Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-12-21
One Hundred Years Ago.

st Nicholas
| was the 18th of November. 17Sa
"a brilliant day, that an excited
crowd sUrged and shouted about Mr..
Days tavern IN Murray street, near
the road to Greenwich. Cunningham.
the cruel and vindictive British provost
marshal, stood at the foot of the flag
pole, from which tioated the stars and
stripes, the flag of the new republic.
Come you rebel cur, he said to Mr..
Day, I'll give you two minutes TO haul
down that rag-Tll have no such
striped cloud as that flying in the faces
Of his Maiestys forces -
There 1t Is, and there it shall stay, :
said Day,quletly but firmly. Cuning-
ham turned to his guard.
Arrest that man." he ordered.
And rs for this thing here, I'll haul
il down myself, and, Selling the halv-
ar!s he began to lower the flag. The
crowd broke out into fierce murmurs.
uncertain what to do. But. in the
midst of the tumult, the door of the
tavern flew open, and forth sailed Mrs.
Day armed with her trusty broom.
Hands OF that flag, YOU villain, and
drop my husband" she cried. and be-
fore the astonished Cunningham could
realize the situation. the broom came
down thwack thwack upon his pow
dered wig. Old men still lived, not
twenty years ago, who were bows in
that excited crowd and remembered
how the powder flew from the stiff
white Wig, and how, amidst jeers and
laughter the defeated provost marsh
al withdrew from the unequal contest.
and fled before the resistleSs sweep of
Mrs. Days all-conquering broom.
Sir Guy Carlenton. L. c. B., COM
manderin- chief of all His Maiestv's
forces in the colonies. stood at the foot
of the flag on the northern bas-
ton of Fort George. Before him filed
the departing troops of his king. evac-
uatlng the pleasant little city they had
occupied for over seven years. The
waves Of the bay sparkled in the sun
light, while the whale boats, barges.
gigs, aud launches sped over the water.
bearing troops and refugees to the
transports. or 10 the temporary camp
on Staten Island The last act of the
evacuation was almost completed and,
to the strains of appropriate music
the coHmander-in-chief and his staff
passed down to the boats. the red cross
of St George, England's royal flag.
came tutterlng down from its high
staff on the north bastioa, and the last
of the rear-guard wheeled toward the
slip. But Cunningham, the provost
marshal, still angere4 by the thought
of his discontinue at Days tavern, de-
clared roundly that no rebel flag should
60 up that staff in sight of King
Georges men. Come, lively now,
you blue jackets. he shouted, turning
10 some of the sailors from the feet.
Unreeve the halyards' quick: slush
down the pole; knock eff the stepping
cleats Then let them run their rag up
If they can" His orders were quickly
obeyed. and the marshal left the now
liberated city. In a few moments,
Colonel Jackson, halted before the
flag staff, ordered up the stars and
stripes.
The halyards are cut, Colonel,
reported the color-sergeant the cleats
are gone, and the pole is slushed.
a mean trick, indeed, exclaimed
the indignant Colonel. "A gold jaco-
bus to him who viii climb the staff
and reeve the halyards for the stars
and stripesI''
L want no money for the job, said