The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-07-06
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THE SPIRIT OF BUNKER HILL.

Speaking of the spirit of 49," said
the man from Boston, Ticking the ashes
| from the end of his after-dinner cigar
| Il believe there is as much of it in the
| rising generation of today as there was
in the Revolutionary forefathers. We
are inclined to think that patriotism is
on the wane in this country, just be-
cause in our ordinary everyday life
| there is nothing to call it into action,
', or to show how deeply it lies in every
American heart; but let something
arise to call it forth, and from the most
| unexpected quarters would come new
! Washingtons, new Patrick Henrys and
i Paul Reveres.
81 saw a pretty sight the other day
| which set me to thinking. | was enter
! tanning one of our Western senators,
an old soldier like myself, and somehow
after rather an aimless ramble we
| found ourselves at the Bunker Hill
| Monument.
''The place seemed to fit into our
reminiscent mood, and as we sat down
CD bench at the foot of the monu-
ment our conversation naturally drift
ed into talk of war. After fighting over
the battles of the civil war we fell into
talk of Revolutionary days and battles.
Tramping around the grounds we
located the redOubts and trenches,
lingering where the British troops made
their first assault, and were deep in the
discussion of the strategic position of
our men when the notes of a bugle fell
on our ears. We looked at one another,
each wondering if old wartime memo
call in imagination only. But no.
For coon ro could hoor tho cho1t of
voices, of fife and drum and marching
feet, and as we stood and looked in the
direction from which the sounds pro-
ceeded the waving folds of an American
flag appeared above the edge of the
hill.
eve removed our hats and stood in
silence, expecting hardly know what.
But if Colonial army with Prescott
at their head had come marching over
the brow of that hill l don't know that
l should have been surprised.
Gas the troops came into sight and
deployed to the right of the monument,
we broke into hearty laugh, and the
dream was broken, for the army con-
sisted of about twenty boys with sticks
and swords and wooden guns, with a
soldierly looking little chap of ten or a
dozen years in command.
'HaltY' he cried, and the little army
came to presentable attention. Now,
men, said the little rascal, with an ex-
cellent imitation of the digniied
manners of general, we have stern
work before US. The fate of the Colo
MES depends on your courage. Our in
dependence must be preserved. We
must hold Bunker Hill against the
assaults of the enemy great cheering
from the troops If every man falls
'"rhen, dropping the exalted tone for
an ordinary conversational one: You
know half you fellers have got to be
Britishers.'
"Well, | won't be a Britisher, you
bet!' yelled little freckle-faced young
ster in a red sweater. If l can't be
'Merican won't play
Johnny Bull, you bet! If can't be a
minute-man l won't be nothin'!"
chorused the rest of the army, while
the ranks broke up and the soldiers
gathered around the commander with
noisy arguments.
"Well, how do you s'pOse we're going
to have fight if we're all on the same
side? Some of us have got to be British
ers. You, Ben, come on; you be red
coat. You can be Captain"
"'No, street said Ben, shaking his
head theoretically. You bet l won't!
Catch me bein' Britisher! I'm an
American am, and if l can't fight for
the Colonies I'm not going to play
"'Well, then you, Jimmy, you can be
General Howe
General nothin'! l guess l won't