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Rh to say that the merits of that individual were thoroughly canvassed. There were observations of approval and disaproval. There were reflections pro and con. At length a pious sister, full of interest in the theme in progress, in substance thus gave expression to her honest thought:

"I think brother Solomon is a real good man. I think he is just as good a minister as anybody needs to have. I don't mean to say that I think he is quite equal to Christ, but I think he is fully equal to Anti-Christ."

There, is no doubt of the place of the good dame's heart, though her remark has given more than one person a side-splitting recreational exercise.

When, in 1750, the proprietors of this township renewed their grant, procuring a title from the Lord Proprietors of John Tufton Mason, they became bound to a stipulation that all suitable pine trees should be reserved, for the use of His Majesty's navy. The local supply of pine trees of primitive gigantic size furnished one representative that has inspired an interesting chapter in the historic roll of the town. The particulars of the story, with a few later data necessarily added, are included in the following sketch, written by a former professional gentleman of Hopkinton, and originally published in the Worcester (Mass.) Palladium: