Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-11-16

VIII Mott in the Baltimore SUM-
With so many new, diverting and in
structive themes of discussion, it is
surprising to ind the old question OF
the identity Of Barbara Frietchfe
awakening the same interest that it
did years ago. For this wesare doubt
less indebted to the versatile Clyde
Fitch, who has written the new play,
Barbara Frietchie. 1t is said to be 2
poor one, but Julia Marlowe is lead
ing lady, and it is, indeed, a dull play
that she cannot invigorate. Mr.. Fitch
has taken full advantage OF the au-
thor's prerogative and introduced such
surprising incidents as are calculated
to make unassuming Barbara Frietchie
step out of the iron Enclosure that des-
ignates her resting place in the old
cemetery at Frederickstown. So much
of this play being from a practical
standpoint impossible, the question has
arisen, Is it not all a myth and was
there or was there not a real Barbara
Frietchie, and, if So did she reside in
Frederick, Md?
Mrs. Donald R. Mclean, who was
born in the noted little town. has taken
up the subject, asserting that Barbara
did live and flourish; Mr.. c. E. Hud-
son of Brooklyn Continues to assert
that the white-headed heroine is an en-
tlrely unauthentic creation of the poet
Whittier. New Workers, at least. are
not inclined to believe in her actual
ity. If they DO not believe the preach
ers, how can we expect them to believe
the prophets? 1t was genuine disbe-
lief, and a desire to prove it's practical
foundation, that led me to investigate.
stopping before a two-story house on
South Washington street, to which
anybody in Frederick will direct YOU,
| made the rotary knocker sound twice
before the door was opened by dig
n11ed, neatly-attired woman. This
was Mrs. Abbott, great niece of Bar
bara Frietchie. She greeted me amla~
bly,, ushering me into a very attract
i've, we'll kept room, into which the
October sunlight streamed from two
windows letting on the tree-bordered
street. Between these windows.
framed in gilt, was the flag the old lazy
is said to have shaken forth with a
royal will 1t could not have created
much of flutter, being less than a
yard in length. In one corner is a
photograph of Barbara strong.
rugged face encircled by the wide frilI
OF snowy cap. 1t requires no effort
of the imagination to trace a resem-
blance between the face behind the
frame and that of Mrs. Abbott. This
| resemblance settled at once all doubt
as to the relationship. When it was
mentioned Mrs. ABBOTT smiled ana re-
Taxed from chilling reserve.
1 do so hate to be written about y
she said, because / see in the papers
and one magazine so many things they
say L have said, things I never even
thought of. Everybody in Frederick
knows that Aunt Barbara did live, but
she was quiet woman and didn't want
any fuss made about anything. This
teapot on the mantel was hers and
General Washington once drank out OF
1t. L do not know how it happened
About the flag? o yes, so many wrong
things have been said about it. I was
at Aunt Frietchie's house The south
ern men, Jackson's men, came through
Aunt F'rietchie was awfuIlv sorry.
She was always a Union woman, but
she never thought of waving a flag at
them. She felt sorry for them; they
looked so worn out. Then after awhile
the Union troops came She was at
the upstairs window, and she was smil-
ing and sort Of nodding, half to her
self, as old folks will. When the SOL
dlers saw her they began to cheer at
her, and | said, Aunt Frietchie, Won
ought to have your flag and | ran and
got 1t for her. She didn't wave it,
but t1uttered it little now and then.
and that seemed to set the troops wild
She did not wave it at Jackson's men.
How did Whittier get hold of it? Mrs.
SouthWorth was near here at the time.
She knew Mr.. Whittier and wrote to
him about it, because she said he could
make poetry SO much better than she
could. Now, that is really all l know.
Of course, you have seen Aunt FRET
chie's grave in the old cemetery"
Can it be that this is at last the clue
to the lack of authenticity that has
awakened such controversy? Strange
that the visionary, imaginative Mrs.
Southworth should have used the
equally imaginative, but strictly au-
thentic Quaker as a mouthpiece.
The discussion has worn itself and
hearers threadbare, but one has only to
look at Mrs. Abbott to realize that she
speaks the truth. It is not for Bar
bara's sake we drop tear on the grave
OF Stonewall Jackson, but for the sake
OF his bravery, tears mingled with
smiles Of gladness that at last North
and South are united into the greatest
nation of the earth and that whoever
waves Old Glory in one section pays
the tribute to the other.
At the time Whittier sang his strain
he had not seen the Frederick valley.
Indeed, the probability is that he never
saw it, and the happy description is a !
result Of his own or Mrs. Southworth's |
Imagination. The town has known |
little change; the clustering spires still |
designate the place to the approaching |
traveller. Just now the hills. by |