was of the middle size, of thin, cadaverous appearance, short neck,
snake head, with lank, sandy hair, nose flat and simex-like, small eyes,
one of which he kept continually shut, as if he supposed himself a match
for the poor whom he had to deal with by keeping one "eye skinned,"
reserving the other for some important office in church or state, to
which he unquestionably aspired. Several times during the two months the
destitute widow and her family were reduced to penury and sickness. Our
worthy master was apprised of their condition by the neighbors; but he
always answered that the law did not allow him to spend any more, just
now; that these emigrants ought to remain at home; that they had no
right to this country; that he heard a very godly minister foretell last
year, at camp meeting, that the Romanists would yet have this country;
that too many were coming by millions; that he feared that they could
not be converted as fast as they were arriving; that they ought to be
made pay a heavy sum, or sent back. "In short," said he one day to poor
Mrs. Doherty, "I was not elected by them Irish paupers, and I never
expect to be."

"If every thing you say was as true as that last word, I think you would
be an honest man for wonst," said Mrs. Doherty; "for there is no fear
that an Irishman's or a Christian's vote will ever elect the like of
you. God forgive you this day!"

To suppose that any man could display such _bona fide_ ignorance as this
official did in the foregoing, would be to form an incorrect and
inadequate estimate of the human mind. The fact was that Van Stingey was
a false, low, cruel man, whose soul, steeped in the sensuality of his
past life, had lost all that was divine in its nature. His circumstances
were so reduced by his crimes and dissipation, that, being "too lazy to
work, and ashamed to beg," he assumed first the guise of religion to