Count. Leaving them to continue their gay life, we return
to New-Orleans.

The day after the marriage of Miss Almonastre to young Pontalba, there
stepped into the office of an old auctioneer on St. Louis street, no
less an individual than the rich and elegant American merchant, John
McDonogh, Esq.

'Sir,' remarked the merchant to the auctioneer, at the same time handing
him a voluminous roll of paper, 'there is the inventory of my furniture,
carriages, horses, liquors, stores, plate, and all that pertains to my
establishment in Chartres street I desire you to sell them all for cash,
immediately. Accordingly in three days the extensive establishment of
Mr. McDonogh was all converted into money, to the great surprise and
deep regret of his many friends and guests. With the proceeds he
purchased a small, lonely house, on the opposite bank of the river,
where, with scarcely furniture enough to satisfy the most ordinary use
and demands of humble life, he immured himself in perfect seclusion.
From that period until his death--forty long years--he ceased to have
any connection or association with the world except in the course of
business. He would neither dispense hospitality himself nor share that
of others. Purchasing all the land around him, he placed himself beyond
the curiosity and annoyance of near neighbors. His negro servants alone
were permitted to reside in his house, and they were the depositories of
the secrets of his household, and acted as his clerks and agents in all
his transactions with the outside world.

Whilst thus socially secluded and morose, Mr. McDonogh continued to
prosecute his acquisition of property with augmented vigor and ardor. It
was about this time his passion for accumulating vast acres of waste and
suburban land began to manifest itself. All his views regarded the
distant future. The present value and productiveness of land were but
little regarded by him. His only recreation and pleasure were in
estimating the value of his swamp and waste land fifty, a hundred, and
even a thousand years to come. This passion at last gained such an
ascendency over him that he seemed to court and luxuriate in waste and
desolation. He would buy cultivated places and allow them to go to ruin.
He would build on his lots in the city miserable shanties and rookeries,
which would taint the neighborhood and enable him to buy out his
neighbors at low rates. One of his favorite plans of operation was to
purchase th