Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-07-01
THE OLD CARTMAN.
BY BLUSDERBUsS.

| soises IL because Of the first, or the editors OF
tke Fra reject it for the reason Of IN last, then
will eSehew truth IN tie future ind devote
myself to the elaboration of lies into chapters
7 and the purest fictions into volumes of seven
| teen hundred pages each
u with this understanding, proceed mt once
| 10 remark, that five yerrs ago or Whereabouts,
John Ainsley-or Pap Ainsley,' rs he was IA
and earned his living by conveying miscellane-
Gus parcels from one section Of the city to an
o.her. and receiving therefor the reasonable
remuneration Of ffty cents per load. To des-
ignate the occupation in the prosiest language
possible he was a hand-cartman. and when not
employed. could always be found during work
in- hours at the corner OF Montgomery and
California streets. His hair and long beard
we're quite gray and his limbs feeble; and if he
could not shove as heavy load through the
deep sand or up the steep grade above him as
the stalwsrt Teuton on the opposite corner,
thereby losing many a job and many dollar,
all the light roads In the eighborhoOd fell TO
4 s|Iis lot and kind hearted men not unfrequenuy
travelled q square or two out of their way to
Tive an easy Job to Pap Ainsley. - . -.
= Four years ago last September, Il recOllect
the month, for had note of s., 900 to pay, and
vas compelled TO do some pretty sharp fnan-
! cicIing to meet it, having two or three dozen
T.. olumes Of books to tranSfcr to my lodging,
gave P.p Ainsley the task Of transportation
Arriving at my room just as he had deposited
the last armful on the table, and Observing
that the old man looked considerably fatigued
after climbing three flights of stairs five or six
times. invited him to take glass of brandy
bott'e of which l usually kept in nv room,
for medical and sophOric purposes Although
grateful for the invitation, he politely destined
IL urged hut he was infeIible. / was aston
: ishcd. Do you never drink" said l. VERY
seldom" ne replied, dropping into chair, and
wIPIng the persPfratlOn from bis forehead
Well, If you drink at ALL insisted, you will
not find in the next twelyemOnth as lair an ex-
cuse for indulging. for you appear fatigued and
scarcely able 10 stand. To be frank " said the
old man, - do not drink now. i have not
tasted intoxicating liquor for fifteen years.
since Since when!'' inquired thought
lessly, observing his hesitation.
( The old mau told me- Sixteen years ago he
i wssa well-tO-dO farmer near Syracuse, \. Y.
i lie had but one child, daughter While at
| tending boarding -schocI in that city the girl,
I Hen but sixteen years of age, formed an at
'achmsnt for young physician. Aequainting
{ her father with the circumstance, he natly re-
fused bis consent to the union with a man he
l'ai never seen, and removing her from school
I 'Patched note to the young gallant. with
hc somewhat pointed infnrnation that his
Tesenee in the neighbOrhoOd OF ms h;nsIcT
trm would not meet with favor. The reader
courses sSurlnises the result. for such a pro
4, ing could and can have but one result In
.eSs than a month there was an eIopement.
The father loaded his dOuble-barrelled shot
tlun, ald swOTe vengeance, but failing to find
the fugitiYes, he took to the bottle His good
wife implOred him not 10 give way to despair
but he drank the deeper, and accused her of
encouraging the elOpement. In three months
the wife died, and at the expiration of year.
when the young couple returned to Syracuse
from Connecticut, where they had remained
4 Ith the parents OF the husband. they learned
l at the old man, after the death of his wife,
y which they had of course been apprised
4d sold his farm, squandered the proceeds,
4 d was almost destitute. Learning of their
y rival, Ainsley drank himself into frenzy
Il proceeding to the hotel where they were
n piping, attacked the husband, wounding him
the arm with pistol shot and then at
il mpted the life Of his daughter, who, happily,
" capped unInJured through the interposition of
persons brought to the spot by the report of
me pistol AiESloy was arrested tried and ac-
I.dItted on th" plea Of insanity The daughter
d99 her huS returned to Connecticut since
Eihteh time the father had not heard from
mem lie vas so"t to n lunatic asylum from
I"hlcl ne was dismissed after renaaining air
r. lohthS. In 1901 he came to California He
lad followed mining for two years but finding
4 MS strength unequal to the pursuit returned
1 o tnIs city, purchased handcart and-the
| eat Is known ''Since then, concluded the
'ld man, bowling his face in his hands in agony.
( nave not tasted liquor, nor have seen nv
J poor child l regretted that had been 50
hhi1lsiuFe and expressed to the sufferer the
sympathy really felt for him After that. I
ps'dom passed the corner without looking for
rap Alnsiey and never saw him but 10 think
W1se sad story he had told me- :
Uhe chilly, drilling day in the December
80 nS' gentleman having purchased a
NnHh maTble,tOp table at an auction room, or
P'site, proffercd to the old man the iob of con-
yhg II To his residence on Stockton street
"ishlng 10 accompany the carrier he had
cted the face, probably, giving the best
S,aiahce SSaNa oi ihe careful delivery OF the pur-
Furnished with the number of the house. the
; e4Iiman, after pretty trying struggle
WIN the steep ascent of California street
iesAed hi. destination, and deposited the table
-, ne nan Lingering a moment, the lady
WI not seem to surmise the reason. until he
4 PIely informed her that her husband flor
Y csJt 'ooK him to be) had probably by ac-
STeht STeht neglected to settle for the cartage.-
very well; l will pay you,'' said the fsdy.
l.afP.ng INTO an adjoining room. She returned,
MI StajIng that she had no small coin in ,bs
E@ase' handed the old-man a twenty-dollar
s;ng lie could not make the change. Never
Amd-l will call to morrow ~ sid b ,nrn;n
80. No, no,' replied the lady gisnc;nss
/ Eyhg'y at his white locks and tfemblinS
VIII not permit you to put yourself
50 much trouble" and she handed the coin 70
81, oige,, whh Instructions to see if she could
Il
! IN the neighbcrhood 0e VI hi1rhee
sep i1to the parl9r until the Girl returns.
tle arr Is chilly, and you must BE- cold y non,
uaued the lady, kindly. Com. ;, - III
he looked at bis rough attire and be.;,.,ed,,
there is a good fre in the gate and no eu.
uhere but the ehi!dren-'i O '"'
n :, Itis somewhat chilly, replied the old man
ioiloSiDg her into the parlor, and t,t;r'.
\ ssat near the Ere. Perhaps may end sons
sNef IN the house, said the lady, leaving the
Ioom, for fear Bridget will not succeed in
y se''lng The twenty changed. -
Tome here, little one" said the old man.
TS,liins out his hands eoaxingly to the younger
Ae two Children girl about six years of
-, tome love little children" and the
4i, VINO bad been watching him With Gu
.y 80. from behind the large armchair, hesi-
,,,,'at nhat Is Your name, DEAR" inquired the
Maria lisped the little one.
. n bs,nI nc repeated, while the great tears
s,,.tt ih his eyes II once had little girl