The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-19
Mae Harris Anson =.
HoNoRs TO TIE FLAG.

HoNORS TO TIE FLAG.
n URING the past week, hundreds of thousands of
~ people in Minneapolis have had magnificent
object lesson to what ':The Flag" MEANS and what
sacrifices have made and always viii be ready to
make in defense of what Yet few Of them
those who have military service have
ceved military training have the real idea Of what The
F1ag to those who trained defend either
upon land
At West Point and Annapolis, the very first thing
the cadet learns that the authority Of the flag
absolute and that person. not the president Of
the United States, who is the Commanderin-C out
ranks it, One of the most beautiful sights in the world
is the reverence the tenderness with which the flag
piece of cloth is treated army posts One who has
the ceremony Of lowering the flag at sunset
and the extreme taken by the corporal charge
that not the outer edges shall touch the ground
it floats down, will never forget the sight .
There is pretty little story told by officer in the
United army, showing how cadets at West Point
trained to honor the flag:
The color sentinel was walking the color line, i'm
mediately in long line of stacked arms top
of which lay the national colos and the gray and gold
flag of the Corps of Cadets his duty to allow
touch the eolors that one, whether
cadet officer civilian, passed in of camp around
the ends of the line of stacks without removing his
and looking toward the flag he crossed the color line
Should anyone forget thus to comply with the rega-
tions, it the sentnels duty to require him to 60
back, and to uncover crossing the line.
AS he turned about at the end of his beat, and
started his return trip the sentinel the Com
mandant Of Cadets most exalted individual in cadet
eyes, approaching the color line at the farther end At
the proper time the cadet brought his rife down to his
most military "present arms' and turned his head
slightly sideward receive the salute of his superior
officer when he should raise his cap to the colors
To his surprise and CONSERVATION, the Commandant
turned his head to right left but walked straight
muc a
stence of color sentinel and passed toward
his office tent farther back in the camp. .....
With thought except Of his duty, the sentinel
charged down the color line at double quick" in hot
pursuit of the delinquent Commandan AS he neared the
other end Of his post he called in tones respectful
they positive: ,.. +-@f. -Es,-. .
'You will have to return the color lne sir,
and salute the colors.' - -. = sz..~ .'. p
The Commandant surprised and, for the moment,
apparently nettled at receiving this startling and
expected order from cadet Then realizing the
situation and his absentmnded renissness he back
Without further ado, meekly removed his cap he ap
oroached, crossed the color ine turned about and
crossed it again. with word to the sentinel passed
to his tent
Naturally, the cadet wondered what would happen to
him-tho he had only done his duty he it. The
Commandment that aso and the next day the cadet
was appointed corporal district and jealous
ton of his duty in carrying out his orders as color
scntinel'' - -
In war; no captures highly priced than flags
and will tempt soldiers to greater extremes of at
in the way of risking his life prevent the capture
to accomplish the recapture, of his flag. e ..:,
RESTORING '.oI:D RoNs1DEs''