The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-03-11
An American story.

An American story.
That O Washington correspondent should
relate, through n paper in Chicago, the San
Franciscan vicissitudcs of IN individual
belonging in Pennsylvania, and not with
out his experience in Cincinnati, is sIgnln-
cant at once of the cosmopolitan genius OF
the country and the roundabout way which
the story of q mans follies and misfortunes
may adopt to reach the public ear when
some local spirit of charity has denied to 1t
a more direct medium. Writing from the
national capital to the Chicago Tribune,
"GatL" gives circumstantial publicity to
the case of one Paul Beales, who, as al
lered. was cashier some eleven years ago
Of a bank at or near Williamsport, Penn.
Once n month, or once a quarter, it was
his official duty to visit Philadelphia
and there adjust the balances of that bank
of the Quaker City which correspondent
with his own. lie started one day upon
this business with the sum of $4,000 in
his possession for the Farmers aud Me-
chanics Bank, and being rather weary from
travel, upon arriving in Philadelphia he
resolved to postpone his deposit until the
following day. In the evening, being July
rested and inclined for a lounge about
town, his evil genius led him to q gambling
| house, where, under the demorallzlng mag
| nctism of the place. he staked II lost
several thousand dollars. The Williansport
| Bank never saw its cashier again: In two
mr. three DAYS thereafter the president re-
cciycd, through strange hands, about
twantv-scycn thousand dollars of its money:
hnt in about q month later thes name OF
Daniel Clarkson was amongst the list OF
steamer arrivals from the East" pub
lishcd by the papers of San Francisco.
This Daniel Clarkson brought very little
money with him, but by spccious devices
and daring adventures in mining stock
reared such profits as prudent capitalists
might have been years in gaining. Once
SUPPLIED with q fair sum, he Immediately
refrained from all further speculation, and
entered into a legitimate mercantile bust
ness. Here, too, fortune favored him. He
became a great merchant, married a daugh-
ter of another merchant, and achieved such
popular success as to be nominated for the
honorable office of Mayor. Just before the
election, however, he was greeted on the
street one day by q strange man, who
called him by O strange name. Upon
his rejection Of the latter, the stranger
said, "You are Paul Beales, whom |
used to know in Pennsylvania" Upon
parting from this man, the popular mer-
chant and candidate lost no time in send
inc his latest photograph to the Mayor of
Williamsport witha note inquiring whether
it bore any resemblance to the long-mlsslnG
Paul Bealcs. The answer was that,
although beard and the lines wrought by
time were o sufficient disguise to mere
former acquaintanccs, they had not saved
the deserted wife of Paul Beales from faint
ing at the sight of the picture. In short,
Daniel Clarkson's act of bravado had not
preserved Taul Beales from detection. The
story got abroad in California through the
matchmaking malevolence of the conductor
of n vile local print, and the merchants
astonishci and incredulous friends told him
that. for his honor's sake and theirs, he
must 90 Immediately to W~illiamspolt and
there disprovc the curious SANDER in person.
Promptly approving this advice, he sailedin
the next steamer for Panama, leaving pro-
pertv 10 the value Of $250,00O behind him,
and chccred OH his departure by n host of
well-wishers. While crossing the isthmus his
fellow passengers missed him, and for
several years thereafter no trace Of him
could be found. At last, not quite a year
ago, some returned C~alifJrnians discovered
him III Cincinnati at work as a common
lahorer il, Il candle factory! He was poor,
logged, and averse to recognition, but the
former friends of Daniel Clarkson were de-
tcrmined to bring him TO reason, and did.
lie ultimately submitted entirely to their
direction. They advanced him the money
to pay lis deficit to the old bank at Will
Transport, and sent him thither to rejoin
his long-dcserted wife. The same good
friends lave persuaded his California wife
to accept his property in San Francisco in
compensation oil the great wrong done her,
and Paul Bealcs is once more in his obi
home to begin life anew.