The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-07-05

muFmuFeu Uncle refer Mason
sorrowfulIy as he squinted up at the
tallest Flagstaff in Little River 1t
ttood in the middle of his front yard.
and it's gilded ball reflected the sun
light high above the highest tree
His wife, Aunt Rebecca, held at
arms length dingy object that once
had been an American flag. Now the
red and white stripes had been beaten
by weather until they took on a uni
form gray color. and there was little
enough of it. too. for the wind had
whipped the emblem to few tattered
rags that might not have been recog-
nizabe had it not been for the stars
carefully stitched by hand and the
faded fragments of hand sewed stripes
st don't look like this had once been
ten foot long," remarked Aunt Rebec-
ca. After your father always flying
the biggest flag in Little River and you
carrying out the same idee hate like
poison to run up small, cheap one,
but | don't know what to do. That in
terest comes due the LIST Of July. and
for patriotism"
II know it. Rebecca. | haven't done
more than price these big fags-$15
for this size unless l get a cambria
one You can always tell what flags
made Of by its hang and by its float,
Job Little offered to let me have the
flag and said | could pay him up by
installments. but | says to him that
was poor patriotism"
"a cambria flag is better than none,"
said Rebecca sensibly. II was telling
Etty about it the other day. and she
says. says she. If had time I'd make
pa a flag, but I'm always so busy with
the children's clothes 1t seems as If
was tired from morning to night i
told her if anybody made flag it
would be me, but the material would
cost a sight if twas made of wool or
silk
my mother made this flag. every
Bit" said Uncle Peter.
II wish I'd thought Of 1t before"
said Rebecca to herself. II might
have done something to get him flag.
The Fourth Of July is his birthday.
There's hull week yet. I'll see what
can do In the meantime"
Rebecca Mason went up in the gar
ret that morning and turned out the
contents of dozen trunks. Garments
of every color were spilled on the
clean floor. and while the wasps hum
med about in the shadowy rafters Re-
becca turned and sorted and shook
and discarded until a pile Of white
garments lay beside her, and In her
lap was heaped her wedding gown. a
bright blue delaine.
| During the next week Aunt Rebecca
was mysteriously busy. She washed
great quantities of white popIin, and
her dye kettle dubbed secretly in the
cellar wash room. Her hands were
stained with red. and the sewing ma
chine in the spare chamber hummed
busily in every spare moment.
Uncle Peter Mason was busy with
the June work in his garden. where
the long. straight rows of carefully
tended vegetables looked just like the
pictures in the seed catalogues which
he studied all winter He had not men
toned the matter of the flag again.
and Rebecca had been too busy with
her own plans and the fear Of discov-
cry to breach the subject. Her daugh-
ter Eta, who lived over the river. was
up to her ears in sewing for her two
children. so Rebecca was quite undis-
turbed n carrying out her pleasant
plans.
/ The day before the Fourth Aunt Re
becca. looking tired, but very much
pleased with herself. carried some
and stored them away in the trunks
There was roll of blue delaine and
another OF white poplin. This latter
was very small indeed. for there were
great many stars to make now.
At supper Aunt Kebecca mentioned
the coming anniversary for the first
time in week.
"What you going to do about fag?'
she asked.
Nothing, except run up the old one,"
said Uncle Peter dispiritedly.
Seems too bad you couldn't have a
new one! How much was the big
cambria ones, PeterY
1--we forgotten. Rebecca-more'n
can afford anyway. I've been count
ing If I'd hadn't had any terbaccer for
three years might have had that new
flag. Shows how bad habit will trip
! Won uD sooner or LATER"
"Tain't bad habit the way you
smoke" defended Rebecca warmly.
| my land. ! guess you're entitled to
that little comfort the way you've
worked all your life"
Tain't no credit to me that I've
worked. It's what l was put in the
world for. Never mind about the flag.
| Becky. Therell be just as much pa
triotism in my soul when | run her
! up as If she was made Of the finest
silk. That's all that counts-what's
inside your heart"
| Il suppose you're right, father" said
RAbecca little Smiln c1rlino hnrs h.,