“With this introduction of a part of the ‘dramatis personæ,’—having already described, with some particularity, the motive for, and the manner of, getting up stock companies, with such parts of their general management as can be interesting to the public—I will commence with the Morrison Kennel, at that point when the causes for the activity before alluded to commenced, viz: precisely at that time, when the directors had expended the whole amount of capital subscribed, together with a loan of seven hundred thousand dollars obtained in Holland, in digging a ditch through the State of New Jersey, which served little other purpose than to drown the Jersey farmers’ pigs—without any one of the said directors having cleared more than fifty thousand dollars out of the company, by means of contracts or otherwise—when their credit was exhausted, the stock reduced in market to one fifth its original cost, and the directors ready, on the first symptom of alarm, to take to their heels for safety. Then, fortunately for them, Mr. Friendly, desirous of improving his fortune, which at this time he found to be in rather a waning condition, formed a scheme of speculation in the stock, commensurate with the vastness of his own desires; and, with this view, he began with the caution and finesse of one who has a game to play. He first ascertained that some of the directors were still in possession of a considerable amount of the stock; whom he could, very probably, draw to his own interest by endeavoring to aid them; and he then proceeded to the office of Mr. Bottomly.” CALLS ON BOTTOMLY. “Good morning, John,” said he, “how are you?” “Pretty well Dan, how are you?” “Hard up.” “Hard up,” eh!—“No cornering, I hope”—“No,”—“dull times, no movements, things are paralysed, very much.” Mr. Friendly wished, and was therefore pleased, to find his neighbor alone. So he sat down without ceremony. And after a variety of common place remarks, he at length arrived at the point where he should unburthen himself of his subject. His object was to enlist Mr. Bottomly in his proposed speculation, and thereby secure his means, his influence, and his interest in its favor. “John,” said he, “the Morrison stock is very low, what do you think of it?” “That it sells for more than it is worth.” “That may be, but a thing is worth what it will bring.” “The seller always thinks so, but the buyer sometimes finds that he has paid too dear for the whistle.” TWO WISE HEADS TOGETHER. “What would you think, John, to see the Morrison at 75.” “I should think very strange.” “Stranger things have happened though, John. I have a mind to move in the Morrison, what say you to join me?” “What do you propose?”