The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-09
HoLD or THE FLAG ON THE HEART.
Meaning OF the stars and stripes when Seen
After a Long Absence.

How many people fully realize what the flag
Of their country means to them? How many
know the place il actually holds in their afec
tons? II may be safely said that the number
Is very small. One has Ia be away from home
to get the full meaning Of II. Here. where
the flag Is everywhere. il i treated more or le,S
lightly; indeed. the average man gives IL no
thought at all. A traveller. Morgan Williams
Of Chicago. recently discoursed entertaininRly
on this subject. 1t was Just after the relief
Of the legations at Pekin.
Il can at least partially appreciate the thrill
that the first sight Of the Stars and Stripes
floating over the relieving force gave the Amer.
leans who had been waiting 80 long for succor. "
he said. "Of course, l never was hemmed In
for weeks bya cruel horde n they were. and the
flag could not have the same significance for
me. but | had been for a year without n sight
of IL and when my gaze first rested on it | had
TO gulp down something that rose in my throat.
When ! left home ! had about the same rever-
euce for it that the average American has
and while was travelling | really hadn't given
II much thought. ] had had no special longing
to see it; at least no such idea had been formu-
lated in my mind. Nor had | been especially
home>iCk. Of course, a man who has been
long away wants 10 get back 20 his native coun
try. but | Wa used 70 travelling and took my
enforced absence philo>OphiCally.
"Ou this occasion | mad been In Africa, not
IN the wllus, you Understand, but still far enough
away from the usual COuI ~ of travel so that
my eyes had al no time lighted on the flag that
previously had been most familiar 10 me. II 50
happened thai | did not see II until 1 reached
Paris on my way home. saw other flags,
but not the Stars and Stripes. and. as said
before, | was not looking for 1t and was not
CONSCIOUS OF any anxiety to see II. | knew
that | wanted to get back to the United States.
Then suddenly one day the old flag met my
gaze There Wa some sort OF American Gale
bratlon ~ Paris. and the Red. White and Blue
Wa waving from "A window. stood stock still
Tor a minute, while "A lump rose in my throat;
then | Jumpei into the street, threw my hat
up IN the air and gave "A wild, Western yell that
must have made the natives think | was crazy.
II was only a piece Of bunting, of course, but
| never saw anything before or since that so
thrilled me | simply couldn't help yelling,
ana II was immaterial 70 mo how big a fool /
seemed To make Of myself 80 long a. gave that
flag one COOS rousiug cheer
That's why I say that the man who has never
been away from the lag is unable To appreciate
what II means 10 him or the affection That he
really feels for II one must see II In a foreign
land 10 gain any conception OF the hold II has
on his heart And II the mere sight Of IL so
affected me under these circumstances what
must a glimpse Of II at IN" head Of a relief column
have meant To the Americans IN Pekiny IL
was more than the mere Assurance Of relief.
and | venture 10 say that the best Of them never
viii be able To put their feelings into worus
There are some emotions that are beyond de-
scription, and principal among them are those
lnspirei IN the breast ~ a true patriot by the
trst glimpse Of the nag Of his country after he
has been a long time without seeing IL or when
II comes as a banner Of hope in time of danger
and privaton.'