The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1870-02-08
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brief vet true story.
About dse years ago John Ainsley.
or "Pap Ainsley," ss be was more IA
mil;Arly called, was the owner Of a
hand cart and earned living by con
reying miscellaneous packages from
one part oi the city to another, and re-
oeising therefor the sum Of fifty ceEts
per load. designate the occupation
in the prosiest language possible be
Was hand cart man, and when not
employed could always be found on the
corner OF Montgomery aud California
streets His hair aud long beard were
quite gray. and bis limbs feeble, & as he
could not shove as heavy load through
the deep sand or up the steep grade
above him as tue stalwart Teuton on
the opposite corner, thereby loosing
many job and many a dollar. all the
light loads in the neighborhood fell to
his lot, and the kInd-heArted men not
unfrequently Travelled square or two
out Of their way TO give an easy job to
Pap Ainsley."
-Four years ago last September Il re-
collect the month having two or three
dozen volumes to transfer TO my lodg-
iugs, l gave Pap Ainsley the job of
transportation. Arriving at my room
just MS be had deposited the last arm
ful on The table, and observing that TIE
old man looked faiigued after climbing
three flights Of stairs two or three
times, I invited b m to take glass Of
brandy, flask OF which / usually kept
in my room, for medical and sopori6c
purposes. Although grateful for the
invitation, he politely declined. l was
astonishod.
Do you never drink ? said /.
Very seldom, he said, dropping in
to a chair at my request, and wiping
the perspirat.on from his forehead.
We'll, il you drink at ALL | insisted
you will not find so good an excuse in
the next twelve months for induiging,
for you appear very much fatigued and
scarcely able to stand
TO be frank, said the old man, I do
not drink now. have not tasted in
toxicating liquors for over fifteen years,
SINCE
Since when2' | inquired thought
lessly, observing his hesitation.
The old man told me, sixteen years
ago he was well.to do farmer near
Syracuse, n Y He had one child, a
daughter. While attending boarding
achool in that city, then giil of six
teen years OF age, she formed an at
tachment for q young physician. Ac
quainting her father with the circum-
stances, be fatty refused his consent to
a union with man he had never seen,
aud removing her from school sent a
note to the young gallant containing
the somewhat pointed information that
his presence in the neighborhood OF
Ainsley farm would not meet with ia
vor.
The reader OF course surmises the
result, for such proceeding could have
but one result in less than month
there was an elopement, The father
loaded bis double barreled shot gun,
aud swore vengeance, but failing to find
the fugitives, he took TO the bottle. His
good wife implored him not to give way
to dispair, and he accused her Of en-
couraging the elopement.
In three months the vile died, and
at the expiration Of year, when the
yo1ng people returnd to Syracuse from
Connecticut, where they had remained
with the parents OF the husband they
learned that the old man had sqnan-
dered his money, and was almost des
titute. Learning of their arrival,
Ainsley drank himself into frenzy,
and proceeded to the hotel where they
were stopping, and attacked the hus.
band, wounded him in the arm by a
I pistol shot, and attempted to take the
life of his daughter, who happily es-
capped uninjuIed through the in erpo-
sition Of persons brought to the spot
by the report of the pistol
Ainsley was arrested, tried and ac-
quilted on the plea Of insanity. The
daughter and her husband returned 10
Connecticut, sinee which time the faith
er has not heard from them. He was
sent TO lunatic asylum, from which be
vas dismissed after remaining sx
months In 1861 be came to Caiior.
MIA. tie had followed mining for two
years, but bis strength was unequal to
the pursuits, and be returned to the
city, purchased hand cart and-the
rest is known.
Since then, concluded The old man
b0wing his face in his hands in agony,
1 have not tasted a drop oi liquor, nor
have seen my child
regretted that bad been so inquis
tive, and expressed TO the sufferer tie
sympathy | really felt for him. After
that | seldom passed the corner with.