneled street. A film of tears
came to her eyes. She told herself
that she had done the right thing.
David ought to be free to marry
someone who could be a great help
to him: someone like Mango Pow
ers, for instance. 1t wasn't right
for a girl who was as poor as a
church mouse to hold on to a
man like a leech.
Maybe she was getting her
metaphors slightly mixed, but
what of it? She felt that what she
was doing was best for all con-
cerned, and especially for David
So that was that.
She got up and went into the
house.
"That you, Polly?" Aunt Susan
called from her bedroom. .-)i.i
eyes, Aunt Susan Anything
wrong?" "a
my stomach's hurting me
again." said Aunt Susan. Would
you fill the hot water bottle and
bring it to me?"
Eyes, Aunt Susan" said Polly.
She went on out to the kitchen.
And as she put the kettle on, she
found herself thinking of all the
hot water bottles she had filled.
1t was horrible-horrible-hor-
rible. Hot water bottles for this
aunt and that aunt, for this uncle
and that uncle. She had probably
put enough water in hot water
bottles to fill that swimming pool
out at Freddy's Folly.
Life for her was just one hot
water bottle after another On
and on Endlessly-
Accident
THERE were many things in the
l. Wiley cottage on Elm Street
that fascinated young Peter
Wiley; such things as the rides
cent glassware in the dining room,
and the pictures on the walls of
birds hanging by their pathetic
little feet, and fiat fishes with
bright fms and dead eyes, and the
many, many books, including a
complete set of ]. Fenimore Coo
per's works, and highly-illus-
trated copy of Dante's Inferno.
But the object that he especially
admired was the large painting of
a long dead Wiley that hung high
over the mantel in the parlor.
Hes a Great great great
Something or Other Of yours"
David had told him. "He did
heroic things during the Revolu-
tionary War, and helped establish
the Wiley family here in the
South"
"Gee! Peter had said. "He
looks swell on that horse-and
with a sword, tool" Then. after a
thoughtful pause, he had said: 81
wonder il I'll ever be able to ride
a horse"
He was wondering that now, as
he stood in the parlor gazing up
at the painting. He studied the
crimson-clad right leg of his an
cestor. that leg that looked so
strong and well-shaped. and then
glanced down at his own right
leg. He touched the iron brace
that reached from ankle to thigh.
and shook his head slowly.
"No," he told himself. Il guess
a fellow with this on couldn't
even get up onto a horse, much
less ride him.
Then he suddenly made a de-
cision. He reached down and be-
gan to unfasten the straps and
buckles of the brace. He was
there in the house all by himself,
and il was a good time TO try
walking unaided. He had been
told not to walk without the
brace, but If he was ever to learn
10 do without it, he had to start
practicing. Cousin David wasn't
due home from the lumber plant
for a little while yet. and there
was no one 10 stop him from do
ing what he felt he should do.
Just think how swell il would
be, II he could start practicinG
in secret, and later surpris
Cousin David by walking withou
the brace
He unfaStened the last buckle
the last strap. He leaned against
an old ir-Cloth- covered rocker
while he slipped out of the con-
traption Of iron and leathe r
Then, when he was free of il. hC
Strengthened up, drew himself e
his full height He slowly let hi:
weight down upon the Shrunkcr
limb carefully. cautiously -
glancing now and then at the
man on the horse.
One step forWard.--and such Z
feeble little step; two steps. three
And then u happened He toppleC
over INTO a heap upon the rouet
surface of the faded carpet. Auc
there ne lay, erumplcd small
form. E1bbgug A-Sobblng---
IL vas thus that David FounC
him when he came in a few min.
uteS later.
Peter" he called He ran for
ward. sank 20 the floor and GATH.
cred the small boy IN his arms
"Peter--don't cry like that 70,
mustn't"
Peter looked up, his eyes swim
ming in tears. With difficulty b.
got hold OF himself.