The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-02-26

died, however, when COOmer was abOu
IL years old. For these reasons Coon
er was hazy on the subject of his an
cestry, for all his varied stock of gen
eral knowledge. Some of these days
he said, he was going to see what the
ancestral domain at Salem looked like
but he put off doing so from time tc
time and contented himself with what
additional scraps of information he
could pick up in Chicago. At least he
got all that he needed in one lot.
Mrs Coomer had been down in the
basement rummaging, and she made q
discovery. 1t was an old hair trunk OF
a type and pattern now quite extinct
and her idea was to bring it up and set
it in the hall as an antique, which ii
undoubtedly was. She called Coome1
down to look at it, and he recognized ii
instantly. at belonged to the old gen
tleman," he said. Il thought Brother
William got that. Strange that !
shouldn't have noticed it before! Have
you opened it?'
eyes," replied his wife, "but there is
nothing in it but lot of old books. not
old enough to be valuable. They are
mostly books on divinity"
"Well let's empty them out" said
Coomer, and he turned the old trunk
upside down and spilled its contents
on the floor They were. as Mrs
Coomer had said, old books of divinity,
all but one. and that one was canvas
and leather bound. like a ledger Coo
mer picked it up and futtered over the
leaves.
"Hellor' he exclaimed. There's a
weakness l never suspected of him.
He started to keep diary. Yes. start
ed is the word. Here's the first date
Jan. 1, 1860 How long did he keep
it up? Ha! Did pretty well too.
April II is the last entry: Everything
going on in the same old way. Moth
ing of importance happened
'Let me look" said Mrs. Coomer
eagerly.
NAY, nay" answered Coomer
"There may be something here that
only sons eye should scan"
A4C NCAl ONCl ny tnC w inuOW Will
the book and, seating himself in a
chair, began to skim through the book
1t was written in a brief. concise style
But for all that the writer had evident
ly started in with the intention of set
ting everything down without reserva-
ton and with the frankness of a
Pepys. Several times Coomer had to
close the diary on his thumb and aban-
don himself to mirth, but at last he
came to an entry that made him turn
pale and utter an exclamation that
brought his wife to his side. 1t was as.
follows:
FEB. S.-Bleeker positively refuses
to consider the purchase OF the shipload
from Argentina, and am likely to lose
money on it. I think that | will get
even with Mr.. Blocker. Araminta is
still worrying because the Bybees have
painted their crest on their stanhope
told her there wasn't any crest too good
for her to have if she wanted it, but
she only told me not to make a bigger
fool of myself than | could help. Went
round to Levy Moss in aft. and bought
an assortment Of old truck-pictures
miniatures, etc. | think bargain. for
some of them didn't cost more than the
canvas they were painted on, so the
paint and the frame is net profit | am
going to tell Nine Minty to use them
for ancestors, and | think she has got
the courage to do it. Moss has got
more old junk around. Among other
things bought old musket and sword
for dollar and a half | will go
around and see Garter King tomorrow
and have him look up a few crests and
pedigrees. If he charges too much.
will claim close relationship with the
Coombers of Hudson street. who are
always Dragging about their old family
mansion at Salem. Think that will be
the best plan, anyway. Hope Nine
Minty will be satisfied, but when she
married me she said that she didn't
care if didn't know who my grand
father was
That finished the entry Coomer
looked at his wife, and she looked at
him. but neither spoke. Instead CoomeI
took her by the hand and tucking the
fatal record beneath his arm. led her
from the basement. Her arm was
about his waist. and they looked like
people whom affliction had brought
very close together.-Chicago Record.