The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-01-18
BARBARA FRIETCHIE.
Revival of Her Story n Told BY .
Relative at Her Old Home
in Frederick.

With so many new, diverting, and in
structive themes of discussion, it issur-
prising to find the old question of the
identity of Barbara Frietchie awaken
ing the same interest that it did years
ago, It was genuine disbelief, and de-
sire to prove its practical foundation,
that led me to investigate. Stopping
before two-story house on South
Washington street, in Frederick, made
the rotating knocker sound twice be-
fore the door was opened by dignifed,
neatly attired woman. This was Mrs.
Abbott, great-niece of Barbara Friet-
chic. She greeted me amiably, ush-
ering me into very attractive, we'll
kept room, into which the October sun
light streamed from two windows let
ting on the tree-bordered street. Be-
tween these windows, framed in gilt,
was the flag the old lady is said to have
shaken forth with royal will. 1t could
not have created much of fiutter, be.
ing less than a yard in length In one
corner of the frame is a photograph of
Barbara. a strong, rugged face encir-
cled by. the wide frill of a snowy cap.
It requires NO effort of the imagination
to trace aresemblance between the face
behind the frame and that of Mrs. Alb
bott. This resemblance settled at once
all doubt as to the relationship. When
it was mentioned Mrs. Abbott smiled
and relaxed from chilling reserve.
Il do so hate to beGwritten about, :"
she said. because I see in the papers
and one magazine so many things they
say I have said-things I never even
thought of. Everybody in Frederick
knows that Aunt Frietchie did live, but
she was quiet woman. and didn't want
any fuss made about anything. This
teapot on the mantel was hers, and Gen.
Washington once drank out Of it. / do
not know how it happened. About the
flag? oh. yes, SO many wrong things
have been said about it. was at Aunt
Frietchie's house. The southern men
Jackson's men-c came through. Aunt
Frietcaie was awfully sorry. She wal.
always union woman, but she never
thought of waving flag at them. She
fe.t sorry for them; they looked so
worn out. Then. after awhile, the union
troops came. She was at tie upstairs
window, and she was smiling and sort
Of nodding, half to herself, as old folks
will. When the soldiers saw her they
began to cheer at her, and said: Aunt
Frietchie, you ought to have your flag
and ran and goti for her. She didn't
wave it, but futtered 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 ]
know. OF course, you hare seen Aunt
Frietchie's grave in the old cemetery =
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 net 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 and 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.-Raltimore Sun.