The Old Cartman

Abeut five years ago, or thereabouts, John Ainsley - or ' Pap Ainsley,' as be was fainiliarly oalled - was the owner of a handcart, and earaed a living by conveying miscellaneous parcela from one section of the city to another, and receiving therofor the reasonable remuneration of ñfty cents per load. To, desígnate the occupatiou ia the prettiest languago possiblo, he was a hand-cartman, and when not employed, oould always ïo found during working houraatthe coraar of Montgomery and California straets. His hair and long beurd were quita grav, and hia limbe feeble; and if ba oould not Bhove as hoavy a load through tb.3 deep and or up the Bteep grade abovo him sa the eta'wart Teutón on the opposite oorner, thereby losing macy c job and mauy a dollar, all the ligiit loaüs in the neighborhood feil to Lis lot, and kind-hcarted men not unfre_queutly iraveled a equaro two out of their way to give ati easy job to ' Pap Ainsley.' Pour years ago ast September, (I recollect the nionth, for I had z noto of four thousand dollars to pay, acd wao oompelled to do ome pretty gharp financiíriüg to meet it,) having two or thrca dozen volumes to transfer tomy lodgings, I garo ' Pap Ainsley,' the task of transportation. Arriving at my room juat as he had daposited the last armful en the table, and observing that tha oíd taan looked confiderably fatigued after elitabing three fiights of etairs two or three times, I iuvíted him to take a glass of brandy - a bottle of which I usually kspt in my room for medicinal acd eoporifio purposes. , Although grateful for the invitation he politely deeliued. I urged but ha was inflexible. I was astoaished. ' Do you nver driuk ? ' eaid I. ' Very eeldom,' he replied, dropping into a chair at my request and wiping the perspiratioa from his forehead. ' W'ell, if you 'drink at al!,' I insieted, 'you will not find as fair an excuse in the next twelve monthg for iüdulging, for you appear fatigued and oarcöly ablo to stand.' 1 To be frank,' said the old man, ' I do aot drink now. I have not tasted intoxcatiug liquor for fifteen years, since ' Since when?' I inquired, thoughtesly, observing big hesitation. The old man told me. Sixteen yeara ago ho wae a well-todo farmer near Syracuse, New York. He had one ohild, a daughter. While attending a boarding school in that "city, then a girl of eixtcen rears of age, she fortned an attachment "or a young physician. Acquaintiog her 'ather vvitb the oircumstanoes, he flatly refused his content to a unión with a taan ie had never seen, and removing her rom school, dispatcbed a note to the voung gallant with the somewhat pointed nformation that hia presence in the neighborhood of the Aineley farm would not meet with favor. The reader, of oourse, surmises the result, for suoh a proceedingcould have but one reeult. In less than a month there was an elopement. The father loaded his double-barreled gun, and sworo vengeance; but failin to find the fugitives, he took to the bottle. His good wifo implored him not to give way to despair, but he drank the deeper, and accused her of encouraging the olopment. In three months the wife died ; and at the expiration of a year, when the young peoplo returned to Syraouse, from Connecticut, where they bad remaioed with the pareots of tho husband, they learned that tho old man had sold his farm, gquandered the proeoedg and was alrnost destltute. Learniog ot hor arrival, Ainsley drank hiniïolf into a frenzy, and proceeded to the hotel, where they were stopping, attacked tbc husbaud, wounded him in the arm by apistol shot, and attempted the lifo of his daughter, who happily escaped uninjured, through the interposition of persons brought to the spot by tha report of the pistol. - Aius'ey was arrosted, tried, nnd aoquitted on the plea of insanity. The daughter and her husband returned to Conneoticut, since which timo the father had not heard from thera. He was sent to a lunatic asylum, from which he was dismissed aftor remaining six months In 1851 he camo to California. He had foücrsred iniuing for two years, bul finding bis strength unequal to the pursuit, returned to tbis city, purchased a hand cart, and - tbc rest is known. ' Since then,' concluded the old man, bowing hia face in his hands n agony,''I have not tasted liquor, nor have I seen my poor child.' I rbgretted that I had been eo inquisitive, and expressed to the sufferer the sympathy I rcally feit for him. After that I seldora passed