Jane Howe Proctor, daughter of Alexander Proctor, a businessman, is in love with Richard Benton, a lieutenant in the army. Her father objects to the match. Jane is affiliated with the Daughters of the American Revolution, and is imbued with a high spirit of patriotism. The father also is a patriot, but has decided upon a social career for Jane. The Howe family ancestors in earlier days had been associated with many of the important events of Revolutionary history; Proctor's family being associated with latter day events. Richard Benton, on the other hand, is a product of the melting pot of America, and has to his credit, manhood, brains and loyalty. He comes of poor but honest parents of the Middle Western type. The story opens with Richard, at the Proctor home trying to gain the father's consent to his marriage to Jane. This the father refuses. Young Benton returns to his post at the Presidio, San Francisco. Later, Lieutenant Benton receives orders from the War Department informing him that there is a possibility of his transference to the Philippines. Benton telegraphs Jane, asking her to consent to an immediate marriage. Jane asks her father, who again opposes. The girl, pointing to portraits on the wall, reads her father a lecture on the patriotism of the originals. (This in the forms of dissolves, each embracing episodes of the Revolutionary period. Civil war and Spanish-American war periods.) Mr. Proctor refuses to surrender. Jane decides to take the initiative, informing her father that it is her intention then and there to sign her own Declaration of Independence. She retires to her room and begins a letter to the Lieutenant in which she tells him of her decision, and setting a date for their next meeting. Jane's young nephew, in company of other youngsters, is discussing the close approach of Independence Day, July 4th. To decide a point in their discussion, the nephew seeks his Aunt Jane, thus interrupting her. Child-like, he asks Jane to whom she is writing and. upon being informed, requests permission to write a letter himself to Lieutenant. Jane acquiesces and the boy begins his letter. Mr. Proctor, below stairs, wishing to resume further discussion with Jane, sends for her. Jane leaves her bedroom and joins her father in the library. The nephew concludes his letter, and placing it in the envelope addressed by Jane, seals it and runs down stairs, leaving Jane's letter in her room. The nephew's entrance terminates the discussion. The boy shows the envelope ready for mailing and Jane and he go out to post it. Mr. Proctor wanders upstairs, discovers Jane's letter open on the desk and pockets it. Jane prepares for her trip to San Francisco. A friend of Mr. Proctor speaks somewhat disparagingly of the American army. Proctor resents his friend's attitude, and finds himself giving vent to some latent patriotism of an original character. He leaves in high dudgeon. On his return home he finds that Jane has departed for 'Frisco. He remembers her letter to the Lieutenant, re-reads it, and decides to follow her, hoping he may be able to induce the Lieutenant to resign from the service by offering him a partnership in business. In the interim, Lieutenant Benton is agitated over the reception of a letter, which, while the envelope is in the handwriting of Jane, reads as follows: "Dere Lutenant Benton: i have 9 packs of fire-crackers and 7 roman candles but need some pin wheels and caps for my toy pistols, hoping you are well, Willie Strafford." In a few days he receives Jane's telegram, informing him of the date of her arrival. At the Presidio, we find Jane and Lieutenant Benton discussing plans for their wedding. They are surprised by the arrival of Jane's father. In an interview with the Lieutenant, Mr. Proctor offers him a business partnership. Benton thanks him, but refuses to abandon the service. In this he is backed up by Jane. Defeated at every angle, Mr. Proctor finally surrenders, and is an active participant in the military wedding which follows.