The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-26

dier Dick was on his feet at the first
note, hat in hand Some of the boys with
whom he had talked paid the same silent
homage to Old Glory. One OF those who
did not was Fred Curtis. Seated by his
mother, he gazed gloomily up at the sky.
as IL he hoped to see in the stars some
message from that dear one in the far
away legation
AS the band ceased playing. Or. Grant
held up one hand to still the hubbub OF
conversation that followed the music.
My brother. Richard" he announced
has few words to say to you"
Then Soldier Dick stepped to the front.
faced the assemblage, and began:
My friends-for we all know each other
lit was by my request that the band
played our good old national hymn, to
which you have just listened. wanted 1t
played for good reason. I am going to
say few words to you as from one Amer
lean citizen to others. even at the risk OF
being thought presumptuous.
In the army The star-Spangled Ban
ner' f. played twice day. As soon as IT
begins everyone. whether officer or man,
or merely camp follower, stands at at
tention and uncovers. No word Is spoken.
You might call II a moment of silent pray
er for the long life OF the republic,
prayer uttered by the men who are fighting
for the flag and country.
when the band was playing Just now
ton. My friends. It seemed to me as IL
you took 1t altogether too much as a mat
ter OF course. II the men who offer their
lives on the country's altar can spare the
time and effort TO reverentiy salute Old
Glory. can you not do as much as they
at such a moment?
Perhaps you think that the act f. mere
ly bit Of empty symbolism. II so,
beg you to consider. Unless the flag itself,
/ and all II implies, be mere emptiness, then
homage to II can never be empty. II Is
weli-no, It IL imperative--that all Amer
lean citizens, and especially our very
| young ones, should grow up ever accus-
| toned to pay reverent tribute to our flag.
! you who have always dwelt at home
| In peace and safety under the flag cannot
| perhaps, form so much idea OF the full
meaning OF the nag those who have
had strong examples under their eyes.
To-day the whole world listens for the
least word from horror-ridden Picking.
Somewhere In that great yellow capital,
| IL they be yet alive, are scores of Ameri-
| cans. Besieged. raked with shot and shell
night and day. with the faces of their
| dead before them and the cries OF their
| wounded In their ears, they fight on with
| out rest. They know only that their ap-
| peal for help has reached the outside
world. They must know that strenuous
efforts are being made TO get heIp 10
| then. So they fight on. and pray on. repuls-
Ing the hordes OF barbarians that swarm
| at them.
ION the ground inside the walls the
| women and children of these brave de-
| tenders huddle. awaiting the end. what
| ever IL may be- You may be sure that
| every man who has woman or child in
the beleaguered little community has a re-
! volver loaded and ready AT the last mo-
| ment.s when the yellow heather are sure
| Of triumphing. he will call his dear ones
| TO him, kiss them for the last time, and
shoot one after the other. to prevent them
| from meeting worse fate at the hands
| OF the enemy.
Picture to yourselves, II you can, what
| II means 10 the people OF our race on and
behind those walls OF the Peking iega-
tons Imagine a night made hideous by
the frantic yells of the Chinese mob I'm
agine those defenders of the legations.
standing on scafroldings. with rifles rest
ing on the walls. Hordes of the Chinese
try 20 rush the legations. There In a brisk
popping OF the defenders rifles. and the
heavier sound of the machine guns. The
Chinese themselves are pouring In death
at the rate Of thousands OF bullets every
minute. Shells fired by the Chinese ar
tilerymen tear great holes in the walls.
kin some of the defenders. and, perhaps.
some Of the women and children.
Every hour, or oftener, there rs n
charge Of the Chinese to be met. Each
time II seems as II the brave handful OF
white men must be overwhelmed. Time
and again through the night the women
and children prepare for a mercifpl
death nj the hands OF their own protect
nrs.
TRY to understand how these few night
ing men OF our own race feel they see
the hiackness OF night gradually giving
wav 20 dawn. At last II Is daylight. The
night OF awful terror has passed. and the
sun Is rising on another day. VIII they
live 10 see the next days sun rse7 Can
YOU understand the feelings Of those
Americans the legation walls Of Pc
king many Of whom have their wives and
children with ,hemr Can YOU even begin
to appreciate the maddening anxiety that
consumes themf
And all the while their eyes are turned
in the direction whence they hope the
ions-prayed-for relief column will