Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1911-11-16
penniless. He had lost my mothers

OF the little silk flags In my hair and
gown" said the youngest teacher
promptly.
"You are excused from doing any
thing so distasteful,' said Paul. a little
sternly.
THANK you, Mr.. Freeman. You
have been more than kind" breathed
Angela as she hurried down the cor
ridor.
The other teachers secretly smiled
when they heard Miss Lands conscien-
tiously drilling her class in the Flag
day orations.
"Mr. Freeman deserves credit for
bringing her to task" remarked Miss
Fleming primly. "She was positively
i~nsolent TO me. You may expect to see
her treating her adopted country with
respect hereafter"
On the morning of the 18th Of June
the assembly hall of the Lakeland
school was filed with proud parents
and relatives Of the pupils. The room
was draped with flags, great and small,
and the platform was decorated with
large punches Of daisies and snow
balls. Behind the principals chair
there hung against the wall a large
flag made Of fiowers-red and white
geraniums and dark blue ageratum.
The teachers were gowned in white,
and each one wore a tiny silk flag In
her hair and on her breast-that Is. all
save Angela lands.
She looked very lovely in her gown
Of white india muslin, but her golden
hair was quite unadorned. She sat on
the platform neal Miss Fleming, and
she could not help overhearing that
lady's caustic remarks to another teach
er who sat In the row behind.
The music instructor was leading the
assembled pupils in the hearty sing
ing Of THE Star %Spangled Banner"
and unthinkingly Angela's rich voice
Joined in the refrain. Somehow her
heart had lost its bitterness for the
country of her adoption, and the sight
Of the stars and stripes seemed to
bring back most pleasantly her inter
view with the principal Of Lakeland
school, and when she met him In cor
ridors or on the wide stairs her soft
glance fell beneath the steady light
in his brown eyes. She dreaded these
silent meetings with their undercur-
rent Of sweet emotion that she could
not define.
The principal had left the platform
and was comforting with some one in
- NNvL4, E1 f,,rnnI 70 rn-
trace his steps the teachers were form
ing In line to Join their classes.
Angela was conspicuous by her lack
of decoration, and the hot color fam
ed into her cheeks as she realized the
open insult she was 1inging at the
stars and stripes, under whose protec-
ton she lived, and she ardently wish
ed she had not been so foolish. Some
thing was opening her eyes to a broad
er ~vision-what, she did not know.
She caught Paul's stern condemning
glance and grew pale.
After awhile 1t was all over. An
gela's carefully trained pupils carried
off an honor prize, q silk flag to be
hung behind the teachers desk. and
to Miss Fleming's amazement Angela
gracefully received 1t In behalf Of her
class and proudly carried 1t when they
marched back to their classrooms.
She was among the first to hasten
home, and when Paul Freeman sought
her after the exercises were over she
was not to be found.
After supper that night, when the
dusk was falling softly over Lakeland
when the scent Of the locust blossoms
was heavy and the w~hippoorwill thrill
ed from gloomy thickets, Paul Free
man left his boarding house and went
down the quiet road where the young
est teacher lived.
He saw a green shaded light I'm the
cottage and Mrs. Ambler's %aristocratic
features outlined against a dark back
ground. Then something white fitted
across the room and came into the
shadowy porch and sat down.
As the gate creaked under his touch
the white shadow arose and waited
until he paused at the foot Of the
steps.
Miss Landls," he began. 81 mus
thank you for
ooh, no, nor she interrupted softly
II was thinking Of you just now ant
wishing / could see you. | am so sor
~. What a little beast I have beer
about the flag, but | do feel differently
Next Flag day Her voice tremblet
a little, for he had mounted the step!
and taken her hands in his and press
ed them to his lips with sudden pas
sion. Then he took her in his arms
unresisting.
angela" he said firmly. you're go
ing to marry an American, aren'
you?"
YES" said Angela in a small voice
"But how can you want to marry M
after | refused TO wear the little flags
1t was so conspicuous when all thu
other teachers were wearing them. Yoy
should have insisted on my doing So"
"You were wearing them. You wea
them every day, dear" he said, draw
Ing her closer. THE red Of your lips