The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-12-08
Ei,e sesd Clra:1ann.

and plrest fctions into volumes ofseventee
hundred pages each.
With this understanding proceed at one
to remark that five years ago, or therea bout.
John Ain6ley-or Pap .ainsley, as he wa
fsmilarly called-wa. the owner of hand
cart, and earned living by conveying
miscellaneous parcels fromione section to an
other, and receiving therefor the REASONABLE
remuneration OF fifty cents per load.
To des: :gnate the occupation in the prosies
manner possible, he was a hand-cart, ma II
and when not employed, could always b.
found during working hours at the corner 0
/ Montgomery aud California streets.
His hair and beard were quite gray an,
! his limbs feeble, and If ne could not shoyt
as heavy u load through the deep sand as ,ht
/ stalwar- ieuton on the opposite corner, there
! By losing many dollar, all the light load
! in the neighborh1oi fell to his lot. and kline
/ hearted men not unfrequentIy travelled {
| square or two out of their way to give al
| easy JOB to Pap Ainsley"
Foar years last September. Il recollec
the month, Tor | had note of four thousand
dollars to pay. and was compelled to do some
PFstty sharp financiering to mest it. haviug
lwo dozen volumes of books to traufer to ms
lodging, gnye Pap AiIslcy the Job OF trans,
poTtatlCu.
Arriving at my room iu5t as he deposited
the last ar:atGl on til, table, observing that
the old man looked considerably iatirued
after climbing three 4 shts Of stairs five or
ak times. | Invited him 10 take ii glass @;
bcaGly. DO tie OF which | usually kept in
my room for medicinal aud soporific pur.
poses. AJho Oh grateful for the invitation.
he politely declined. | urged, bu- he was
iuh-xib.e | was greatly a.touisaed.
do You never drink p said
VERY seldom, ne replied, Er0ppiny into
: CHAIR at my request, and ling the pers>
piratiou from oil bis forehead.
"Hei, j! sou drink at all" | insisted.
"yOu viii no; iai il the next SIX month. -
far an eNcu.e for inda'siag, for you seem
tttlg lel ami s4rcsly able > st-al."
40 DC ir1Ik, said The oil man. =" DO
not dcink any nov. / have not tast.d
iD,oHIca''ng liquor Tor fifteen years-sinca
--sincs-'
Sine when ?" I Asscl .houghtlss.ly,
observing hesitation.
Ihe Old mau told ms that sixteen vears
ago he WAS well /, 10 farmer near Syra>
cu:e, New York. He hal but oue child-a
daughter. While attending boarding
SchJO. IN that city. tie g,s., then bu: sixteen
years of age, formed attachment tor q
young puysc,aa. Aclusinting her father
WIKI the clrcuuIt7nces, hc htt,y refused as
consent 20 hes uuIyI w.gA a Inau he had
never seen, AMI removing her from school.
dispatched note 70 the Young gal!aut with
the somewhat pointed Information that h:s
presence IN the Hejsao0raJJl Of the Ainsley
fam would meet Fi-h no t;.ror.
The reader Of course sgrm ises the result
.or su-a "a pt-ceeaiug could and can have
bat on. r sIt
IL less taa1 month there was an clone
menl. he father loaded us double barrsled
shJG qua. aui >w0rs vengeance; but. f.ilin !,
t. hnt tae ingiIves, he took TO the bottle
HI. good wiz ;oj him no. to despair, but
he drtaE the deeper aud accused her vi
encouraging the ,lopepent
i three months the w.f ..ed, snI The
y3uug couple returned 20 Syracuse. i-5M
Connecticut, where they leSrued iha; the old
man, after the death OF his wife. OF waich of
course they - oesl apprisei. mad sold lis
tar.n, and slHaGdercd the proceeds, leaving
A:m ainc.; d-s,tlts Learning Of ,heir
arriva', Aius!ey drank himself mo a fre.zv,
and prose ding to ;bc hotel where they were
stop ing, attacked the husband, wJga ling
him a the arm with pistol shot. and then
attempted ths !ite o. his daughter who hap>
PLY escaped uninIGrei, through the inter-
position of persoaz brought to the spot by the
report Of q Pist.l' Ain>ley WAS arrested,
tried aud gcIaittsi on the plea OF insanitv.-
The daughter aud her husband returned. n
COnnc:icu', since which { me the father had
not heard from iLem. He was sent to a
lgua:ic asy!am, from which be was dismissed
sEsr remaining SIX mouths Ia ls5! he
c4iI< 10 California. HI. had followed mining
for two years, bat finding his strength. an
eIuai TO ila p:rsnit, returned 10 the CITY.
purchased hand cart. and-;he reat is
KEOwn
Since then" concluiel the old man, bow
Ing his head in agoay, u have not tas.cd
liquor, nor have seen ny child"
| regretted that hai been So inqui>; i've
an. expressed to In. sufferer the sympathy |
really felt for him. After that ! seldom
passed lie corner without ioOin for Pap
A.us.ey, aAd never SAW hiin but to think o
the sal story ho hAt t9d me.
Dae Guilty, dr!zziy day in the December
following. q gentleman having purchased =
small, marble top table, proaered the old
man The job OF conveying 1t 10 his residence
on Stockton street. -NOt wishing to accom-
,4ny inc carrier. he had Sc ecJed the face
probably giving the best assurance Of the
caretl. delivery Of the purchase.
Furnishes. with tie number Of the house
the old ccrimau, after a pretty trying strug
gle with the s;e,p ascent of California street
reached his destination and deposited tia
table in the hall. Lingering = moment, the
lady did not seem to s'irmise the reason
un!l! lie politely iuiOrIaed Ler that her has
band (lor such he took him TO be) had, pro-
b 'ly toy acciieat, cgec,ed TO settle for the
| ce1.age.
Very well, WILL pay you,' said the lady
stepping into an adjoining room. She re-
turned, and s;ating that she had no smailel
| coin IN the house, banded the old man q
lwen'y dollar gold piece. de could moi
/ make the change.
Never mind-I will call tomorrow,
said he, turning to go.
"No, no !" replied tie lady, glancn9
/ pityiHgiy at his white locks aud trembling
! limbs - will net permit you to put yoarsel
! to So much trouble" aad she handed tbs
/ coin to Bridget with instructions, .seeiif sht
! could get it changed at one OF the stores, o
! in some of the marie.s in the nelghbor hood
"Stepinto the parlor until the girl returns
| The air Is chilly and you must be cold,
| continued the lady very kindly. Come,
she added, as he looked at his rough attire
aud hesitated "Th,re i good fire in
CRATE, and 10 one there but the children"
at is somewhat chilly" replied the ok
man, following her into the par4ur and lah kin!
a seat near the tire.
g Perhaps / may find you some silver il
the house" said the lady leaving the room
"tor fear Bridget will not succeed in gestin,
the twenty dollar piece changed
'Cone here, little one,' said the old mal
coaxingly to the younger of The two children
a girl about six years Of age "Come, llov
li;tle children" and the child who had bee
watching him with curiosity from behind tn
large arm chair, hesitatingy approached
"What Is your name, dear?' inquired,th
old cart man.
MARIA lisped the little one.
"Maria, he repeated, the great tear
gathering in his eyes, :. once had a littl
girl named Maria, and you look very niue