The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-05


stars and stripes and kiss it while the
tears streamed down their cheeks
Other things he told in eloquent words
| Of why this flag should be loved by all
true Americans and then he went on to
speak of the flags which had at yariousH
periods f1oated over the territory of the
United States from the time of its discov-
cry up to the present time. = He showed
to his young hearers the flags of these
nations as he referred to them and in
turn told of the Dutch, the English the
French and the Spanish flags which had
at several periods waved over part of the
Union.
Then DIR. Bolles went on to tell of the
various colonial flags which had been
seen in the United Colonies during the
years just previous to and Immediately
after the declaration of independence. He
| told of the first distinctive American
flag, the yellow ensign with the rattle.
! tread on me, " beneath the snake. This
| flag, as it was mentioned by DIR. Bolles,
was exhibited by a little girl dressed in
white who stepped to the edge of the plat
! form while DIR. Bolles was telling of this
particular flag and the part it had played
speak of the various flags which had been.
| carried by the colonial troops at the time
of the war with Great Britain including
| the pine tree flag of Massachusetts,, the
| flag which the intrepid Paul Jones had
carried at his mast head during his fight
with.the British Serapis, the flag of Bun
ker Hill and all of the various ensigns
which had waved over the colonial troops
before the adoption of the stars and
stripes. DR.. Bolles sketched the history
OF the present flag, telling how the Con-
gressional committee had gone to Mrs
Ross Of Philadelphia to design for them
flag, how the stars and stripes had been
selected, as SYMBOLIC of the American
nation and as carrying out the ideas of
Benjamin Franklin and John Adams
And all was told SO interestingly and in
such simple language that the children
could understand it and judging by the
frequent applause which punctuated the
remarks of DR.. Bodies the young people
| fully appreciated all that he had to say.
DR.. Bodies closed his address by reading
the following verses which were written
by Portland lady at the time that the
battle worn flags of the 18th and Goth
Maine Regiments were borne through the
streets of Portland on the return of those
regiments from the war:
o. Say! did you see by the days waning
light,
When those weary ones came from the toll
and the fight,
How proudly they bore, as trust from
Those old tattered banners for which they
had bled?
I OF scared must that heart be, and blind
ed that eye
That could pass those torn flags without
| tribute or sigh.
| Those stained, tattered bannersl and long
| To tell of the deeds of the true and the
bravel
No shout of the victor, no Changing of
| steel,
Could make the heart thrill like the silent
/ appeal
OF those dear tattered banners! they're
| waved DER our dead
Unfurled where the bullets flew thick
| round each head
Where bayonets CLEANED and battle-smoke
| rose
With the war-cry and death shrek of
brothers and foes!
Yes, dear tattered banners, wherever ye
| wave,
Ye shall tell of the deeds of the true and
| the brave.
Brave sons of the state! stout hearted
and true;
| We would kneel to receive these worn
relics from you,
| Thank God! that as victors we welcome
| YOU home.
Thank God for those flags ye SO nobly
have borne!
They tell the sad story of strife and of
pain
They bear the rich record of Freedom S
proud gain!
And, as ages roll on, when these torn
stripes shall wave
They shall tell the proud tales of the true
and the brave.
While he was speaking the flag of the
18th Maine regiment was brought out
upon the stage by Mr.. Thaxter, a veteran
OF this regiment, and its appearance on
the stage with it's ragged folds, with the
holes which had been torn in it by bullet
and shell, it's colors dimmed by the smoke
of many battlefield, brought the young
audience fairly upon their feet and the
Old Glory was applauded and cheered to
the very echo.
Miss Halves then sang "The Star Span
gled Banner" with harp accompaniment
in very pleasing manner, and Miss A.
L. Mcdonald read a poem entitled an
Ode to Old Glory, in part as follows:
Dear flag the same old spirit is living here
today
That plead in seventeen seventy seven
your cause SO gallantly.
lProtectingly around us now your gaudy
cOlOrs sweep,
| To wave triumphant DER the land and
ride upon the deep.
We look with pride on every fold of grace
full stripes and stars
Although your life has cost us many tears
1 and scars.
In the days of threatened danger from
4 sixty-one to five,
Then seemingly that fearful shock our
land could not survive.
When traitors tore your shining folds and
i trampled them in dust,
Brave loyal men sprang forward to defend
the sacred trust.
With bold determination that long as life
endured,
The smallest star upon your field should
never be obscured.
We look on you with joy today, your
stripes are just as widss
But to rescue you from peril how many
thousands died.
Your field is as blue, your stars as bright
perfect in every part,
Your beauty purchased at the price of
many an aching heart.
The eagle, too, your emblem, bears upon
n his stately breast,
Americas proud bird Of strength that