Personal Reminiscences of Early Days in California with Other Sketches | Page 5

practising law, which is reported
in the interesting book of Messrs. Barry and Patten, entitled "Men and
Memories of San Francisco in the Spring of 1850." The story has no
other foundation.
But I am digressing from the narrative of my first experience in San
Francisco. After taking my breakfast, as already stated, the first thing I
noticed was a small building in the Plaza, near which a crowd was
gathered. Upon inquiry, I was told it was the court-house. I at once
started for the building, and on entering it, found that Judge Almond, of
the San Francisco District, was holding what was known as the Court
of First Instance, and that a case was on trial. To my astonishment I
saw two of my fellow-passengers, who had landed the night before,
sitting on the jury. This seemed so strange that I waited till the case was
over, and then inquired how it happened they were there. They said that
they had been attracted to the building by the crowd, just as I had been,
and that while looking on the proceedings of the court the sheriff had
summoned them. They replied to the summons, that they had only just
arrived in the country. But he said that fact made no difference; nobody
had been in the country three months. They added that they had
received eight dollars each for their services. At this piece of news I
thought of my solitary dollar, and wondered if similar good fortune
might not happen to me. So I lingered in the court-room, placing
myself near the sheriff in the hope that on another jury he might
summon me. But it was not my good luck. So I left the temple of
justice and strolled around the busy city, enjoying myself with the
novelty of everything. Passing down Clay street, and near Kearney
street, my attention was attracted by a sign in large letters, "Jonathan D.
Stevenson, Gold Dust Bought and Sold Here." As I saw this inscription
I exclaimed, "Hallo, here is good luck," for I suddenly recollected that
when I left New York my brother Dudley had handed me a note against
Stevenson for $350 or $400; stating that he understood the Colonel had

become rich in California, and telling me, that if such were the case, to
ask him to pay the note. I had put the paper in my pocket-book and
thought no more of it until the sight of the sign brought it to my
recollection, and also reminded me of my solitary dollar. Of course I
immediately entered the office to see the Colonel. He had known me
very well in New York, and was apparently delighted to see me, for he
gave me a most cordial greeting. After some inquiries about friends in
New York, he commenced talking about the country. "Ah," he
continued, "it is a glorious country. I have made two hundred thousand
dollars." This was more than I could stand. I had already given him a
long shake of the hand but I could not resist the impulse to shake his
hand again, thinking all the time of my financial condition. So I seized
his hand again and shook it vigorously, assuring him that I was
delighted to hear of his good luck. We talked over the matter, and in
my enthusiasm I shook his hand a third time, expressing my
satisfaction at his good fortune. We passed a long time together, he
dilating all the while upon the fine country it was in which to make
money. At length I pulled out the note and presented it to him. I shall
never forget the sudden change, from wreaths of smiles to an
elongation of physiognomy, expressive of mingled surprise and disgust,
which came over his features on seeing that note. He took it in his
hands and examined it carefully; he turned it over and looked at its
back, and then at its face again, and then, as it were, at both sides at
once. At last he said in a sharp tone, "That's my signature," and began
to calculate the interest; that ascertained, he paid me the full amount
due. If I remember rightly he paid me $440 in Spanish doubloons, but
some of it may have been in gold dust. If it had not been for this lucky
incident, I should have been penniless before night.
The good fortune which the Colonel then enjoyed has not always
attended him since. The greater part of his property he lost some years
afterwards, but he has always retained, and now in his seventy-eighth
year[1] still retains, great energy and vigor of mind, and a manly
independence of character, which have made him warm friends. In all
the changes of my life his