The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-12-16

than Mullen Hill. But on talking
the matter over with Mr.. Markle he
had been assured that this would not
be. He had thought q great deal
upon the subject, and while listening
70 Mr.. Haskin's boastipg talk in the
store, had hit upon q plan by which
he would try to change the state of
affairs which the old man had said
could be altered only by an earth
quake.
The pole ought to be on our hill
anyway" be thought, for it's near
the road and everybody could come
III without walking through long,
dirty lane. Besides I'm not going to
stand by and see old Jimmy Haskins
taking two or three cents from every
person who goes to the flag-raising
1t must he admitted, however, that
Master Georges plan was promoted q
good deal bI personal feeling. He
would be very proud to have tine great
pole set up ou his fathers land.
Mr. Silas Mtrllie, who was the sur
veyOr of the town as well as the school
master, had been informed by the
committee having the matter in
charge that on the twentieth of June,
which fell on Il Saturday, they would
emp oy him to ascertain the proper
point of land on which to erect flag
pole. This gave George hut one week
10 carry out his plan, and he there
fore set to work with great energy.
Having first obtained his fathers per
mission, he called together number
of his boy friends and announced to
them what he intended TO do. If
Mullein Hill was six feet higher than
the hill on their place, he would
make the latter seven or eight feet
higher than it then was, and if the
other fellows would help him, he be-
lieved that this could be done with
out the assistance OF an earthquake.
His plan, as explained, was wildly ap
proved by the boys, and as this was
vacation time, George and his COM
panions began their great work early
Monday morning. Wheelbarrows,
crowbars, shovels and spades were
borrowed, aud Upton's Hill soon be-
came u scene of great activity. Every
thing was done under Georges di-
rections and he began operations by
wheeling all the large stones that
could be picked up in the field to the
top of the low round hill. These were
spread over space of fifteen or twep-
ty feet in diameter, and formed tile
base of the mound to be built. Earth
was wheeled up to fill in the spaces
between the stones; sods and smaller
stones and earth were piled up. layer
after layer, until, toward the end of
the week, the top of the mound was
about eight feet from its foundation.
There were more than twenty boys
engaged in the work and they labored
every day with great enthusiasm.
George built his mound good deal
smaller ut the top than at the bottom.
ami as lar as possible he made it con
form TO the general shape Of the hill.
The outside OF it was covered with
sois and earth. and when finished it
pre-. ented Il very creditable and solid
appearance.
When the committee, with Mr..
Markle, started out on the following
Saturday on their tour of inspection,
they were met at Mr.. Haskins gate by
that gentleman himself. You are
welcome to measure Mullen Hill" he
said, but of course it is a mere mat
ter of form. am perfectly willing to
have the pole set up on my land, but
| intend to charge each person com
ing mere a small toll to pay for the
wear and tear Of the ground. There
is nothing in the ordinance to pre-
vent that
When the height Of Mullen Hill
had been ascertained, the committee
started off toward the Upton farm.
There is no use going any further
said Mr.. Haskins. We know all
about the other hills around here
THERE'S point of land on Mr. Up
tons place l wish to measure" said
Mr. Markle.
stuff and nonsense" said Jimmy
Haskins, but he followed the party.
Nearly all the boys in town and a
great many other people were assem-
bIed at Upton's Hill when the com
mittee arrived there, and when Jimmy
Haskins saw the mound had been
raised, his surprise and rage were
very great. He insisted that the
height of the mound should not be
measured, for it was not natural
Formations. But the committee de-
clared that the ordinance called for
the highest point of land, without RET
erence to the manner in which it was
formed. The measurements were
made and the top of the mound was
found to be nearly three feet higher
than the summit of Mullen Hill.
On the Fourth of July the flag was
raised on the pole, which was firmly
set i'll Georges mound. The pole was
high, the flag was a beautiful one;
everybody cheered and was happy,
and no one paid cent for the priv
lege of being present at the celebra-
ton.
Il thought nothing but an earth
Quake could make any of these bills
higher THAI mine,' grumbled MIR.
Jimmy Haskins, but | forgot that
there were such things as boys