The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-10-07

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without a cent and without the power
OF appealing 70 any OF my friends for
aid Fortunately had a gold watch
for which had paid $500 The year be-
fore i never occurred 70 me that !
NIGH; pam n until ! saw the three
balls on a pa@nshop at Third avenue
and Fourteenth street ] entered the
shop and hooked" my watch for SIS.
/ With this money in my possession
regained confidence. J had always
been able to make my own way in the
past IN fact. ] had always been a
money-malEer why not again? So 7
determined 70 start anew IN life.
would forget that | had ever been
Ralph A. Clarke. In the future
would be b. H. Benton The name
came TO me liSe an inspiration
read Of my escape from Tho
knolls, and even dropped into a 20.
lice station 70 see II general alarm
had been sent out for me. Finding
out there was a general alarm for rae
and that J might be arrested at any
moment and returned TO the sanitar-
ium- decided | had better leave New
York
Practically an OF the $15 l had OBJ
tanned for my watch had been spent
for food and shelter during those
three days. IN TACT had less than 20
cents when | CROSSED over to Jersey
on the ferry and took The trolley to
Trenton. AZ Trenton managed to
get freight train, which landed me
at Perryville. Md
There contractor was tearing
down an old railroad bridge, and ap-
piled for work as laborer The boss
scanned me for a moment He told
nae frankly that he didn't think I'd do.
but that, as he needed men. he'l give
me job So | started to work at
once for $3.50 day. found cheap
boarding house across the river and
began my career as b r. Benton. For
four weeks ! worked at this job and
saved enough money to buy ticket
for Richmond, Va. where / expected to
get position at the American Loco
motive Works
Succeeded In Business.
was successful in getting employ
ment at the locomotive works In
Richmond, and remained there until
April 1907 BY that time / had ac-
cumulatcd a nest egg from my say
ings, and I began to look around for
some better way Of making money
answered an "ad" and got a posi-
tlon ass a salesman with the Columbia
Shoe company. but left its employ for
4 better position as a travelling sales
man for Smith & Hemenway OF New
York. ! sold safety razors for this
concern al over the middle west and
south gaveeniy name as B. r. Ben
ton and my home as Richmond.
While working for this concern |
met man who was travelling for the
Parker Chemical company OF Chicago.
and through him ! got job as sales
man for that concern. MY headquar
ters were located at Richmond, and
my business brought me into contact
with prominent and influential per+
sors there. ! made good commissions
as a salesman and constantly added to
my savings Two years ago ] deter
mined to embark in business for my
self. with Dr. w H. Parker. one OF
the leading physicians OF Richmond;
DR. Ferguson OF the state board of
health, and two others | organized the
Chemical supply Company | became
IT'S secretary and general manager.
and later, upon the withdrawal Of Dr.
Parker It's president.
As r. r. Benton i became acquaint.
ed with Miss Mamie profiltt Of No,
3ff East Cary street, Richmond two
years ago. and on March so OF this
year we were married IN Washington
by the Rev. Il. II. Sven OF the Second
Baptist church. So determined was
to forget that had ever been Ralph
A Clarke OF Brooklyn that | did not
even reveal my identity to my bride
until after we were married. Then
when I was induced to come to New
York and reveal my identity ii was no
longer possible to keep my bride in
ignorance.
During the are years lived IN
Richmond | saw many OF my old
fsiends. and one OF them. VIII Ketch-
am OF Brooklyn. stopped me and ask
ed II was not Ralph Clarke. met
his eyes calmly and told him he was
mistaken. Rowland J. Shines, another ,
cid friend. was not so easily deceived. (
He saw me in the grin room Of 4
Strumpts Hotel IN Richmond on the 4
9TH of last January and immediately I
hailed me as Clarke. tried 70 throw
him on. even Insisting that had nev-
er heard the name Clarke before but 4
he knew me too well and was forced f
to admit my identity. We had dinner
and spent an evening talking
over old times. Before he left me he
was pledged to keep my secret on con
dition that I meet him II Washington
on Jan 30,
Returns to His Aged Mother,
when ] met him at the Raleigh ho
tel on that date he pleaded with me to
release him from his pledge Of 81.
crecys tie argued shes & was unfair
to keep ms family, especially iay aged
mother. il Ignorance Of my fate So.
for the sake Of my mother.