Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1869-02-20
TALES AND SKETCHES.
TEEE OE.ss C.SEsTHg.aG.

! have mind to tell little story; u brief
yet II true one.
About five years ago John Ainsley, or
Pap hinsiGy,' as he was famiiarly called,
was the owner of a handcnrt, and earned a
living toy conveying miscellaneous packages
from one part OF the city to another, and
receiving therefor the sum Of fifty cents per
load. | designate the occupation in the
prOsCst language possible, he was u hand
cart man, and when not employed. he could
always be found on the corner of Montgom
cry and California streets. His hair and
long beard were quite grey, anG his limbs
feeble and as he could not shove as heavy
a load through the deep sand or up the
steep grade above him as the stalwart Teu-
ton on the opposite corner, thereby losing
many a job and many dut!ur a.. the light
loads in the ncigLGorhood fell TO his lot,
and kind.hcartcd men went not unfrcqucnt-
/ " n square ortwo out of their way to give
an casy.job to old Pap Ainscy'
! -Four years ago last September q recolIcct
the month, for had a note Of foQr thou
sand dollars TO pay, and Was compelled to
do some pretty sharp tinanCiering to meet lD
( having two or three dozen volumes to trans
fer to my lodgings, gave Pap Ainsley the
task of transportation. Arriving at my
room Just as lie had deposited the last arm
iul on the table, and observing that the old
man looked iutigued after climbing three
flights of stairs two or three times, | inVi-
ted him to take glass of brandy-a bottle
of which | usually kept in my room for
medical and soporGc purposes. Although
grateful for the invitation, he politely de-
cincd. | WAS astunishcd.
, DO you never drink n said l.
Very seldom" he replied dropping into
a chair at my request, and wipinG the per.
spration from his forehead
"Wcll, if you drink at ALL" | insisted,
"you vii. not find as fair an excuse in the
next twelve months for induging, for you
appear fatigued and scarcely able to
stand"
ITO bc frank" said the old man, 81 do
not drink now. l have not tasted in.oXi-
eating liquor in fifteen years, since"
since when :" inquired, thoughtlessly
observing his hesitation.
The old man told me. Sixteen years ago
he was q wellto do farmer, near Syracuse,
New York. He had one child a daughter.
While attending boarding school in that
city, then a girl of sixteen years Of age, she
formed an attachment for & young physician.
Acquantiug her father with the circumstan-
ces he naty refused his consent to a union
with man whom he had never seen, and
removing her from school, sent Il note to the
young gallant, with the somewhat pointed
information that his presence in the neigh
bOrhood or Ainsley farm would not meet
with favor.
The reader of course suTmises the result,
for such proceedings could have but one re,
suit. In less than n month there was an
elopement. The father loaded his double
barrelled shot gun and swore vengeance, but
A. al. g. l., Il. =,
bottle. His good wife implored him not to
give way to despair, and be accused heT
of encouraging the eopement.
In three months the wife died, and at the
expiration of year, when the young peopi
returned to Syracuse from Connecticut
where they had remained with the parents
of the husband, they learned that the old
man had sQuandered the proceeds OF his
property, ond was almost destitute. Learn
ipu of their arrival, Ainslcy drank himself
into frenzy, aud proceeded TO the hotel
where they were stopping, attacked the hus
band wounded him in the arm with pistu
shot, and attempted to take the life Of his
daughter, who happily escaped uninjured
through the inteIpostion of persons brought
, to the spot by the report of the pistol.
Ainsley was arrested, tried, and acquitted
on the plea of insanity. The daughter anc
her husband returned to Connecticut, since
which time the father had not heard from
] them. lie was sent to lunatic asylum
from which he was dismissed after remain
, ing six months. In 1851 he came to Calilor
MIA He had followed mining for two years
but his strength was unequal to the pursuit
and he returned to the city, Purchased
hand cart, and-the rest is known.
"Since then" concluded the old man, bow
3 ing his head in his hands in agony, Il hav'
rot tasted liquor, nor have seen my poo
- child"
0 regretted that had been so inquisitive
and expressed to the sufferer the sympath,
| really felt for him After that seldom
: passed the corner without looking for "Pal
| Ainsley," and never saw lin uut - ,L.aL c
the sad story he had tod me.