The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-01-02

| OF what she has written as memory carried her
| hack to the scenes witnessed in the days of
| '6lI65.
The gravc and the gay, shadow. and sun
shine intermingled are bound between tho
same covers. Now o story full of pathos. and
quickly following it one that causes smile to
chase away the starting tear. Stories of trials
and privations; of self-denial and suffering;
| of writing letters to anxious ones at hone-to
| the mothers of those that wore the blue and to
the mothers Of those that wore the gray as
| we'll; closing the eyes of those who never
would see mother or home again; hearing their
last messages; witnessing, day after day, the
dreadful suffering all around. And she has
| told it all in simple, vivid words that make Que
realize what was the life of the Army Nurse
the life Of the woman who gave up home and
comfort TO minister TO those who fell defending
the fag-showing'cleary that those who chose
this life were actuated by "the spirit that
gives itself for others-the temper that for the
sake Of religion. of country, Of duty, OF kim
| dred-nay, of pity even to the stranger-witl
dare all things, risk all things, endure all
| things. meet death in one moment, or wear life
away in slow, persevering tendance and suffer
ing"
oh, there are the stories! Do they need any
establishment other than the author has given
them? The soldier who lived through the
| days that tried mems souls" viii answer,
No! The woman who lived on in doubt and
fear and anguish will answer No! Those who
have heard the story Of the great struggle Will
! answer MOI None other than that which a
| heart filled with love for those who defended
the iag-a heart filed with love and sorrow
| for those who took up arms against their conn-
| try-can give. Every soldier should read
| Mrs. Wittenmyer's book, and all those who
would like to know more of the war should
have this garland of golden deeds" for from
it we learn the truth of these words:
ic oil nf uiO WI ten
upon the earth's face but line of suffering
runs parallel with it; aud they who read the
lustrous syllabes of the enc and pause not to
decpher the spotted and worn inscriptions of
the other, get the lesser half of the lesson earth
! has to give"
Ola Bell Hotham, 1873 Pearl street, Pitts
burg, Pa.
THE FIvE-PoINTED STAR.
DEAR TRIBUNE: Fred Connor asks why the
star in our flag has five points, while that on
our coins has six. According to Preblc's The
| Flag of the United States and Other National
| Flags" probabilities are that the design was
| taken from the arms of William. Lord Douglas,
which contained the coors, stripes, aud three
| Eve pointed stars.
1t also says: Col George Ross and Gen.
| Washington visited Mrs. Ross, aud asked her
to make the flag. She said: / don't know
whether / can, but I'll try and directly sug-
| gested TO the gentlemen that the design was
| wrong. the stars being six cornered and not
ive-cornered tpointed). as they should be.
| This was altered. and other changes made"
On another page it states that the star in
our banner may have been taken from the
European, and that on our coins from the Eng
| lish custom IN the beraldic language of Ger
| MANY. France and Holland it was five-pointed,
| while in that of the English 10 had six.
Those are the three versions OF the origin of
the star. but which one is correct is merely
matter Of conjecture. As to its being adopted
| from the French alone seems 10 be out of the
| question. as no treaty existed between this and
that country until almost two years after the
| flag was unfurled.
c. Schatz. San Francisco, Cal.
ADMIT THE SOUTHERN GIRL.
DEAR LH.W. AND &C. FRIENDS: / have
silently been noting the drift of these social
| and spicy con vcrsatious and the frequent and
individual tappings of your mental reservoirs,
until have really grown nervous ut the con-
slant eloquent overflow of your eqganimities.
and at last have caught the coutagiou in the
superlative degree.
So come, bow beg for admitance to
your charmed circle, though / sadly fear that
my overflow, should il amount to that much,
will lack the eloquent qualities.
have felt like answering the roll-call for
some time. though really do not know that /
have been especially called for.
Now, am one of the unfortunates who never
could write letter spicily, gracefully, aud
cntely like some; but, then, / shall endeaver 10
do my best. aud you know the angels cannot
do more. So hope you will bear with me this
time
Yes am Southern girl, haing from the
grand, glorious. sunny old State Of Georgia, aud
] am. indeed. glad and proud TO be one of her
daughters; for now there is not dearer,
more loyal and patriotic State in the Union.
Should not Georgia be loyal aud patriotic; for
was she not one OF the famous Is original States.
and has she not right to he more loyal than
some of the more recently acquired States?
And has not Uncle Sam been wonderfully
kind to her OF la.e years and is she not the
proud possessor OF one of Americas grandest
and greatest parksr
Dear l.. II.W, | have been greatly interested
by the hints and insinuatons concerning the
happenings at the Louisville Reunon-but
have they ceased?
Miss HaiDes. / was exceedingly interested
and impressed hy your letter. But do you
really think there is any danger of the new
woman" coming, and coming with a ven
geance. too?
agree with the &C. friend WHO said she. or
he-I have forgotten which it was just
thought that woman was the same now ever
JUS: as loving and loyal, just as true aud pa
tient, and just as scary and inquisitive as
ever.
OF course, woman is better educated than Of
old. and great majority CT them are putting
their education 10 some practical use.
. New woman!" Will someone inform me on
that score? Will someone give me the defini-
ton of the new woman? Is she "new" be-
cause she earns her bread, etc. and ever so
many other so forths, for herself and an aged
parent or helpless brother or sister, or because
| she is relieving some other member OF the fam
| lily Of that responsibility?
Is she new" because she rides bicycle? i
wonder il, when the men few years ago be-
gan To ride bicycles, they were styled new"
Just because they were doing something they
had not been accustomed to do before? Then,
| too. wonder il, years ago,w when woman began
| to ride horseback, she WAS styled new"
Now, please, do not think that | am woman
suffragist But why should she not have the
| right to vote if she wants to? As someone
has said: Doesn't she pay taxes on her prop
! crty just the same as man. and shouldn't she
have a voice in the making of the laws OF her
country? The ignorant blacks and the scum
| of the lower orders of humanity allowed to
vote, and yet the intelligent and educated
| woman IS not"
Now. please, do not think that am specially
| for "woman's rights; but. then, i do not
| why we should not have the right to vote aud
| if were TO vote | do not know but that /
would take advantage of it.
| Poor Mr.. Seamani / for one am in favor of
| letting that gentleman aud his fortunate, or
unfortunate, little speech rest for while for
really do not think he meant half or even
1 rd pT wi he .id hs a