The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-07-04
By ESTHER B. HAWTHORNE

number Of children were playing
about the grounds of country house;
a white headed old man was sitting on
a porch reading newspaper. The
children were looking forward to the
morrow-the anniversary of American
independence. Finally they gathered
in knot. discussing with evident in
terest some Ito them important prob
lem. casting occasional glances at the
old man on the porch.
''You ask him. Lucy" said one Of
the boys to girl of seven. He'll do
anything for you"
YES" chimed In the others. Lucy
is the one to do it. She'll get more
than any Of us"
Lucy, thus urged. started for the
porch. evidently losing courage as she
proceeded, for the nearer she approach
ed the old man the more she seemed
disposed to hang back.
What is 1t, Lucy?" he asked. look
ing aside at her from the newspaper.
please, grandpa. won't you give us
some money for the Fourth Of July"
Grandpa put his hand In his pocket,
drew forth several silver coins and
gave them to her. She was going away
without word when he asked:
Don't you think / should have a
kiss for THAR"
She went to him. put up her lips,
kissed him and ran away to the chill
dren- A consultation took place among
them as to how they should the next
day burn the money they had received.
after which one of the older ones sug-
gested that they thank grandpa for the
gift. So they moved in body to the
porch. and their spokesman offered the
thanks.
piled. Your sending Lucy to me took
me back to when was a kid and my
brothers and sisters sent me on sim
liar errand to my father"
did you have as good times on the
Fourth then as we have now, grand
pa?" asked one of the boys.
I'm inclined to think we had bet
ter times. We were not so far then
as we are now from that Declaration
of Independence which But sit down
and I'll tell you about It,"
The children gathered ronnd. some
sitting in wicker chairs. some on the
steps. while Lucy perched herself on
the arm of grandpa's rocker When
they were all comfortably settled he
continued:
I'VE always had professions In those
days. and I'm our professions we had
something that we don't have now
several carriage loads of white headed
old men who had fought In the war
that brought about the independence
we are TO celebrate tomorrow re-
member just how they looked and
with what veneration we regarded
them Next came the veterans Of the
war of 1912. There were more of
them. and they were younger than the
Revolutionary soldiers But today we
have not these survivors of the Revo-
luton to keep US in touch with the
great struggle which evolved a ma
ton.
I'VE children usually took part In
the professions, the boys marching as
soldiers. the girls making up groups
on floats decorated with flowers l re-
member marching myself with a dozen
boys. all of us IN white shirts and
white duck trousers. drawing a littie
cannon. One Of the boys marched at
our head bearing aloft the stars and
stripes. When we were tired we turn
ed out of the line. Our standard bear
er. not being notified, went proudly
on with the dag till laughter among
the spectators caused him to look be
bind him. when he discovered that he
was marching alone. When he re-
Joined US he was the maddest boy ]
ever saw
In that procession we marched be-
hind hay wagon that had been fitted
up for a float II was covered with
white sheets and both the body and
the wheels decorated with flowers.
while the harness was covered with a
profusion Of red. white and blue
rosettes and streamers In the center
on a raised dais stood a girl PERSONAL
ing the Goddess of Liberty. The rest
Of the wagon was covered with little
girls from six to twelve or thirteen
years old I was one of two front
boys who held the rope attached to
our cannon. and noticed especially
one of the girls on the rear of the doat
Her golden hair hung over her Shout
ders, and her eyes were great big blue
ones. I straightway picked her out to
fall In love with.
Have any Of you boys ever been In
loveY
There was no reply to this. and the
speaker continued:
"a boys love, as / remember 1t, Is
very funny. He is seized with de-
sire to show of before the girl to
whom be is attracted When ! saw
the girl on the float looking at me
walked as II was stepping on springs,
holding my head up in the afr as
though was mighty proud Of myself.
l must have marched an hour behind
the doat on which the blue eyed girl
sat When we left the procession
looked back at her. but girls of her
age are apt to be offish with boys. and
she turned her glance away. / sup
posed she had no use for me-"
-Sne didn't make a race at you, ulo
she?" remarked one Of the boys
''Oh. no, she didn't do that But to
proceed with my story--of course we
were just like boys nowadays firing
our crackers and our cannon. keeping
up an incessant din all the afternoon.
We couldn't walt till dark to set OF
our fireworks any more than you boys
will be able to wait tomorrow night
When the last piece had been burned
and we had eaten watermelon or
some ice cream we went to bed mourn.
ing that a whole year must pass be.
fore another Fourth Of July would
come around
"Of course as we grew older our
way of spending the day changed
When we reached the youth period we
would get together at the country
home of some one of our set OF young
fellows and girls. I remember that
when was eighteen years old l was
invited to one of these Fourth Of July
parties composed Of youngsters about
my own age met there for the first
time a girl about sixteen: She was
called by a nickname which had been
given her by her father when she was
a baby 1t was Tottie The moment
looked at her felt sure that | had