The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-09
ThAE OLD CARTMAN.
AN AFFECTING STORY.

I have a mind to tell a little story, brief,
yet true one.
About FIVE years ago John Ansley, or
"Pap Ainsley," as he was familiarly called,
was the owner of q hand cart, and earned
living by conveying miscellaneous packages
from one part of the city to another, aud re-
ceiving therefrom the sum of fifty cents per
load. | designate the occupation in the pro-
siest language possible; he was hand cart
man, and when not employed he could always
be found on the corner of Montgomery and
California streets. His hair and long beard
were quite gray, and his limbs feeble and us
he could not shove as heavy load through
the deep sand or up the steep grade above
him as the stalwart Teuton on the opposite
corner, thereby loosing many a job and many
a dollar, all the light loads in the neighbor
hood 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 Ansley."
Four years ago last September Il recollect
the month for had note of four thousand
dollars to pay, and was compelled to do some
pretty char 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 fatigued after climbing three flights
of stairs two or three times | invited him to
take glass of brandy, u bottle of which |
usually kept in my room for medical and
soporfc purpose. Although greatfu, for the
invitation, he politely declined. l. was as
tonished.
"Do you never drnk?" said |.
"very seldom he replied, dropping into
q chair at my request and wiping the perspi-
ration from his forehead.
"Well, if you drink at ALL l insisted,
"you will not find as faii an excuse in the
next tweve-months for indulging, for you ap-
pear fatigued and scarcely able to stand. :"
s'To be frank said the old man, ~ do
not drink now. have not tasted intoxica-
ting liquors for fifteen years, since -
''Since whep?" l inquired thoughtlessly,
observing his hesitation.
The old man told me. Sixteen years ago
he was well-to-do farmer, near Syracuse,
New York. He had one child, daughter.
While attending boarding-school IN the
city. then girl sixteen years of age, she
formed an attachment for young physician.
Acquainting her father with the circumstan'
-, he fatty refused his consent to a union
a man he had never seen, and removing
~. fTom school sent note to the young gal
liant with the somewhat pointed information
that his presence in the neighhorhood OF
Ainsey 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 el0pe-
ment The father loaded his dodble-barreled
shotgun, and swore vengence, but failing to
find the fugitives he took to the bottle
His good wife implored him not TO give way
to dspair, 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
squandered his money and was almost desti
tute. Learning of their arrival, Ainsley
drank himself into a frenzy, and proceeded t.
The hotel where they were stopping, attacked
the husband, wounded him in the arm by
pistol shot, and attempting to take the lifi
DMbis daughter, who happily escapee unin
\khrongh the interposltion OF person
% the spot by the report OF the pis
"a ARRESTED, tried and acqutte
% insanity The daughter an
husband returned to Connecticut, sine
'h;oh NJ time the father had not heard fror
thsm He was sent to a lunatic asylum
from which he was dismissed after remain
mo six months. In 1851 he came to Califol
MIA. He had followed mining for two years
but his strength was unequal to the pursuit
and he returnrd to the city, purchased
bandcart, and-the rest is known.
''Since then," concluded the old mar
bowing his face in his hands in agony, q
have not tasted liquor nor have ] seen N
- child"