Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-08-04
Dame Barbara

1t WAS really OF the smallest intrinsic
consequence whether the actual Barbara
Freitchie, nonagenarian dame of Frederick
Citv during the troubled war times, now
with God, really did set the patriot flag
staff in her attic window, and from that
high perch. with shrill voice and gaunt
gesture, address the on-cOming banded
confederateS, with Stonwall jackson at
their head. in the energetic terms recited
by the poet. For. whatsoever the actual
mona genarian dame of invaded Frederick
did or did not do ON that memorable day,
the lady of the poem who is the imperish-
able parsonage os this spirited battle-piece
certainly did stand (and stands yeti at her
attic window certainly did wave above
the advancing foe (;ind waves yet) the old
heart-kindling ensign; and IN this attitude,
somewhat more real and enduring than
her frail and passing prototype or the dus-
tv files that under her slowWaylng banner
have marched by into the still kingdoms.
she will continue t. stand for some ages
of this world till all the memories OF our
war and of Mr.. Whittier poetry have died
ont in the clamor of wilder wars and louder
songs. The lady of the verse Is us throned
Berenice-an inc eXtinguiShable, mild light
set in our almost starless legendary sky.
while the real old Lady, all respect and
honor to her, was transltory (alaS. too, AS
illu>ory and perpleXinT in her iilckerinS
radiance) as the witch fire Of the marsh.
which shines now red, now pale. and is
sometimes ON one side of the swamp fence
and sometimes on the other. Swift cour-
age that will front death Is sublime in
Young or old, and when it is shown on a
high stage the world always greets it with
Il tempest-burst of admiration. But there
is nothing in the stability or the lnstablll-
tv of the political sentiments of very old
ladies of Maryland or elsewhere which
need call for particular admiration or sur
prise The real Dame Barbara at ninety
NAV have been as tickle as the Widow
Wadman, or as inflexible old Sarah,
Duchess of Marlborough; and she may
have stormed ut Stonewan Jackson
(though. it is said, that grim warrior rode
through another street than that on which
her mansion was situatedD as she would
with equal and impartial energy have
stormed at Pap Thomas OF Phil Sheridan,
on the ground of general aversion to IN
vaders and an unwillingness 10 have the
village tranquility of her life disturbed;
or, on the other hand, amid the ashes of
her heart the embers of her patriotism may
have glow ed with vital fire steadfast and
unquenchable, rs the poet says they did.
But as 10 the ideal dame. there Is no mis-
take about her. She is 4 patriot out and
out and heroiSm is aS enduring and un-
Quenchable As that of Joan of Arc or Iom-
wis. And it is this ideal dame who has
now become the real one, and concerning
her no word save that of the poet Is valid
If it could be proved that never IN Fredcr-
ick was such 4 dame known in the flesh,
that all the story about the flag was but 4
poetic mvthus and air-drawn image. none
the less would the gaunt. gray image, cram
ins forth from peaked easement. one
withered hand graSping the flagstaff.
against which the rebel shot had ratified,
and the other outStretched and waving
defiance and denunciation, the Old, sunken
ewes. with dull. smoulderin@ fire in them,
shining through the rheum OF fourscore
wears and ten. stand broadly aud clearly
outlined in the worlds vision. rs real rs
Garbaldi or the Pope or any OF the most
substantial and rrefraoable hero or hero
inc of these latter days. Even the poet
who set her BY her window. banner IN hand
could not now pull her down, nor change
the heraldry Of her blnner- :" The gods
themselves cannot recall their gifts. rs
Thi.honus. on whom Aurora bestowed the
boon of Immortality. sorrowingly discover
ed, nor can the poets Ii Is perfectly ldle
for retired soldiers on this side or that 10
come into court with shrcds of testimony
Is 10 what the old lady did or did not do
.On that pleasant ,iay of the early f1
When Lee marched over the m buntiin wall
Equally idle are the historic sc;trps gath
cred up by retired merchants" and local
DrvaStlust>. setting forth that the old lady
had no FLAG. or at best hut a little one of
toy dimensions, like those which confec-
TONERS sell AT the incon>iIrrablc price of
a halfpennv To strengthen with accompany
inc lollipop the patriotism of sucking
babies We have noticed these slreds and
scraps vaguely ilrift on the rather stag
nant and the shallow pool of Western and
Southern journalism for the last month or
two: and while there is no particular Off
ence in them they are vacant of any Use
full import. and they lol,i ont dreadful
seductive invitation 10 bor,s. which they
seem in the readest possible mood 10 ac
cept The question had better be put to
rest. There is no Barbara Fretchie for
whom the world cares a fir except the
Barbara Fretchie of Mr.. Whittier. If il
were proved that the actual Barbara
Fretchie of Frederick We're a FIT d;tmsel of
middle age spattered from sheii To foot
with confederate badges, and accustomed
from her roof-tree in the nl"ht-watcheS TO
wake the boding bird and the stentorous
sleep engulfed citizen with changing CA
dences of Maryland. my Maryland" if
it were proved that she WAS an cmanclpat-
ed freedwoman or a fortune-telllng gypsy,
it would not affect the old. gray. gaunt.
brave Barbara whom the world knows and
will remember one jot. So let us have
done with the endeavor to rehabilitate her.
What she is she is, AS fixed and fast rs Isis
The World.