Imperial Valley press., 1916-11-01
The Private Forum
These Columns Are Limited To
Discussions By the Old Timer
Who Is Responsible for Truth

Well, for the love of Mark Rose,
when did you get back" inquired of
the Old Timer as l bumped against
rim at the corner of Sixt and Main
streets.
"Just rolled in yesterday morning
and l am oging to get ticket and
leave" g,oomily replied the Old
Timer as he glanced uneasily at swift
" running autos as they dashed up
and down the streets.
"Wah' smatter, Old Timer, did
some one file on your land while you
were gomez" l asked him as he was
Just regainin his balance on the curb
after having been jostled off by a
crowd of pedestrians hurrying toward
the stores to snap up baragins.
Nav, nothing like that son. I'm
just naturally lost here. Just let me
tell you some things l have discovered
in the last twenty-four hours. Just
listen and you'll know why l don't feel
st home.
"All right, Old Timer, Shoot l
said.
"Now, son, in the first place, you
know this is really my home town. l
lived here for years, sort of grew ur
with the place and now come back
and get lost.
81 started out yesterday morning
ard before knew it l was inquiring
my way back to Main street. They
had no pavements before l left. The
trees were seedlings. The only thins
that recognized was the county jai.
end I'm not sure of that for | only
saw the outside of the thing this time.
"But lawme, son, / plumb forgot.
The old court house is still there and
when / stepped in who should l see
hut J Stanley, whiskers just the same
as before. l passed through and found
Wiley Weaver still leaning up against
the desk looking over his glasses at
some map and pointing with a big
thick finger at some section line.
81 strolled into the irrigation dir
.eetors meeting and then knew that
was in Ell Centro, for the first man
1 shook hands with was Mark Rose.
Yes sir, just like old times.
Gel Centro was dry when | went
away but it was the same old dusty
place when / came back, for entering
the city hall ! found man on trial
for bootlegging. Nothing had changed,
you see, nothing. Everything just the
same.
81 met William Kelly and he's still
voting the ticket headed by J. Frank
I;anly. 1 ran across Bill Egerer and
i. is police, firemen and such that the
ig baker still talks.
"You remember State street, son?
Yes, well we Used to use that thor
oughfare to tie our horses. | started
Up there yesterday moor and thought
as on Broadway. A man told me it
vas the public library, that was the
new telephone building, the next was
tfe fire department and the city Jail,
new apartment houses, handsome
| uildings Of all kinds, and all this in
a few years.
"But / did meet with jolt, son; a
severe one too, as you will appreciate.
Along arbout noon | imagined ! want
ed some elixir of life. Back d few
years all you had to do was to enter
the apothecary shop and explain that
YOU had one or two bucks and that
was all that was needed. The clerk
would return in few minutes with a
neatly wropped package and yor
would be off to a place where water
and a glass were to be found
"Just as remarks son, this occa-
sion was disastrous. | goes into the
drug shop and picks out a likely look
ing youngster who might seem to
comprehend the desires and anxieties
of dusty tongued cuss and get my
r'eanin1.
Walking in casually like an Old resi-
dent | sauntered up to aforesaid so
histicated clerk and mentioned the
fact that was the possessor Of one
good iron man.
Pardon me SIR ne said"
"Not to be Ambiguous but for fear
you don't grasp my mental groupings
! will again remark that ] have se-
c.udede about my person the sum Of
doll y