tho corner without looking for 'Pap Aiasley,' and never saw him but to thiuk of the sad story be had toid me. One chilly, drizzy day in tbe December following, a gentleman having purchased a small marble top table at an auotion room opposite, proffered to the old man the job of carrying it to bis residence on Stockton street. Not wishing to accompany the carrier, he had selected the face probably giving tho best assuranoe of caroful delivery of the purchase. Furnished with the number of the house, the old cartman, after a prettj' trying struggle with the steep aecent of California street, reached his destination, and deposited tho table in tho hall. - Liagering a moment, the lady did not Burmisa the reason, until he politely informed her that her husband, (for such she took him to be,) bad probably by accident omitted to settle for the carriage. ' Very well, I will pay you,' said the lady, stepping into an adjoining room. - She returncd, and etatiog that she had no small coin in tlie house, handed the man a twenty dollar piece. He could not make cliange. ' Never mind, I will cali to-morrovv,' he said, turniug to go. ' No, no ! ' replied the lady, glanoing pityingly at his white lock and trembling limba. ' I will not put you to so much trouble,' and she handed the coin to Bridget, with instructions to sco if she could get it changed at ono of the stores or markets in the neighborhood. 1 Step into the parlor until the girl returns ; the air is chilly, and you muit be cold,' continued tha lady. ' Come,' sho added, as he looked at his attire aud hesitat'ed ; ' there is a fire in the grate, and no ono there but tlia children.' ' It is eoinevfbat chilly,' replied the old man, foüovring her into the parior, and taking a ser.t noar tb. o fire. 1 Perhaps I ïaay find gome silver in the houeo.' said the lady, m she left the room, 'for I fear Bridget will not sreceed in getting tho twenty dollar piece changed.' ' Come - I leve ittlo children,' and tho child who had been watching him with curiosity, ran behind the large arm chair, and hesitatingly approaehed. - What is your name, my dear ? ' inquired the cartman. ' Maria,' replied the little one. ' Maria ? ' he repeatod, while the great tears gathered in his eyes ; ' I once had a little girl namsd Maria, and you look vory much like she did.' ' Did you ? ' inquired the child with seeming interest; 'and was her name Maria Eastman, too ? ' ' Merciful God ! ' esclaimed the oM rnáü, starUng from his chair, and dropping in to it with his head bowcd apon his breast. ' Tnis cannot be4 and yet, why not ? ' He caught the child iu his arms wiili eu eagemess that frightened her, and gaziug into her face until he found con viclioD there, suddenly rose to leave the houae. ' I oannofc neet her without betraying myself, and I dare not teil her that I am that drunkeu father who once attempted to take her life, and perhaps left her husband a cripple,' he groaned as ho hurried toward the door. The little ones were bewildered. ' You are not going,' s..id the motlier, leappearing and discovering the old man iu the act of leaving the hall. He stopped, and apparontly turned his face, but seemod to lack the resolution to do aught elso. ' He aaid he had a little Maria, once, that looked just like rne, mother,' shouted the child, her eyes sparkling with delight. Tho küees of the old oarLman trembled and he leaned agaicst the door for support. The lady sprung toward him, took him by the arui, aud attempted to couduct him to a chair. ' No, no I ' he exclaimed, not till you teil uie I atn forgiven.' ' Forgiven - for what ? ' replied the mother, in alarm. ' Recognize in me your wretched father, and I ueed not teil you,' he (altered. ' My poor father,' she cried, throwing her arms around his ueck, ' all is forgiven - all forgotten.' All was forgiven, and the husband, when he returnod late in the afteruoon, was scareely leas rejoiced than has good wife at the discovery. Whother or not Rridget succeeded to changing the doublé oogle I uever learned, but this I do kaow it took the hocest fenaale all of two laouths to unravol the knot into which the domestic family had tied itself d uring hor absence. 'Pap Aiusley' still keeps his oart, for rnoiiey would not induce him to paat with it. 1 peeped ato the back jard of Dr. Eastmau ono day last week, aud discovered the old man dragging the favorito vehicle around tho iuclosure, with his four graudchildron piled promiscuously uto it.