The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-07-22
From the San Francisco (Cai.) Golden Era.
THE OLD CARTMAN.
BY BLuNDERBUSS.

II the reader desplse 1t hecause OF the first
or tho editors Of the Era reject it for the
reason Of the last, then will | esrhew truth
in the future, and devote myself to the elal,.
Grafton Of lies Into chapters, and the purest
fctions into volumes of seventeen hundred
pages each.
With this understanding proceed at
once to remark, that FIVE years ago, or there
abouts, John Ainsley-or Pap Ainsl-y.' as
he WAS Familiarity called-was the owner of
a h"ndcart, and earned a living by convey
ing miscellaneous, parcels from one section
of the city to another, and receiving there
for the reasonable remuneration Of fifty cents
per load. To designate the occupation, in
the prosiest language possible, he was
han'lcart,nan, aud when not employed,
could always be found during working
hours at the corner Of Montgomery anil
California streets. His hair and long beard
were quite gray and his limbs feeble; and
IT lie could 'ove as heavy load
through sand or up the steep grade
| ABOVE ~ e stalwart Teuton on the
opposite corner, thereby losing many lob
and many dollar, all the light loads in the
nelghborhood fell TO his lot and kindbeart
ed men not unfrequently went square or
two out Of their way TO give an easy job to
Pap Ainsley.'
-Four years ago last September, O recol-
lect the month, for had note of four
thousand dollars to pay, and was compelled
to do some pretty sharp, 6nanciering to
meet il. having two or three dozen volumes
OF books to transfer to my lodgings gave
Pap Ainsley' task Of transportation. Ar
irving at my room just "a he had deposited
the last armful on my table, and observing
that the old man looked considerably fa.
t'gued after climbing three flights of stairs
two or three times, invited him tc take a
| glass of brandy "a bottle Of whicl, usually
kept in my room, for medicinal and sopori.
fic purposes. Although grateful for the in
vitation. lie politely declined. urged, bu,
ne was i"f1exible. ! was astonished. do
you never drinkT Very seldom he re-
Piled dropping into chair, at my request
and w'ping the presrira'ion from his fore
head. We'll, if You drink at all,' insisted,
you will not find in the twelve months "a
fair an excuse for indulging for you appear
fatigued aud scarcely able to stand.' To be-
frank said the old man. 4 do not drink
now. have not tasted Intoxicating LIQUOR
for fifteen years-since--Since when?'
inquire !, tloughtlsssly, observing his hes.
itati"n.
The oil man told me. Sixteen wears
ago he was w-ll-.o,day farmer near Syra.
ruse. New York. lie hal but one child
daughter. While attending boarding
school in that city, fhegirI, then about six.
teen years of agese.tiaa,i HI attachment for
young physiciaaa stsq,,ain,ng her faith
er with the circumstance, he fsrly refused
his consent to her union with man had
never seen, and removing her from school
ne d'sp"tched note to the young gallan,
with the somewhat pointed information.
mat his presence in The nciglhnrlinnl Of
the Ainsley farm would not meet with favor.
The reader of course slrmises the result for
AZ such proceeding could and can have
hut one result. In less than n month there
"aa an el"pement. The father loaded his
double barrelleh shotgun, and swore VEN
geanre, but failing to find the fugitives, hp
took to the bottle. His gooa wife i'm.
I'ored him not to give way to dispair, bnt
he drank the DEEPER. and accused her of en-.
couraging the el"pemen:. In three months
the wife died, and at the expiration of q gear,
when the young couple returned to syria.
euse from Connecticut, where they hal rs
ma'ned with the parents Of the husband.
they learned thst the old man, after. the
death Of his wife. Of which they had of
course been. apprised, had sold his farm,
squa"dered tho proceeds and was almost
destitute. Learning Of their arrival, Aims:
icy drank bimsslf into q frenzy, and pro.
cesding to the hotel where they were stop.
ping attacked the bushand, wounded him
'"''hs arm with pistol shot, and then At
tempted the iifs Of liis dangb,er, who hap
ply escaped uuinjured through the in.erpo.
''''on OF persons brought to the spot by the
report'of the pistol. Ainsley was arrested
tired and acquitted on the plea Of insanity.
The daughter and her busbsnd .rsturned to
Connecticut, since which time tl,s father lid
not hsSsd from them. He ~as cent tofibe
iunstis ssylnm, from which he was dismis-
ssd aftsf remaining dix months. h rs5,
ls came to California. He had followed
mining fer two ysan, bu. ,iad,ura bin
arspssh ansqaar Il ~ puauit /, sssurEsa
70 this csty, purchased . hsad-ert -aaud
s5ysss i las~s:S gss shsa,
Eooneladed tkt;oid auaa, bonisR Elsos h.