cal. His was now a rather
unpleasant situation. He was not only defeated at the ballot box by the
"Irish element," according as Mrs. Doherty foretold, but he was in
disgrace with many of his regular church-going brethren. This latter
trial was caused by the well-known fact that a negro girl, who was put
under this _religious_ man's care by the abolitionists, and who was now
two years in his family, had just given birth to a young mulatto child
in his house. Yes, and worse; the miserable yellow thing not only was
born, and in health, under the roof of this _religious teacher_, but he
was mortified to find that it had his very nose on its face, and could
not by any possibility be fathered on any body else. Thus were the
prospects of this pious gentleman blasted in one day. He got religion,
but now it failed him. He was of the true nativist stamp in politics;
but here again his defeat was signal and complete, and all through the
suffrages of foreigners.

What was he to do for a living? He must give up religion and politics,
and take to some other pursuit. Loafing or living on his neighbors was
now impossible, as he was in disgrace with many; and besides, he had a
wife and family to support. Peddling was so common, that nothing could
now be made in that line; and besides, it took some capital to start
with--a thing that was out of the question in our ex-official's case.

The only chance now open for him was the railroad, and to the railroads
he said he would betake himself as soon as he could. On the railroad he
saw men of little talent, of less honesty, and of no capital, amass not
only a competency, but wealth, in a few years; and our official was very
anxious to try his luck in that line of business. Accordingly, when the
Northern Railroad was about to be let, Van Stingey, in company with four
others, put in their estimate, which was the very lowest, and they thus
succeeded in getting ten miles of the road. The partners of Van Stingey
were one Purse, one Mr. Kitchins, one Timens, generally called Blind
Bill, one Whinny, together with Mr. Lofin, an Irishman. They had the job
now, but had neither horses, carts, shovels, nor any of the various
implements necessary to carry on the work. A council was held among
these five worthies to see what was to be done. They had neither money,
nor means, nor credit to begin with, and how were they to fulfil their
contract? Most of them were novices in this sort of business; but there
w