Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-05-04
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE OLD CARTMAN.
have mind to tell little story; a brief,
vet q true one


vet true one.
About five years ago John Ainsley, or
'sPap Ainsley," he was familiarly called,
was the owner of a hand-cart, and earned
living by conveying miscellaneous packages
from one part OF the city to another, and re-
ceiving therefor the sum of ffty cents per
load. ] designate the occupation in the pro-
siest language possible he was q hand cart
man, and, when not employed. he could al
ways be found on the corner of Montgomery
and California streets. His hair and long
beard were quite gray, and his limbs feeble;
and as lie could not shove heavy load
through the deep sand up the steep grade
above him as the stalwnrt Teuton ON the OPP
posite corner, thereby loosing many job and
and many a dollar, all the light loads in the
neishborhood fell to his lot, and kind hearted
men not unfrequently travelled square or
two out Of their way to give an easy job to
old Pap Ainsley."
Four years age last September q rccoiiect
the month, Tor had a note of four thousand
dollars to pay, and was compelled to do some
pretty sharp fnanciering to meet it,) having
two or three dozen volumes to transfer to my
lodgings, gave Pap 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 IA
tigued after climbing the stairs three times, l
invited him to take glass Of a5randiy-a bot
tie Of which 1 usually kept in my room for
medical aud soporifc purposes. Although
grateful for the invitation he politely declined.
was astonished.
40 you never drink 2" said I.
Very seldom" he replied. dropping into
u chair at my request and wiping the perspi-
ration from his forehead.
'.Well, if you drink at all, /" insisted, "you
will not fud as faig m excuse in the next
twelyemonth for indulging, for you appear
fatigued and scarcely able to stand"
",ro be frank, ;" said the old man, 'f1 do not
drink now. [ have not tasted intoxicating
liquors for. fifteen years since"
"Since when 2" Inquired thoughtlesslJ,
observing his hesitation.
The old man told me. Sixteen years ago
he was a we'll to>do farmer near Syracuse,
New York He had one child, daughter.
While attending boarding school ia that
city, then girl of sixteen years of age, she
formed an attachment for young physician.
Acquainting her father with the circumstau-
ces he fatty refused his consent to union
with man whom he had never seen, and re-
moving her from school gent note to the
young gallant, with the somewhat pointed
information that his presence in the neigh
borhood of Ainsley farm would not meet with
favor.
The reader of course surmises the result,
for such proceeding could have but one re-
suit In less than month there was an elope>
ment. The father loaded his dOuble- barreled
shot gun, and swore vengeance, but failing to
find the fugitives, he took to the bottle. His
good wife implored him not to give away to
despair, and he accused her Of encouraging
the elopement.
In three months the wife died, and at the
expiration of year, when the young people
returned to Syracuse from Connecticut where
they had remained with the parents of the
husband. they learned that the old man had
sauandered his money and was almost desti-
tute Learning of their arrival, Ainsley
drank himself into frenzey, aud proceeded
to the hotel where they were stopping, attack
ed the husband, wounded him in the arm by
pistol shot, and attempted to take the life
of his daughter who happily escaped unin~
turned through the interposition 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 and
husband returned to Connecticut, since which
time the father had not heard from them
lie wasseut to lunatic asylum, from which /
he was dismissed after remaining six months.
In 1851 he came to California He had fol-
lowed mining for two years, but his strength
was unequal to the pursuit, and he returned
10 the city, purchased hand-cart, and-the
rest is known
'Since then" concluded the old man, bury
ing his face in his hands in agony, 81 have
not tasted liquor, nor have seen my child"
/ regretted that had been SO inquisitive,
and expressed to the sufferer the sympathy
really felt for him. After that seldom
passed the corner without looking for Pap
Ainsley," and never saw him but to think of
the sad story he had told me-
One chilly, drizzIy day in December fol
lowing, a gentleman having purchased small
marble top table at auction room opposite,
profered to the old man the JOB of carrying
It to his residence in Stockton street. Not
wishing to accompany the carrier, he had Sc
lected the face giving the best assurance OF
careful delivery of his purchase
Furnished with the number of the house
the old cartman, after trying struggle with
the steep ascent of California street. reached
his destination and deposited the table in the
hall. Lingering moment the lady did not
turlniss the reason, until he politely Informed