The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-07-03
[From the Lewiston OIaine) Journal.
Barbara Fritchie.
THE IDEAL AND TIE REAL.

Fritchie, y is the most popular of his patri-
otto songs. Schoolboys declam it and elo-
cutionists recite it, as one of their surest
''cards,' while hearers and readers, q for
her sake" or his sake, or for some other
reason, hidden in the POEMS remarkable
power, seldom refuse to ''let fall tear"
When poem has become thus sacred to
all loyal hearts, it seems little less than
cruel to be told that there is no foundation
in fact for the leading incidents on which
the poem purports to be based. We have
even been told that no such person as Bar
bara Fritchie ever lived; that the whole is
a myth, even to the name.
The writer happened 10 be in Frederick
few weeks ago, and took considerable
pains to inquire into the facts
1t seems, then, that Mrs. Barbara Fritchie
hot Frietchie, as in the poem-was living
i'll Frederick at the time when Lee
marched over the mountain WALL" Sept,
1862.
1t is also true that she was known as an
intensely loyal old lady; that she kept at
her window a small national flag, which
she waved on occasions to passing soldiers.
and that in respect for this venerable up
holder of her countrys banner, a Union
General tReno, l think it was,) ordered
three cheers from his troops as they passed
her cottage. 1t is true that in her visits to
some friends down the street. she did not
hesitate to chide any confederate soldiers
that sat along the curb-stone, sometimes
with long cane which she carried, giving
emphasis to her circumstances.
But Barbara Fritchie's work is o'er.''
She died December 18th, 1862, at the age
of ninety-six years, and her remains repose
in the Lutheran Cemetery, with those of
her husband, who died several years before.
/ found their graves with plain marble
headstones, the lot surrounded by neat
iron fence, and occupied by their remains
only.
They left no children-and the name of
Fritchie persisted from the records of the
living, with the death of the venerable
Barbara.
But in Whittiers verse, it lives immor-
tai; even though it is not true that any
such conversation as the poem supposeS
ever took place with Stonewall Jackson or
his men. Indeed, the rebel troops did not
pass her house in entering the city OH that
eventful morning. There was no s'Halt,''
no g Fire. no flag from the attic window,
no rifle BLAST no "shivering of pane and
SASH" no "shoot if you must this old gray
head
Vaerius Ebert, Esq, Mayor of the city,
very politely introduced us to Miss Harriet
Yoner, the lady who lived with "Aunt
Barbara" during the last thirty years of
her life, and from whom we gathered some
pleasant "reminiscences of the old lady
Miss Yoner and Mrs. c. S. Hanshew, a
niece of Mrs. Fritchie, now live together,
and are the guardians of some interesting
relies of Dame Barbara. They showed me
the identical flag which she kept at her
window-not in the attic, which she was
too infrm very often to visit. 1t is a
'silken scarf two feet by one in dimcn-
sions, but bears no mark of 'seam or
cash. The good ladies guard it carefully
in special casket, and show it with rever-
ence, as 4 sacred relic. A proposition to
part with it "for consideration was
treated with becoming resentment. But
through the kind persuasions of the Mayor
the visitor was successful in obtaining the
old lady's cane,-the identical broomstick
with which she rebuked any stray graycoat
who sat upon her doorstep as she sought
to pass.
These ladies' assured me that Mrs. Frit-
chic not only had no conversation with
Stonewall jackson or his troops at the time
and i'll the manner intimated in the poem,
but that she never even saw Stonewall
jackson. Mayor Ebert remarked that
grand nephew of Mrs Fritchie, temporarily
resided i'll Washington, had spoken of Aunt
Barbara's pa..iotism to Mrs. Emma D. L.
n. Southwofssi, who probably communica
ted her name" with other statements, to Mr..
Whittier. Bat 10 whose imagination we
are indebted for any departures from the
exact facts i'll The case, no one seems to lie
aware.
1t is not worth while to consider the
claims of a Mrs. Quantrille to any honors
accorded by the poet to Barbara Fritchie.
Mrs. Quantrille was doubtless loyal and
patriotic lady; displaying and defending
her flag when rebel troops were passing
through the city. But she was not Barbara
Fritchie, and seems to have no proper place
in any discussion of Mrs. Fritchie's name
and fame. E.P.w