The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-09-23

|
Portable dwelling house at the best,
and Mrs. Melton frowned upon modern
improvements The rooms were grad
ually filed with strange wares from
antique shops and the building was
dedicated as a perpetual shrine to the
father of his country. There was an
oak out on the lawn which a young
French officer had planted. There was
also a stately elm supposed to ha e
been placed there in its infancy by the
hands of the great liberator himself.
The house became the headquarters of
the Daughters of the Perpetual Evolu-
| ton, and now there was talk of Sc
lecting Mrs. Melton as the grand re
| gent of the order in the United States.
The organization had grown and Mrs.
Melton was engaged in making per-
sistent avowals of her unworthiness to
be the head of such a distinguished
body. The reception which she was
giving on the day preceding the an
nual election was seized upon by some
of Mrs. Melton's friends as an oppor-
tunity to increase her capital as can
didate.
| Under such circumstances and with
her mind upon such large ambitions, it
was exceedingly distasteful to her that
young John Dunstan should persist in
his attentions to her daughter. Isabel
Melton had ideas of her own, and she
had on several occasions expressed un-
sympathetic opinions of the Daughters
of the Perpetual Evolution. She had
not even asked for admission to the
local chapter. Such heresy as this Mrs.
Melton could attribute only to the influ-
hnce of young Mr.. Dunstan. He made
washing soda which he called by pa
triotic name. The title was emblazoned
on the fences along many miles of
railroad. TO Mrs. Melton it seemed
remarkable that daughter of hers
should look with favor on anybody
who was not of the purest Revolution
airy strain. There was Richard Waldo
yer Perkins. for instance, who fulfilled
e, cry condition of eligibility. He was
tie direct descendant of one who had
followed the fortunes of the Cont1
mental army" He was rich and his
mother was actually thinking of fur
nishing the funds for the casting of
bronze tablets which the Daughters
might place on certain public buildings
In the metropolis.
"If you only had some warlike for
| BEARS" said Isabel Melton to Dunstan
that afternoon as they sat beneath the
! historic oak, Il think that we might
easily overcome the maternal objec-
tions.'
mine did not begin fighting until
the Mexican and civil wars" replied
Dunstan. "They became generals and
colonies; but, after all, that does not
count for much Strange that the new
name for the washing soda did not
soften her any
From the house there issued a babel
Of voices. Apparently many express
sions of wonder mingled with the gen.
eral uproar. Relays of Daughters hur-
ried from the lawn to the great front
door, Richard Waldover Perkins in re-
splendent uniform hurried down the
cindered walk.
You really must come in" he said
at Is the most interesting thing you
ever saw. Mr.. Melton says he will not
examine them until you come-the pa
pers, you know. A secret cupboard has
been found near the old mantel."
Around the fireplace the Daughters
of Perpetual Evolution had foregath
cred. The air was filled with exclama-
lions. In the center of the group was
James Henry Melton, the husband Of
the prospective regent a white whis-
kered, benevolent person, waiting to
read an aged, yellowed paper.
"This house being now completed"
he read. Il. Ebenezer Huntington, wish
to say in this year of grace 1900 that 1t
! was built after the independence Of our