The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-03-29

Peters, with the battle light in his eyes
and u rife in his hand. A moment of
awed silence; then the blacksmith
shouted:
"For Father Peters, boys! Cheer!
D-n you, cheer"
And they did cheer and swung their
hats, and their eyes blazed till it SEEM
ed as if there were no further need of
the tallow dips or the blue flames Of the
forge.
my friends" said Father Peters,
God is watching and not listening
now, and SO a prayer must be an act
Tonight, perhaps within the hour, we
shall be called on to strike blow for
the Union under the lead of Brother
Bradley. Are you all ready to do it?''
1--WE uns arer' was the response, CIV
en- as one man.
"And are you ready to swear to this?'
"Yesl" with thrilling emphasis.
The old clergyman drew from HIS
breast small United States flag that
he had carried off among the precious
things from his house. He always hung
it over the meeting house door on Wash
| ington's birthday and the Fourth of Ju-
ly, so that the people knew it. Indeed
it was the only flag of the Union ma
jori y of them had ever seen, but its
rarity seemed to intensity their devo-
ton to it.
Standing in their midst, Father Pc
tiers called on every man who was will.
| ing to swear allegiance to the Union to
uncover his head and take hold of a
margin of the flag with his right hand.
This was promptly done by every man
in the smithy.
Now, my friends, want each man
to repeat his name aloud when l repeat
mine and to say my words after me.
Are you ready?'
A hoarse, solemn Eyes" was the re-
sponse
Il, Robert Peters, every man shout
ed his name and raised his face to the
black rafters of the smithy, ''in the
presence of Almighty God, do invoke
his aid and pray that he may set against
my name in the eternal records this the
solemn oath which | herein take of my
own free will and Accord That |, from
this time on, devote my best efforts and
strength, and if need be my life to the
maintenance of the Union of my ia.
theirs; that by night and by day, early
and late, i'll summers sun and winter
snow, / will work for the restoration OF
the seeded states to the Union and
consider suffering and privation pleas,
ure in this effort Goods and lands,
hands and life | solemnly devote to this
holy purpose. And if called on to bat
tie | will battle as did the children OF
God of old till the flag of our fathers
of ourselves, and of our children, floats
again in glory over every foot Of oui
land So help me. God, and give m,
strength to keep this my most solemn
oath and obligation.
And this oath in that blacksmith
shop that night was the origin of tn,
mighty Union league, which soon afte
numbered its secret adherents by tn,
millions.
A few words and signs, to enabl'
Union men to tell each other at nigh
as well as in the daytime, were agreed
on. Then the old clergyman asked i
they would unite with him in prayer
Every man, including strong Dicl
Bradley, knelt down in the cinders ant
ashes, and even the man working tn
bellows knelt, though he did not ceas
his efforts.
And as Father Peters prayed shot
We're heard up the hill This was fol
lowed by cries of alarm, and with whit
faces the piclets came running in
shouting as they ran;
''Het Magoonel Het Magoone and tn
: gangW
The men extinguished the lights il
the slnithy, seized their rifles and rushe
out. The beacon fires had died out alon
tho hills, but to the south there coul'
be seen a newer fire. 1t came from tn
direction Of the clergyman house. !
few minutes Of watching and all doubt
were at rest, for the flames broke on
through the roof, and the humble HON
where Father Peters hoped to end hi
days was in flames.
To be Continued.