The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-04-14
SEEING AMERICA FIRST.
~ FRED c. KELLY
Copyright. 1915. By Fred c. Keily)

Mother page from diary:
am hoping before | leave southern California
to find bona fIde. well authenticated case OF
a person who came here from the east. stayed
in this climate for at least a year. then went
back east and voluntarily remained there II !.
could find case like that and also get trace VI
locality somewhere in the United States where
people frankly do not sleep under blankets. l
would regard myself as highly successful little
investigator For such things are extremely
hard to find
The other day was down In the southern e1
tremity OF California within striking distance OF
Yuma Arfz which a called the hottest place In
the United States II Was so hOt--even in March
that II was difficult 10 sleep at all blankets
or no blankets. Yet when asked native about
the summer heat he told me. just as ] knew
he would that the weather we were expsrienc-
INK was altogether fTeakish and that they usual
" slept under blankets al night he admitted
that IL was rather hot for an hour or two in the
middle Of the day. but said the nights were al
ways cool-always a nice breeze. IL had asked
him further questions he would have told me
that 1870 in the shade there seems no hotter than
S. in the east The man was, Of course, mem
Der OF the great army OF weather liars
He IS the same sort OF man one meets when
one Journeys TO some noted fishing place-the
man who explains that II one had arrived Just
two weeks earlier. two weeks later, as the
case may be- there would have been fish TO
I hope TO find a man who will admit that II "a
too hot where he lives To sleep under blankets,
and that he invariably kicks the sheet off
Also. az say, am on A quiet hunt for per
son who prefers TO live in the east. even after
spending year in southern California So far
have had scant luck in this search. Out OF fully
two hundred persons Of whom ] have inquired,
every one has replied substantially like this:
Yes. people often come here from the east.
| and don't like the dry climate in summer Then
their imagination begins 10 work and they thinx
J Of their home state back east as more desirabls
than they eyer did before They return 20 the
east stay there a while and don't like II. Then
they come back 10 southern California for keeps
and nothing short Of actual cOmpulsiOn could
get them 10 live Ia the east again"
4 I have heard that story. with concrete Illus
trations. often that ! am half inclined TO be
lieve IT, Mind you, u Is conceded that men will
come here for few weeks. or even a few months
and then 20 away and stay away But am
still vainly hunting for the man Who is content
TO live elsewhere after being here full year.
Yesterday ] thought I had flushed the case
was after. fell into conversation With man
who came 20 California last summer. He was
bewailing the approach Of another dry season
June will find me bacs In Pennsylvania" he
said Il am not going 10 live IN country where
there are no trees the hillsIdes and the rivers
run upside down.
in summer, when the rivers dry up the water
sinks down into the ground. leaving the sandy
bed OF the river on top
As soon "a heard this man declaring his In.
tention OF returning TO the east, rushed him 10
California acquaintance 10 have him make a
sort OF deposition. you might say But the
native Californian punctured my case ia short
order In the first place. he pointed out tho
fastener has not been here a year, and Il
therefore not acclimated. and when be does re.
turn to the east. what proof Is there that he will
not come back here. just as all the others have
done?