The Irish standard., 1903-06-06
FLAG OF IRISH REGIMENT.
A Memorial Day Story by Denis A.
Mccarthy,


blue uniforms, the old soldiers passed
through the village of Smallfield The
drum corps pounded away Justify, and
the flies blew shrilly the old stirring
tunes that meant so much in war
time; but the men who once stepped
proudly to the rhythm of Marching
Through Georgia We're faltering feeh-
ly along after their tattered war flags,
this bright May day.
There were two flags at the head Of
the pathetic little procession. One
was the glorious flag of an undivided
country, the symbol Of hope and free
dom in the dark days of the rebellion
Many rent there was in its silken
folds; but the gilt of it's stars We're
yet undimmed, and the red and white
of it's stripes still contrasted wildly
with the blue field on which the stars
We're set. The other flag was only
mass of tatters, faded so as to be al
most unrecognizable; but one could
see that it's color had originally been
green, and there We're pieces of shin
ing thread upon it's frayed and torn
surface which told that some time,
when the flag was new, there had
been embroidered on it golden harp.
1t was the flag of another land than
this; a nation, yet not Il nation; a land
whose sons We're alien in name, but
faithful and loyal as the native-born;
ready at the call of their adopted
blood in defense of her cause. On
many Il bloody field. side by side with
that other banner, this green flag had
led men onward to death or victory.
To-day, in the bright sun of early
summer, it's rags and remnants tlut-
tered feebly on the staff.
This flag was not il welcome sight
in Smalltield. There was set of
brand new patriots in the village who
had either grown up there, or immi-
grated thithcr. since the war; and they
We're such out-and-out Americans
that no flag. in their opinion, had Il
right to be displayed in all America
except the Stars and Stripes. Some
of them who hailed from Anglo-SaXon
lands might possibly make an excep-
ton ip favor of certain banner of
criss-cross design, but they carefully
kept that preference in the back
ground, and We're strenuous in their
worship of the Stars and Stripes.
Against all foreign flags Except the
one before mentioned were they
wroth, but more particularly was their
ire directed against the emerald flag
of Ireland. That symbol of Roman
ism and rebellion, priests and pota-
toes (as one allterative brother eX-
pressed itl should not, if they could
prevent it, ever again float in the free
air of America! For this purpose,
among others. had an organization,
fondly believed to be vast, sprung up
all over the country, particularly in
backwoods towns. Smalltield might,
without untruth. be described as such
a town; and the local branch of the
Flag Defenders was aggressive. The
men composing this branch had noted
for some years with increasing irrita-
ton that the tattered green battle flag
Of the 'Faugh-a BallaghS' was borne
by the Phil Sheridan post. G. \. r..
of the nei"llboriny town of Millvalc,
on Memorial Day. In Millvale the
population was largely Irish as to
blood and Catholic as to creed and
of course. the Snlnllteld Defenders
We're powerless to prevent the green
flags being carried there; but there
We're some old soldiers buried in the
Smallfield cemetery and the Mllvale
Post was mindful of them on Memoir
ial Day. Once Il year, therefore, when
Phil Sheridan post. G. y. r., of Mill
vale, came with drums beating and
flies playing to decorate the graves
of their dead comrades, the Flag De-
tenders of Smaltield had to endure
the sight of the hated green flag in
their exclusive town.
The thought of this was maddening.
They had often wished to put Il stop
to it; so, when, as this Memorial Day
approached, an adventurous but ire
sponsible young patriot from one Of
the Orange districts of !, British prov
ince) made Il certain proposal to the
assembled brethren, it was adopted
unanimously. Their plan of action
was a profound secret. or. ut least
they fondly thought it would remain
so until the time was ripe. How they
succeeded we shall see.
AS the feeble yet gallant old veter-
ans, tired after their long march from
Millvale, passed through Smallfeld
they were greeted with Il few cheers
from the children. but they noticed
among the younger adults who
stopped to gaze at them many mock
ing grimace at the green flag so
proudly borne by Mike Delaney, who
had borne it just as proudly and even
more fearlessly ut Malvern Hill. AS
they passed the house of Judge Hoar,
however, that fine old American. two
of whose brothers had fallen at
Mary's Heights, was on the veranda
with his stately and charming wife
Both smiled and bowed Symnathet.