McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1883-11-01
One Hundred Years Ago.

One Hundred Years Ago.
1t was the 18th of November, 1888 =
} 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 fag-pole, from
|. which foated the stars and stripes, the
!. flag of the new republic. "Come, you
rebel cur" he said to Mr.. Day, 81 give
J you two minutes to haul down that rag
IN have no such striped clout as that
flying in the faces of his majesty's
forces!"
"There it is, and there it shall stay
said Day, quietly but firmly. Cunning
ham turned to his guard.
''Arrest that man. he ordered.
"And as for this thing here, I'll haul it
down myself, ;" and ,seizing the halyards,
he began to lower the flag The crowd
broke out into fierce murmurs, uncer-
tain what to do. Bnt, in the midst of
the tumult, the door of the tavern flew
open, and forth sailed Mrs. Day, armed
with her trusty broom.
Islands off 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 boys in that
excited crowd, and remembered how
the powder flew from the stiff white
wig, and how, amidst jeers and laugh
ter, the defeated provost-marshal with
drew from the unequal contest, and fled
before the resistless sweep of Mrs. Days
all-conquering broom.
Sir Guy Carleton, X. C. B., comman-
der-in-chief of all his majesty's forces
in the colonies, stood at the foot of the
flagstaff on the northern bastion of
Fort George. Before him filed the de-
parting troops of his king, evacuating
the pleasant little city they had occu-
pied for over seven years. The waves
of the bay sparkled in the sunlight,
while the whale-boats, barges, gigs and
launches sped over the water, bearing
troops and refugees to the transports,
or to the temporary camp on
Staten Island. The last act of
the evacuation was almost completed;
and, as to the strains of appropriate mu-
sic the commander-in-chief and his staff |
passed down to the boats, the red cross
of St. George, England's royal flag,
came fluttering down from it's high staff |
on the north bastion, and the last of the |
rear-guard wheeled toward the slip.
But Cunningham, the provost-marshal,
still angered by the thought of his dis
comfiture at Days tavern, declared
that no rebel flag should 90 up
that staff in sight of King Georges
men. "Come, lively now, you blue
Jackets" he shouted, turning TO some
IF the sailors from the fleet. "Unreeve
The halyards, quick; slush down the
pole; knock off the stepping cleats!
Then let them run their rag if they
,an."
His orders were quickly obeyed, and
he marshal left the now liberated city.
n few moments Col. Jackson, halting
'efore the flagstaff, ordered up the
tars and stripes.
sThe halyards are cut, Colonel" re- {
'orted the color-sergeant; "the cleats |
re gone, and the pole is slushed.'' g
''A mean trick, indeed" exclaimed Ia
he indignant colonel. ga gold jaco- '
us to him who will climb the staff and t
eeve the halyards for the stars and t
tripes!" v
81 want no money for the job" said f
young sailor-lad as he tried it man. t
ully once, twice, thrice, and each time S
anne slipping down covered with slush Y
nd shame. eI'll fix 'em yet," he t.
aid. eff yell but saw me up some C
leafs, III run that flag to the top in Fl
pite of all the tories from 'Sopus to
andy Hook" tt
Ready hands came to the assistance e.
the plucky lad. tt
Then, tying the halyards around his d
'aist, and filling his jacket-pockets O
18th cleats and nails, he worked his h
ay up the flag-pole, mailing and climb IT
e as he went And now he reaches C,
lie top, now the halyards are rove, and B
J the beautiful flag goes futtering up S
lie staff mighty cheer is heard, and W
round of thirteen. guns salutes the 81
ars and stripes and the brave sailor k
~ who did the gallant deed.-From
The Little Lord of the Manor" by E. cl
Brooks, in St. Nicholas for Novem- bt
n. in
The CAPTURE of :Jefferson navia w