The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-03-08
a BIT Or BUNTING.
Something About Flags of All Kinds and
Their. Manufacture.

\
| Their. Manufacture.
After all, what would the tight little
islands known as Great Britain amount
to if no Union Jack faunted their
power in the face of the world? And
as for that matter, the .'land of the free
and the home of the brave" if there
were no stars and stripes to wave
gloriously over men and masts in fouu
quarters of the globe? 1t would signify
in the latter instance the Squeezing dry
of every infammable drop of patriotic
sentiment that ignites in the breasts of
| all full-blooded Americans at the bare
sight OF certain arrangement of colors.
Citizens of these United States rise
ardently to the flag at ali times and
under all circumstances. and it is one
of the delightful sensations invariably
recorded in journey abroad, when
they tell Of their hearts swelling with
honest pride at sight of the floating red.
white and blue.
1t seems bit curious. too, when one
comes to think over all the mischief
these national rags nave wrought, for
they lead men straight on to death aud
destruction as gayly as though Turing
him to the surest goal of life's desires.
They may indeed be mere symbols of
weightier realities, but, after all. much
of the purest love and honor of many
peoples lie in embroidered folds of silk
or bunting. They are humbled as their
standard droops, and triumphant as its
cOlors dictate. Flags are the outward
and noticeable signs of benevolence,
might, wealth and victory, war. peace
or disaster. disease. death and festivity,
as well as protection and defiance. The
making of flags is business of import
ance in all seaport towns, for there is a
continual demand for such articles
aboard all kinds of craft.
1t is simply astonishing to see how
short a time it takes for sea, wind and
weather to whip the stoutest stuffs into
ribbons. When the breeze blows fair,
and with sunshine plenty. a bunting
banner may be carried at the mast head
some three months or more; but let
one gale ruffle the waters, and before
the pretty strip can be lowered. the
tempest has blown it into n bunch of
tatters. Sailors, as rule, make all
signals used on their vessels, and even
some of the larger standards, but each
one is supposed to carry set of flags
belonging peculiarly to its rank which
can only be manufactured on land.
All the merchantmen have their flags
made here. and it is quite interesting
to turn over those of the various Euro
pean countries for comparison. When
the Brazilian man-of-war was visiting
this city the captain ordered a complete
set for his ship. which was made of the
finest quality of materials, and num-
berS have been sent since to Ecuador.
Mexico. Guatemala and other South
nations.
In spite of all temptation one must
yield the palm of beauty to the flag
chosen by this country. 1t is unique,
striking and elegant compared with the
great similarity existing among foreign
banners. The finest and daintiest work
is pat on silk national flag, for, like
tapestry. the embroidery shows the
same on both sides. The silk is always
rich, and nothing can be prettier than
the azure field with stars sown thickly
on the deep blue ground. Looking over
he stock tho ranortar ooroo oorocS Son,a
yellow flags, designed for quarantine
stations; others for naval dispatch were
white squares with five blue clubs
worked in floss, but more than all 9TH |
ers were the French flags used on the
14th of July.-N. o. Times Democrat. |