The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-06-28
Uncle Peters
Flag
"A Fourth c July
Story
BY CLARISSA MACKIE

copyright, 1912, by American Press Asso-
ciationl
az TIL be the first time in my life
that flag hasn't flown from
the pole on a national holiday"
murmured Uncle Peter Mason
sorrowfully as he Squinted up at the
taIlest iagstaff in Little River. 1t
stood 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 a 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 a few tattered
rags that might not have been recOg
nizable had 1t not been for the stars
carefully stitched by hand and the
faded fragments of hand sewed stripes.
1T 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 | get cambria
one. You can always tell what flags
made of by its hang and by it's float.
Job Little offered to let me have the
flag and said ! could pay him up by
insta lIments. but | says to him that
was poor patriotism"
"A cambria flag Is better than none,"
said Rebecca sensibly. II was telling
Etty about 1t the other day. and she
says. says she. If had time Id make
pa flag. but I'm always so busy with
the children's clothes it seems as if |
was tired from morning to night |
told her If anybody made flag 1t
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.
81 wish Id thought of it 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 poplin, 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
o'sis III CNCiy Spuic
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 In carrying out her pleasant
plans.
The day before the Fourth Aunt Re-
beeca. looking tired. but very much
pleased with herself. carried some
neatly rolled bundles up to the garnet
and stored them away in the trunks.
There was a roll of blue delaine and
another of white poplin. This latter
was very small indeed. for there were
n. uroat many tarS RI mo 10 poU