Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-04

rangement adopted in three rows Of FIVE
stars each. These stars were not distrib-
uted over the entire field. but left mar
gin of blue around each side of the recIar-
guIar union OF field about the width of two
stripes. Although there was no direction
in the congressional resolution as to the
arrangement of The bars in the flag the
original arrangement of seven shorter bars
opposite the field and six longer ones ex-
tending clear across the flag was adhered
to from the start.
How the Flag Originated.
The story goes that Robert Morris and
George Washington, after making a few
pencil sketches. went to Mrs. John Ross, a
woman who did uph olstery work and gen.
eral sewing in a little shop on Arch street,
Philadelphia, and asked her to make a flag
to correspond with The design which they
had made. This she did, and in making the
stars she adopted the fye.pointed star
taken from the French til color, instead Of
the six-pointed stars Washington and Nor
RS had agreed upon, y hich were probably
used in one form or another on some of the
many flags carried by the continents l
troops. The Treasury Department has ad-
hered to the six-pointed stars in all the de-
signs for coins since the founding of the
government.
Another Unique Design.
A unique design for the field is suggested
by Alonzo Nather of Chicago This con-
sists of cluster Of three stars in each of
the four corners Of the field and an involute
arrangement Of the remaining thirty three
stars. This arrangement leaves tail of
stars sweeping out from the end of the
comet-like arrangement. to which from
time to time additional stars may be added
without at all disturbing any star on the
field.
The stars in the corner are all intended to
represent states. Those in the upper left
hand corner stand for New York. where
the first capital of the United States was
located after The adoption Of the Cons itu-
ton, and Connecticut ard New Jersey, her
neighbOrs. In the upper right hand corner
Massachusetts, the first state to rebel
against unjust taxation by England. has
a place. and with ner her neighbors, New
Hampshire and Rhode Island. In the
lower right hand corner there is a star for
Virginia. the mother of the early Presi-
dents, with Maryland and Delaware, and
in the left hand lower corner are the stars
for South Carolina, North Carolina and
Georgia. In the center Of the involute is
Pennsylveria's star, where the Declaration
Of Independence was promulgated, and
each successive star in the W3ajring in
volute represents the various states in the
order of their corning into the Union. ~
The objection made by the President to
all the proposed changes was that they
confused the appearance Of the field at a
stamping the fact Of the rebellion on the
flag was not entertained for a moment, 1t
seemed an uncalfed-fors, attack on the
southern states. whose people now all rev.
erence the flag of the Union as the emblem
of reunited country.
-. ~,
The Gas Bill.
From tie Pittsburg Chronicle Telegraph
My gas bill this month fairly took my
breath aWayv' complained the horse cd
itor
Mine did worse than that" replied the
snake editor.
'How?' 80
1T took away all my cash.
On n Railroad Car.
From the Adams Freeman.
She-'It's no fun riding on the cars with
a blind man, no matter how good a CONVEX
sationalist he Ia"
He-"Why so!' ..a3 -s'>a. .a-S- -
Cfa- Il