The National tribune., 1895-01-03

on one side Of The paper. 81 Write 10 the point
Write on one subject. 5. Write your best. 6. EACH
week the names of those writing the best letters
style. composition. Spelling, penmanship ana gen
erai merit considered-wiii be named at the hcaC
of this column on the Honor Roll. First honoi
will include all Of these requirements. SECOND
honor will include deficiency in some one point
hrs Brickle. Of Maine, wins the dream o.
the Ages" for the paper on The American
Flag" Will she please forward her name and
| address in full. as they have become de
| tachedp
THE AMERICAN FLAG.
From the earliest records of time some color
| badge or motto have been adopted by societies
| schools. and colleges, by which they have been
known and recognized, People and nations
have the same.
The FIRST flag on record was worn by the
| children of Israel. After the Lord had
| brought them out of the land of Egypt for feal
that they might forget Him, He babe Moses to
| command them all to wear on the border oil
| their garments a fringe. and above it blue
| band, so that when they looked upon these EN-
| blems they would remember Him and Hit
words
Two thousand years later two bands were
| put together in the shape of o cross. and this
| was the flag of the nations Of the earth. each
| country taking the peculiar cross OF its patron
| saint.
EVERY 0COtCUIUau WOro III tuultH llhO tuS
| letter y, representing tho cross on which ST
Andrew was crucifed. The Frenchman wore
white, the Spaniard a red. aud the Italian q
blue upright, OR Roman, cross.
little later regularly-made flags bore
crosses. which were often called Jacks. "
Great Britain calls her flag the Union Jack.
Someone has said: THE American flag is
| not q creation." Another has said: There is
| no record of its BIRTH" So suppose that, like
si.ct ad And
than a century ago, when we became separated
from the Mother Country, and an independent
Nation sprung into existence this glorious flag
of ours commenced its wonderful growth.
In the year of l775 DIR. Franklin WAS ap-
pointed Chairman of a committee to consider
the subject Of National flag. The result was
a flag alter the pattern of the East lndies-the
Union Jack or Kings colors as it was some.
times called-representing the recognized SOW
ereignty of England. and few months later
the new flag was floating over soldiers camp
| at Cambridge, Mass
When our independence was determined on,
q committee appointed by Congress and accom-
panied by Washington took a rough draft of
the original flag dropped the Union Jack and
substituting stars engaged lady, Mrs. John
Ross, of Philadelphia, to make a model flag.
This was the first official flag of the present
design ever used, having been adopted by Con-
gress in l777
This flag contained l3 stripes of alternate
red and white. to represent the union of the
original States, or Colonies, to maintain the
Declaration of Independence. Its stars of white
on a field of blue proclaimed that union OF
States constituting our National constellation,
which receives new star with every new
State. The two together signify union past
present, and forever.
This flag is so full Of significance that even
its colors are not without meaning. White is for
purity. red for vaior and blue for justice. All
united and mingiing together, bunting stars,
stripes. and color makes what Daniel Webster
termed "the gorgeous ensign of this Repub-
lic," to be loved and cherished by every loyal
heart.
1t is with feelings of pride that we remem-
Der that the standard of liberty has won the
palm of victory in every contest where it has
been raised TO defend and maintain those
heaven horn principles contained in the Amer
lean Constitution. which Edward Everett pro-
nounced equal to anything ever born upon
parchment. or expressed in the visible signs of
thought" and we catch the echo resembling
across the waters from the lips of that eminent
English statesman, William L. Gladstone, who
declared on one occasion tho American Consti-
tuition to be the most wonderful work ever
struck off at given time by the brain and
purpose Of man.
As we look upon the dear old flag waving in
the breeze, we read in its folds wonderful
language. Every star and every stripe has a
tongue which speaks OF liberty, equality. and
justice; Of freedom to all races and color of
protection at home and abroad. ON sea and on
land.
have been told that In the year 1876 an
American citizen went to Cuba. where he was
arrested as a spy, court-martialed, and con-
demned to be shot He sent for the American
Consul and proved to him that he was no spy.
The Consul went to one Of the Spanish officers
and said: This man whom you have con-
demned to be shot is an innocent man."
The Spanish officer replied 1.-The man has
been legally tried by our laws and condemned,
and the law must take its course, and the man
must die"
The next morning the prisoner was led out,
bis grave bad already been dug aud the black
cap put him. and tho soldiers were
there ready to receive the order Fire. when
the American Consul took the American flag
and wrapped it around the prisoner. He then
said TO these soldiers:
" Fire If you darei"
But no man dared. because they knew q
great aud powerful Nation was behind that
flag.
Let us ever be loyal to that flag.
- The Star Spsngled Banner. o long may It wave
Ger the land OF the free aud the home of the
brave"
c. c. FRIENDSHIPS.
There is an indisputable pleasure in making
new acquaintance and forming new friend
ships aud doubt if there be any better ave-
nue. through which To do this than is afforded
by the epistolary correspondence of the N. T.
c. G.
Someone has beautifully said:
Friendship is the hottest Of gifts; God can
bestow nothing more sacred upon us 1t en-
hances every joy, mItigates every pain"
L believe am safe in saying there have been |
some veritable Damon aud Pythias friendships |
formed through the &. G. Some of these friend. |
ships have become so true, SO sacred, that c. c. |
marriages have resulted therefrom. And we |
have reports Of any of these marriages |
being failures.
And if none of the matches made in the |
Con versation Club have proven failures they |
are better than those made in heaven" arc |
hey notp a prepouderance Of evidence proves,
you know.
Ranking high ia the enjoyment of Divisions |
has been tue social feature. Those who have |
participated in G. c. meetings of any class |
noted the fraternal feeling that always pre-
walls, the interest that each c. c. manifests in |
the Others, will stand by me when say there
is high degree of enjoyme in all this.
Then there is the business meeting which is |
full Of enjoyment to many. The appointment |
Of committees their deliberations and reports.
The adoption of resolutions, amendment of con.
'titution aud bylaws election of officers, ETC.,
more to the enjoyment of some
,hsn the music recitatoDs, aud applause from
.he galleries.
Why. have heard il said that even moving
md seconding is most enjoyable feature to a
nan, especially when the motion carries to
adjourn when he is hungryi