On October 8, 1931, the Montgomery Advertiser announced with a headline: Scott Fitzgeralds to Spend Winter Here Writing Books. The paper heralded the return of the former Zelda Sayre, daughter of prominent Judge A.D. Sayre, after the Jazz Age couple's extended tour of Europe, "where they have spent two years, gathering color for their writings." The Advertiser kindly overlooked Zelda's discharge from Prangins Clinic in Switzerland one month earlier following prolonged treatment for her first "breakdown."

The famous couple leased a home at 919 Felder near Zelda's parents. By November, Scott had accepted a job in Hollywood and left Zelda with their ten year old daughter Scottie in the Felder house. Zelda endured the death of her father, a major Alabama political figure, in November, 1931, with surprising resilience and she made preparations for Scott's homecoming at Christmas. In her daily letters to Scott, Zelda wrote poetically of the Montgomery house and the Alabama autumn: The weather here is a continual circus day -- smoky with the sun like a red balloon and soft and romantic and sensual.

In the Montgomery house, Zelda outlined her book about a marriage in breakdown: Save Me the Waltz with a heroine named Alabama. At the same time, Scott wrote his own novel about a destructive marriage amidst European settings: Tender Is The Night. The intense, emotional competition that erupted between the doomed writers became the subject of Tennessee Williams's final play: Clothes for a Summer Hotel. But while they occupied the house on Felder, Zelda's feelings for Scott remained true to their legendary love affair. Her letter from Montgomery to Hollywood in December, 1931, said, Scottie is so sweet and darling and the house is so pleasant and I have everything in the world except you.

Left: Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald