, 1864-12-17


and earned living by conveying miscellane:
ous parcels from one section OF the city to
another, and receiving therefor the rca5ona.
bic remuneration Of 25 cenls per load, To
designate the occupation in the prosicst Ian
guage possible, be Was handcart-man and
when not employed, could always be found
during working hours, ut the corner Of Mont
gomery and California streets. His hair md
long beard were quite gray, and his limbs fee
BILE; and if he could not shove rs heavy a
load through the deep sand. er up the steep
grade above him, as the stalTart Tcuton on
the opposite corner. thereby losing many q
job and many dollar, all the light loads il,
the neiehborhood fell to his lot, and kind
hearted men not unfrcquently Travelled a
square Or two out of their way 10 give an
easy job to "Pap Ainsley.', :.
-Four years ago last September q reco1lect
the month, Tor lad note Of $1,000 to pay,
aud waa compelled to do some nretty sharp
financic,ing 10 meet it, having two Or three
dozen volumes to transfer to my lodging, l
gage " Pap Ainsley" the task Of transporia
ton. Arriving at ny room Just as he had
deposited the last armfnl on the table, and
observing that tue old man looked considern-
bly, fatigucd after climbing three flights Of
tstairs Two or three times, invited him to
take glass Of brandy-a bottle Of which I
usually kept in my room for medicinal and
soporitic purposes. Although grateful for
the invitation. be politely declined urged,
''Do you never drink p said L
/ Every Seldom" he replied, dropping into
a chair at my request, and Wiping the per-
spirntion from his forehead.
"Well, If you drink at all, II insisted, "you
will not find as fair an excuse in The next
fatieued and scarcely able to stand"
t'To be frank" said the old naan, II do not
drink now. I have not tasted Intoxicating
liquor for fifteen years, since"
:" Since wben2''', l inquired, thoughtlessly,
observing his hesitation.
The old man told me. Sixteen years ago hc
vas well-to-do farmer, near Syracuse, New
York. He Ind one child, y daughter. While
attending boarding school In that city, then
! girl of sixteen years Of age. she formed an at
taehment for y eung ply sician- Acqua1pting
ler father with the circumstauc he tlatly re-
fused his consent to union with . man
t WHOM lie had never seen, and removing her
fun school, dispatched note to the gallant,
with the somewhat pointed information that
his presence in the ncighborbood Of the AIMS
Icy farm would not meet with favor. The
render oi course sGruises the result, for such
. proceeding could have but one result. In
less than month there was an elopcnent.
The father loaded his double barrclled shot
gun md swore vengeance, but falling 10 find
The fugitiycs. he took to hebottle. His good
wife implosed him not to give way to despair,
but he drank the deeper, and accused her
OF encouraging tue elopement. In three
months his wife died, and at the expiration
oi year, when the young people returned to
Syracuse from Connecticut, where they had
renait ed with the parents Of the husband,
they learned that the old man had sold his
| talm, equnndered the proceeds, and Eas al
most destitute. Learning their arrival. Aims
ley drunk himself i1to frenzy, and proceed
| ed to the hotel where they we're stopping, at
tackled the husband, wounded him in the arm
by pistol shot, End attempted the life Of his
/ daughter, who happily escaped uninjured
| through tue fnterpositi0n Of persons brought
to the spot by the report Of the pistol. Aims
lry was arrested, tried, and acquitted on the
band returned to Connecticut, since which
time the father had not heard from them. Hc
| was sent 10 lunatic asylum, from which he
! Was dismissed after remaining SIX months.
In 1851 he came to California. &c had fol-
lowed mining for tuo years, but, finding his
| this city, purchased a handcart, and-thc rest
| Is known. sSfnce then," concluded the old
man, bowing his face In his hands In agony,
~ have not tasted liquor, nor have seen
| my poor child:''
/ regretted that had been so inquisitive.
really felt for him. After that seldom pass
| ed the corner without looking for Pup Ain
ley,n and never saw him but to think Of the
sad story he. hnd told ue.
One chilly, drizzly day in the December fol-
lowing, gentleman having purchased a
opposite, protiered to the old man the job Of
| carrying it to his residence, on Stockton
street. Not wishing to accompany the car
rier. he had selected the face probably giving
the best assurance Of careful delivery of'the
purchase.
Furnished with the number Of the house,
the old cartman, after pretty trying strug-
; gle with the steep ascent OF California street,
reached his destination, and deposited the
table in tho hall. Lingering moment, the
lady did not surmise the Ieason, until he po-
, ltcly informed her that her husband flor such
omitted to settle for the carriage.
Very well, will pay you" sald tlte lady,
steppiDglnto m adjoining room. She re-
turned, and, Stating that she had no small
coin In the house, handed the man twenty
dollar p{tcc-
lie could not make change. "Ncycr mind,
I Will call tomorrow he said, turning to go.
no, no p replied the lady, CHANGING pity
tngly at hig white locks aud trembling limbs,
~ will not put You to 50 muca, trouble, and
tion to sec if she could get It changed at ono
Of The stores or markets In the heighborhood.
"Stcp into the parlor until the girl returns;
the air Is chilly, and you must be co!d." con-
tinued tie lady. "Conle," she added. US be
looked at his attire and hceitated there
chi1drtn.n
sit is somewhat chilly" replied The MD
man, following her into the parlor, and taking
seat near the tlre.
"rerhaps may find some silver in the
tear Bridget will not succeed in getting tic
twenty dollar piece changed"
"Come-1 love little children !" and the
child, who Lad been watching him with curl
osity, ran from behind the large arm chair, and
nsststnSy nsas dsGy apRGSas1ae%3 nRoa1sa d. cartan Is
Maria 1isped the little one.
'Morlag' lie repeated, while the great
tears gathered in his eyes; ~ once had
little girl named Maria, and you look very
Ibid you:" inquired the child with SEEM
ing interest; "and Tas her name Maria East
man, too?"
''Mcrciful. .God!' exclaimed the old man,
starting from hts chair and dropping into It
with his head bowed upon his breast. "This
cannot be! and yet, why not:''
Hc caught the child ii bis arms with an CO.
gerness that frightened her, and gazing into
Ler face until he found conviction there, sud-
denly 1ose to leave the house. II cannot
meet her without betruying myself, and dare
not tell her tllat ! am that drunken father
who once attempted to take her lie, and per-
as he hurried towards the door. The little
ones were bewildcred. "You are not go
inG:" said the mother, rerappearing, and dis
covering the old man in the act Of leaving the
hall. -,
He stopped md apparently turned his face,
bat seemed to 1ack the courage to do aught
else.
**He said he had a little Maria once that
looked Just like me, mother" shouted the
;; Tha tnccs nf he o]d rartman tremh;ca md
; he leaned against the door for supnort. Tho
lady sp'ang towards him, took him BY the