The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-10-03
BRAVE MRS. ROOSEVELT.
How the Pre- sidents Mother Raised the Con
federats Flag.

This true story shows a maternal
quality that has made President,
writes j. 4. Butner, of savannah, Ga
to the Charleston News aud Courier.
And the true story deals with the un
uucnchable patriotism Oi President
Roosevelt mother, Martha bulloch
Roosevelt, a woman of distinguished an
cestry. one Of the Bullochs OF Georgia,
renowned for their resolutions, pcrtina-
city and strength of will.
Her brother, Irvine J. Bulloch, was IN
officer aboard the cruiser Alabama,
another brother was one of the COnieder-
acy's representatives in England. Small
wonder that President Roosevelt snaps
his fingers aud eNclaims.
II don't give that for sectionalism ]
will be President of the whole country
Not long a.ter the Civil war Mrs.
Roosevelt visited Savannah, where she
had many lends. Al "unrccOnstructed
rebel. she told of the trials she had sui
fered in the North through her unswery-
ing loyaln to the cause Of the South
Ii wPs at a dinner given in Mrs. ROOse-
velt's honor. that Mrs. Roosevelt told
the story. OF late years because OF
Theodore Rooseyelt's rapid advance
ment. it has been reca He'd by his mothers
old friends
Ii was just when the spirit OF pea. G
was lowering over the land. New York
was ahamc with passionate papriotlsm,
and anything sma king OF the Conled-
erncy was not tolerated. Feeling ran
high. and woe was il To anyone who
showed a leaning toward the side ot the
South.
Theodore Roosevelt, the elder, decided
about that time to give some great 30
cial function. The Roosevelt mansion
was accordingly brayely decked in hunt
ing and with American flags From every
window save one flew the Stars and
Stripes. That one was of Mrs. Roose-
velt's boudoir. Her husband had not
desired 10 omit it from the decorative
scheme. but she would have none of IT,
Instead she hit upon plan that would
clearly reveal her sentiments.
stopping not To consider the peril m
which it might place herand her husband,
but deter mined To show that all IN the
hout, were not OF the cause OF the North,
she drew rom among her most cher. 'hed
treasure tne Stars and Bars the emblem
of the South Going 10 the window,
she firmly fixed its staff and allowed It's
folds To llutter on the breeze.
In on instaut the hostile emblem was
notified. \ passer 10y in hot Indignation
pointed il out 10 another, Soon the
street was choked with angry people.
who shook threatening fists at the Ton
fedcrate flag
Alarmed 10y the gathering that grew
every minute. directing its wrath against
his home. Theodore Roosevelt sought
the cause He was not long in finding IT.
His gaze soon was directed To the nut
tering emblem of the South
The Roosevelt nature has never ialtered
before n crowd. Theodore, the elder.
saw that imminent danger would proba-
bly, bc aver ted only through persuading
his wife to remove the Objectionable iiag.
He told her what she already knew-that
the anger of the mob had been excited by
her iudiscrcet display OF her colors. and
that il would be we'll for her TO take III
the flag.
81 shall not do 50" declared the
mother Of the President The flag Is
niue. The boudoir is mine. love the
flag. Tor it represents my native land.
No RATTAN hand shall invade the privacy
of my boudoir TO drag down that flag
nor shall ruhian shouts force me To re-
move it rom the window Of room that
il wholly mine Explain to them that !
am Il Southel woman; that love the
South. DO any ching you like except
touch that hag 1t -holl not come
down
And il did not Theodore Roosevelt
went again to face the crowd. lie made
n speech. dwelling with tinerse upon b 4
wife : lovcfor her own land and moulding
the mob to his VIII and to an indulgence
of Mrs. Roosevelt IN her desire 10 fly the
flag of her beloved Southland.