Masonic Adventure.

Mason , lie obtained my parole , and further promised to get me exchanged as soon as 1113 ' health and the course of affairs would permit . " Charles having HOAV completely recovered his health and strength Avas obliged to return to his duties ; he rejoined his regiment ancl served AA'ith credit , though Avithout anyparticular personal adventure to the end of the Avar .

That AA'ar has noAV become a matter of history , and it is sufficient to state that as both parties were sighing for peace on 21-th December , 1814 , a- treaty Avas signed at Ghent , which was ratified ancl proclaimed at Washington on 18 th Eebruary , 1815 . Charles UOAV resolved to leave the army and to turn his attention to farming . Eor this

purpose he proceeded to . the place Avhere the agent resided AA'I IO had charge of his small fortune . A time of war offers many opportunities for private speculation ; the agent speculated at first AA'ith his OAvn money , and safely ; an opportunity arose offering A'ast profits and apparent !} ' certain success ; to seize the chance the agent used the property belonging to Charles ancl others ; the speculation failed and he lost his OAVU money and that confided by others to his care .

The characteristic of the American nation may aptly be termed "Speculation . " A natural consequence of this mania for speculation Avas the increase of banks and the distention of their issues . Banking facilities Avere in reach of all . Joint Stock Companies of every description started into existence . Associations to extract sunbeams from cucumbers a la Swift , and moonshine from

sunbeams coaxed the mechanic , the student , the merchant , and the professional man , into the vortex to be ruined . Erom the debris of his agent ' s ruin , Charles saA'edafeiv hundred dollars '; AA'ith this sum , too small for the more cultivated and populated districts , he resolved to emigrate to the far West , Avhither the tide of emigration was now setting .

Arthur Grimwood , AVIIO , at the jieace , had married a relation of his friend the young surgeon , and had been kept acquainted Avith the state of affairs by letter , seeing no prospect of further employment in the army , and tired of inaction , determined to j-. in Charles ; lie , Avithout much difficulty , persuaded i ' rederick Beaumont , the

surgeon , to join them , and they resolved to unite their fortunes , and start with Chai-les ( AVIIO Avas now married to Ellen ) , to seek prosperity in the West . Many hundred miles beyond the Mississi ppi extends a vast region of uninhabited country , where is to be seen neither the log hut of the AA'hite man , nor the AvigAvam of the Eed

Indian . It consists of great grassy plains variegated with beautiful iiowers ; in this spot , yelloAA ' , Avhere the helianthus turns towards the sun—there the purple monarda—yonder , scarlet , where the nialva flourishesfurther on , the euphobia sheds its silver leaf , and beyond , the eye roA-es over the pink blossoms of the cleome .

The air is filled AA'ith sweet odours , and the wild bee drinks from the nectared cups , or Avith laden Avings hums a song of joy on his Avay to his distant hive . These plains are interspersed with forests , groves , and clumps of trees , and watered by the Arkansas , the Eed Ezver , and their tributary streams . It Avas to this lorious

g country that Charles , Avith his wife and friends , determined to proceed ; to Avhich the untiring energy and perseverance of the Anglo-Saxon race Avere carrying the arts of peace ancl civilization ; and in every " district where wood , water , and fertile land tempted the colonist , arose farms and cultivated fields with smiling

homesteads , though scattered often at vast distances from each other . After a long and toilsome journey , Charles and his companions arrived in safety , ancl in a short time were comfortabl y located . Many Avere the Avild scenes

Masonic Adventure.

and perils by flood and field that took place , but the evening of their lives was prosperous and happy , and they often recurred Avith gratitude and pleasure to the circumstances UOAV related in a "Masonic Adventure . " E . B . W . + ERRATA . —In the last number , page 81 , line 11 , for " cowls , " read " curls ; " line 12 , for " sand , " read " scud ; " line 19 , for " rain , " read " ruin ; " page 82 , line 7 , for " rivetted him , " read " reverted . "

Architecture And Archaæology.

ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHA ? OLOGY .

A SCAMPEE ON THE KENTISH HOESE . The clouds broke on tho morning of the Slst of July , and tho sun shone on the fair county of Kent , whose illuminated hill and dale Avere a great relief after the sombre flat scenery about Peterborough , Avhence several votaries at that shrine had come to Maidstone , AA'here Kent had

" Gather'd them Her beauty , ancl her chivalry , and bright The sun shone o ' er fair women and wise men . " The scene at the first meeting Avas one of great gaiety , and tho earnestness of the countenances of those present bespoke great enthusiasm . The chair Avas taken by the Marquis of Camden , who was

supported by most of tho nobility and gentry of the county . Tho general business of the society Avas transacted , and that portion of the day's proceedings ivhich related to the election of a neAV secretary in the place of our clear old friend the Eev . Lambert Lai-king , Avas the theme of universal regret . To his untiring energy is owing the successful position of the Kent Archasologioal Societyand to

, his great knowledge and care the members are indebted for the valuable volumes Avhich have recorded its proceedings . He carries Avith him in his retirement the grateful recollection of all ; and let us hope that life and health may for a long time be granted to hint for his own enjoyment , a chief part of AA'hieh consists in readily imparting to others that learning Avith Avhioh his mind is so amply stored .

Aftor these formal proceedings , Ave were conducted to All Saint's Church , Avhere a lecture Avas given by Mr . Beresford Hope . After some elementary remarks on the various styles of Gothic architecture , their nomenclature , and their dates , he said this church , Avhich is of Perpendicular style , AA'as erected by Archbishop Courfceney . He explained the reason of tho chancel being so large in proportion to the

other parts of the church , by stating that it Avas founded by the Archbishop as a Collegiate Institution , the members of those bodies alAvays occupying the chancel Avhen attending the service of the church .

Mr . Hope said that by his will the Archbishop had directed his body to be buried at this place , but it Avas also affirmed that he Avas buried at Canterbury . He added that , though it might seem parodoxical , he believed that hoth statements Avere consistent Avith the truth , for at that time there obtained the "butcherly custom" of dividing the body , and burying the heart or other portion at one place ,

and the trunk at another . A skeleton had been found , but there was nothing to identify it as the Archbishop ' s . I would here call attention to Avhat is now generally well understood , —that AA'e must not be led to suppose that , because a church or an abbey is said to be built by a certain bishop or abbot , he Avas necessarily the architect . The building , as a rule , ivas only erected under his presidency ,

and he superintended merely the expenditure of the bountiful contributions of the faithful . William of Wykeham Avas an architect , but in other cases the bishop employed architects , Avhose names , in most instances , aro lost . In addition to this I Avould say , that in this ago of revivals this fact ought to be kept in vieAV ; ancl in admiration of the architect , we ht not to follow entirely the example of the founder

oug . For instance , in a work that is now before me , " The History of Maidstone , from the MS . collections of the Eev . William Newton , chaplain to the Eight Hon . Margaret Viscountess Toi-rington , published in 1741 , " tho authors say , after speaking of this church , and recording its history : —