Smyrna times., 1908-09-23
DELAWARE BOY
IN CALIFORNIA
WRITES OF KELSEYVILLE A
LITTLE MOUNTAIN TOWN
Describes His First Visit There and
the Life, Modes and Habits of
the People-Dreary Day.

| nrSC time saw helSeyVllle was one
Saturday afternoon in late November
several years ago. KelseyvilIe is
used to seeing strangers in summer.
lots of them; they come to the
mineral springs and baths in Lake
County, and they make camps in the
mountains. But, it seems, Kelsev-
willie had not calculated on seeing a
stranger, and new settler too. at
this time of year, for when l drove
down Main Street there was a hastv
congregating in the doorways and win
dOws of women and children making
it evident if Kelseyville had MANY
visitors at this season she would
have to enlarge her doorways or put
more windows in her houses or there
would be lack of room for all to see.
The groups of men upon the side
walks or standing in the streets also
looked myself and rig over carefully
as l drove by them. Everybody
having been given good chance to
look l decided to tie my horse and feel
the town which, of course, you can
always do best walking.
| chose a side street for nv first
explorations and the first thing I
noticed was an old man just ahead
of me, waddling along carefully
with can. He reminded me greatly
of the pictures of Father Time or of
some bewhiskered populist suddenly
grown old. Overtaking him, | spoke.
a custom of mine with old people.
Acknowledging my salute, the old
man said, "Young man see you are
a stranger so l will tell you of nv
history. l was born 400, 900 years
before the stone age. When l was
a young man, wimmen was wimmen
and knew their place, and was not
alway trying to be men as they are
nowaday, now lot of 'em have
got 1t in their heads they are gone
to vote and blame me if they aint
lettin them do it in a lot of places.
You know, young man, lot of
people air always talking about
progress, well they're brought about
lot of dreadful changes in nv
time. l hear some of the wimmen
say now they are gone to have more
say in church affairs too, or bust the
church. Young man, l tell YOU
wimmen will ruin this world vet. -
was saved the trouble of making
any reply by the old man entering a
gate.
l kept my way around the back
streets until l came upon a we'll of
natural gas and water bubbling up
from the ground on the east side of
town. While watching this pheno-
menon another old gentleman slightly
older than the first one came up and
noticing he was cycling me suspici
ously, l moved closer to him.
Whereupon he said, "Young man
have you salvation?" Having travelled
some in America and knowing money
was a mans only salvation, thrust
my hand in my pocket and found |
had $1.5O, so l said, eyes, have
little. " He replied, "a little is
no good at all. " told him
thought it better than being broke.
ION, Yes, l see you misunderstood
me" he replied. He then gave me
long religious dissertation, covering
many centuries. "Well you see, .
he said, "as the years have gone
long they've made some dreadful
changes. They've got more than
300 creeds which are nothing but
rank heresy. Mine is the only
orthodox creed all the others mean
ruin. l tell you these changes are
dreadful. -
| remarked to him that he must
have changed some himself as he
wore modern clothing.
He said, "Oh yes, l had to, the
breech-clout was easy and comfort
able like and hated to give it up
but they wouldn't let me dress that
way now
Fearing my religious ideas might
dlsplease the old man, said no more
but left him.
The same groups were standing on
Main street when l returned to it, |
each, apparently, keeping one eye on
NE. Having been successful in
getting a conversation from the old
men | tried to find what kind of
ideas inhabited the brainy parts of |
the groups. Disappointment met all |
my efforts here. Whenever l |
entered a group it would become
strictly non communicate, making it |
evident if any talking were done, l
was the one who must do it. How |
ever, if expressed a desire to buy a
horse, COW or wagon all of the groups
at once took eager and immediate in
terest in life, displaying a mental
activity that was really marvellous. |