The union Democrat., 1870-03-12
A Talk With CaiiCornians.

Soine out 10 cur coast, pov, Sal0 big
child of San Francisco, the other day land
we'll give you something to write about"
"For instance! 20
We'll :ell you the story of Paul Beales."
"Who was Paul Beales."
Paul Beales was bank cashier at or near
Williamsport, Penn, along about the year
| ~. In those days there was no express
companies, and once O month, or once quar-
ter, Paul Beales, like all the bank cashiers
of interior Pennsylvania. had to go to Phila-
delphia to adjust his balances with the bank
which corresponded with his own Paul
started one day from Wiiliamsport with $50
| 900, which he was TO take in person 70 the
4; Farmers and Mechanics Bank, and na arriv-
ed in Philadelphia next day noon. lie was
q temperate, virtuous, respected married
man, popular with everybody and well-to do
| But on this occasion Paul Beales was pos
sessed with the devil of postp9nement, and
being tired of travel be did not go promptly
to bank. but lounged about the hotel till eve
ming. Then he fels the other demon of reck-
lessness. that never came before, come to him
i end sugges. that be make night of it. In Q
few minutes he was in gambling saloon,
and had shortened his account some thou
sands of dollars.
The next morning the bank received three
fourths of the money from Willamsport, by
an anonymous hand, ard Paul Beales was
missing. They searched for him, high and
low, in vain. 1t was believed that he had
been murdered. and his widow put on mourn
ing while all his community grevei for him.
About that time there arrived in Califor-
MIA one Daniel Clarkson, a fire-looking, affa-
ble man, with little money but big will. and
he plunged at once into mining and business.
He was honest and popular. and every man,
woman, and child soon learned to love him.
He was married, after some years to Pa
cific woman, one who was dead snot with
pistol, and had all the virtues that bloom be-
yond the Sierra Neyadas, and in course of
time we had nominated Daniel Clarkson for
Anunycmenta or Mayor Of the city of San
Francisco.
While he was walking one day on Mont
gomery street, man from Pennsylvania
stepped up to him suddenly and putting out
his hand said
"Paul, how do yon do?''
'Eight well, thank you, sir" exclaimed
Daniel Clarkson ''but'-after a pause
''you have mistaken me for some one else"
Excuse me-" said the nan, ''hut was
sure had found Paul Beales, of Williams
port, Pennsylvania"
Daniel Clarkson continued on down the
street; pretty soon he came to daguerreo-
type saloon. before the door of which. con-
spicuous in a show case, hung a portrait Of
himself. the most popular man in San Frar-
cisco. Bearded aud grown older, and with
that look of philosophic thought which wise
experience gives, he made the prompt resolve
to buy picture Of Daniel Clarkson and send
it to the Mayor of Williamsport. to inquire
if he resembled in any manner the missing
Paul Behles. This. perhaps, was the mad
ness which let's out murder: bnt. confident
and self-possessed the fugitive cashier did H.
The Mayor and his friends mused over the
picture. and saw a resemblance, but at last
concluded to abide by the decision of the wild
ow Of Paul Beales. She had been waiting
all those years, hopeful that the deeps OF time
would give up their secret some dav; and
when she saw the picture of Daniel Clarkson
she recognized her husband, and fell fainting
to the floor.
a. that day wretch subsisted in Calfor-
MIA who earned his ignominious bread By
blackmailing the citizens in the columns of a
vile print. He began by calling Daniel
Clarkson bank-robber and a thief, and said
he was fine figure for AnunydmeniG. He
filed his paper with the name of Paul Beales,
and the whole city looked up astonished to
see its most respectable merchant maligned
in this way. If Ciarkson had killed the
blackmailer he would have been justified on
every side. Not so. He protested that he
had always been Daniel Clarkson, and that
he never heard Of Paul Beales. and so solemn
ly did he aver this that not one of MS friends
wavered in his support. But the printing
wretch grew more circumstantial with every
Al. r:
said:
"Clarkson, you must 60 back to Williams
port and show yourself. You must face this
tLing. We believe you, and will see you
through"
would take the first steamer, and so he did.
accompanied by many supporters. and cheer
ed as the ship left her dock by great crowd
He left behind him in San Francisco two
hundred thousand gold dollars worth of prop
erty.
AS the ships company was crossing the
Isthmus OF Panama, on mules, Daniel Clark
son was missing somewhere on the way. and
for three years he disappeared anew. At last
they found him working in candle factory
IN Cincinnati, dressed like laborer, and
poor and desperate. The California bows put
him on his feet. They said:
'ClarksoD, there is but one way to do this
thing. Begin at the beginning. and return
to Williamsport and to your wife,
lie said that he would do all that they ask
ed. They paid the money he had absconded
with and lost. They persuaded the wife he
bad In California to give him up quietly.
His own wife. who had lived alone those
years. was glad to have him back on any
terms; and there he lives to this day. near
Willismsport, a tolerable old man. and his
story is one of the favorite "reminiscences of
our coast. y Washington Cor. Chicago Trib-
uae.
One DR.. T., Presbyterian, had lady
love, decided Baptist. When talking once
OF their approaching nuptials, the doctor said:
- am thinking, my dear. of two events |