log cabin of some
settler entered the highway, as a post-office for an individual. Sometimes the
stake supported a small box, and a whole neighbourhood received a weekly supply,
for their literary wants, at this point, where the man who rides post, regularly
deposited a bundle of the precious commodity. To these flourishing resolutions,
which briefly recounted the general utility of education, the political and
geographical rights of the village of Templeton, to a participation in the
favours of the regents of the university, the salubrity of the air, and
wholesomeness of the water, together with the cheapness of food, and the
superior state of morals in the neighbourhood, were uniformly annexed, in large
Roman capitals, the names of Marmaduke Temple, as chairman, and Richard Jones,
as secretary.
    Happily for the success of this undertaking, the regents were not accustomed
to resist these appeals to their generosity, whenever there was the smallest
prospect of a donation to second the request. Eventually, Judge Temple concluded
to bestow the necessary land, and to erect the required edifice at his own
expense. The skill of Mr., or, as he was now called, from the circumstance of
having received the commission of a justice of the peace, Squire Doolittle, was
again put in requisition, and the science of Mr. Jones was once more resorted
to.
    We shall not recount the different devices of the architects on the
occasion; nor would it be decorous so to do, seeing that there was a convocation
of the society of the ancient and honourable fraternity of the free and accepted
masons, at the head of whom was Richard, in the capacity of master, doubtless to
approve or reject such of the plans as, in their wisdom, they deemed to be for
the best. The knotty point was, however, soon decided; and, on the appointed
day, the brotherhood marched, in great state, displaying sundry banners and
mysterious symbols, each man with a little mimic apron before him, from a most
cunningly contrived apartment in the garret of the Bold Dragoon, an inn, kept by
one Captain Hollister, to the site of the intended edifice. Here Richard laid
the corner-stone, with suitable gravity, amidst an assemblage of more than half
the men, and all the women, within ten miles of Templeton.
    In the course of the succeeding week, there was another meeting of the
people, not omitting swarms of the gentler sex, when the abilities of Hiram, at
the square rule, were put to the test of experiment. The frame fitted well; and
the skeleton of