The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-19
How Jack o. 9
H Saved the |
H. Flag.
BY GERALD Brennan.
lCupyright. 1880

A group of stern-faccd men stood In
the American vlce-consuis oTIce at aiur-
eia Without, III the streets OF the dihSy
lutte Spanish city crowds of bowling stu
Gents and cnraged laboring folk naraGed
20 and fro. As yet the storm was but he
ginning and the police We're able to repress
lDy open acts OF violence. But VINO could
prophecy whatmig nt Ia ppenlater in theday,
when the mob WAS REINFORCED by horles Of
peaSantry from thes Observation-Disclosures and
by the reckless men and women OF the
cigarette factories? The supposed SYM
pathy of the United States with struggling
Cuba had filled Spain with indignation,
and IN every town from BiScay to the
Mediterranean angry meetings were held
and Insults hurled at the resident Amrri
cans. In Murcia. especially, the feel
Ing was intensely bitter.
MY friends,' said the vice-Con sui,
1--WE have q hard day before us. Little
DR. no protection can he hoped for at the
bands of the authorities. The mob is
Increasing every moment, and before night
fall / should not be surprised II they at
lacked the cons ulatc.'
Death to the Americana roared the
students in the street. Down with The
grdiron flag! Down with the stars and
ktripes!' Aud the appreciative crowds
took up these cries with Groans and boot
Ing.
ior Taicott, Il gray-haired veteran
Of the civil war. long resident in MuiSia,
entered hurrcdly 1T this iuncture, his
little son trot;ing rcsolutvly by his side.
Narrow escape, gentlemen. panel
the MA jcr, those demons pursued me for
five blocks. | had to draw my revolver
at last. or Jack and 1 should never have
reached here
1T has come to that then, already"
grimly remarked the vice consul. We'll,
wearc prepared for EN-. Supp Sc
you send your son upstairs Major Ta!cott.
The ladies' and children arc all comfortably
sheltered in my wife's rooms"
The tears sprang unbdden in;o '!ttle
Jack Talcott'S eyes.
Don't send Inc upstairs, dad" lie
1mplorcd. I've got gun and can tight
as well as any man.
Ma or TIIcott looked irTesolute: hut
the vice consul answered for him.
My boy he said kindly, but firmly;
81 am commanding here. This is no
place for boys; and you must go upstairs
Jack locked as his father; but the major
only shook his head. Then seeing that there
was 10 help for it. he turned regretfI!y out
OF the room, lingering as he went Inc
brand new revolver he had purchased for
the occasion.
UP THE WRONG WAY.
Its shame" he soliloquized on the
broad stone stairway, mot 10 give d
fellow chance 10 fight for his country.
Dad was a drummer boy in the war when
lie WAS very little older than am. I q MT
want TO he cooped up with a lot OF women
md children. Just listen to those
fellows outside! Wouldn't like TO lave a
70 at emf
In the streets the students and an army
OF cigarette makers were singing an up
roarious song, in which all sorts OF terrible
things were threa tened against the United
States and the ''sriciron rag US they
were pleased to call the Stars and STR pes
Jack had picked up plenty Of colloqEial
Epanish as small boys so situated Will
do, and not an Illusion or insult III the
sibald chorus escaped him.
"'Grdiron rag indeed.' he muttcIed.
"rd Just like to make those fellows FRY
phi THAT gridiron Hullo; where am
l?''
This exclamation was caused by the
lact that the boy had taken A wrong tIrn-
hg in the great old-fashioned vice Cob
sulate. and now found himself on w1O len
staircase leading straight upward -