The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-02-25
BY WALTER A. TtcE


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Soi-soos-seo sseo +4oe's-Feo-bs9 3
Major Wright had always been con-
sidered an odd old chap. He invaria-
bly, did those things which were not
expected and left undone those things
for which his friends felt they had q
right to look Tven on the Stock Ex-
change. where he had amassed for
time. be speculated on lines directly
opposed to current reports.
When he found that Bertram, his
only son, had incurred during his SEN
ios year at college an uncomfortable
amount Of debt, instead of adopting the
customary parental tactics. he prompt
ly paid the bills and doubled the young
fellows allowance.
let the boy have his fun" he de-
clared. This is his last year in col
lege. Why, sowed a few oats my
self at that age, and look at me noww
But. when a few years later Bertram
married Edith Byrne. favorite on
the light opers. stage, family friends
held their breath and waited for the
deluge Of fatherly wrath. Surely
Major Wright, who traced his genea1-
ogy to the Mayfower, would never
overlook this Aristocratic blood, fam
lily pride and parental affection all
would rebel against the mesalliance.
But again did the majors proverbial
contrariness assert itself. He received
the bride with open arms.
Not SO the social set in which the
Wrights had always moved. C0nserv-
etive In the extreme, with old fashion
cd suspicion OF stage life and stage
people still lurking In their minds, they
declined politely but hymly to receive
young Mrs. Wright, in spite Of the fact
that the majors wife. now gone to her
long rest, had been their leader In her
day, and the old Wright mansion a
favorite rallying ground before Bertram
was born. The new Mrs. Wright had
once played boy roles and worn
Here the speakers voice would be
discreetly lowered, and a feeling Of
general despair over Bertram's pros
poets would settle upon the gossips-
As for the major, he seemed to grow
young again in the invigorating society
Of his new found daughter, who was
q charming girl and felt genuine at
lection for the dear old chap, who had
20 easily forgiven her for winning his
sons love. To make the two men hap
py became her object In life. Their
wishes were first In the household,
and the major became her devoted
slave, to the extent that the slightest
lack OF attention on the part of the
husband was promptly resented and
atoned for by some delicate little
courtesy on the part Of the father-in-
law.
"Egad. sir" he would say to his old
cronies at the club, you don't know
my daughteTl She's the dearest little
woman In the city, sirl''
And the men who met her agreed
with Major Wright cordially and
openly. The women. however, con-
tinued to raise their lorgnettes and
their shoulders when she passed by
and carefully refrained from leaving
cards.
The major. for the time. was 80 happy
that he did not notice the social ostrR-
eism to which the house OF Wright wsls
being subjected, and the younger MEM
bers Of the family were too thoughtful
to bring the condition to his atten-
ton. When he finally woke up to q
realization Of the situation, he was
quickly transformed into a mimic vol
c6no-that is, internally. Outwardly he
disdained to discuss the matter with
any one, least Of all with the two peo-
pie essential to his happiness. Instead
Of talking he wrote out a handsome
check and sent Mr.. and Mrs. Bertram
Wright abroad for the summer. He
felt sure some solution of the problem
would present itself during their abb
sence.
But, alas. the day Of their homecom-
ing arrived. and the doughty major
realized that he was no nearer storm
ing the social citadel than when the
young couple had sailed for Europe.
In the society columns Of the daily pa
pers he had read that Mrs. Edmund
A. Glider was to give the first impor-
tant social function Of the ensuing sea-
son, a dancing party. The Glider ball
room was the pride of the social world
in which the Wrights had moved. The
elegance Of the entertainment, the ex-
clusiveness of the invitation list and
the beauty OF the youngest daughter,
who was to make her debut on this
great occasion. all furnished material
for newspaper gossip. And Major
Wright sat In his library lingering an
oblong. creamy envelope directed to
Major Winslow A. Wright" Only
one invitation, and Bertram and Ber-
trans sweet wife would be home that
dayl
he tossed the invitation on his desk
and walked down to his office. storm
Of wrath seething in his warm, loving
heart. Before be settled down to bust
ness messenger appeared and handed
him a note, with I'm Haste-Dellver
Immediately" written across one
corner.
Major Wright tore it open and read II
hurriedly. then again carefully. and
q third time. more deliberately than be-
fore. These words met his eyes:
~ Dear wright-For Gods sake let me have
sous c. n. and RI I'm short about 500 shares,
and II don't get them I'm a ruined man. l Will
pay any price. Make your own terms Yours,
EpkuND A. cnpER.
Major Wright told the messenger to
wait i've minutes In the main object
then, locking himself in. he thought
hard and fast.
For long time there had been ru-
mors ON the street that the firm of
Glider q Son had lost heavily In the
collapse Of Belgium syndicate, but