The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-06-13
Ills Flag
How 1t Saved His
Life
By cLARlssA MACKIE

2-Dick Terry waved his hand careless
toward the stars and stripes flutter-
fhg from a neighboring aagpole.
Fob. Of course. I've got plenty of re-
sbect for the grand old rag. but n
GAn't throw Il tit every time it breaks
TO the breeZe!!"
Dash it all, Dick exclaimed Mon
BILE since you took that trip abroad! OF
course one doesn't want the eagle to
scream all the time, but no American
has got red blood in his veins If he
doesn't feel Il thrill of patriotic love
every time he salutes his . country's
flag. Wait until you've knocked around
the world as much as | have and you'll
find that flag the sweetest sight you
ever witnessed. It's the thing in your
college set to make light of these
things-but wait"
....Five years afterward Dick Terry
found himself stranded i'll Il remOte
Chinese village. whose inhabitants
were excited. over the reports OF the
impending revolution. Ignorant and
superstitious and hating all foreigners
of whatever nationality. they fell upon
the luckleSs American and clapped
him into a filthy lookup, to await what
ever punishment the local magistrate
should inilict.
1t was quite useless for Dick to as
ser that he WAS Il harmless American
citizen. who had attempted to shoot
the rapids of the upper fangt3e river
in u motorboat without guides or COM
panions and had met with disaster in
the attempt. 1t was vain for him to
protest that he meant no harm to the
villagers and that he did not possess
the evil eye. nor did he wish to steal
their children for the dissecting room
of a Shanghai hospital.
They merely listened politely. shook
their round heads and locked him up.
!, The prison cell was a small stone
room in the magistrates yamen. and.
after Dick had made Il Mortified eXami-
nation of the dirty walls and floor and
the moldy built in bed he sat down ON
the edge Of the latter and admitted it
was worse than he had expected.
II don't believe those fellows under
stood a word | said" he muttered dis
consolately. IF they really knew that
I was an American and the son of a
banker in Shanghai they would let me
go. For all they know | may be a Ger
man
Just then he thought Of his country's
flag. What would it not mean If he
had carried. as many Americans did
when travelling abroad. u small silk
flag to toss in their yellow faces! But
Dick had never felt the real need of
his country's protection before. and 50
he was u%nprepared to call upon her.
He looked d~isconsolately at his cloth
ing. If he had possessed the necessary
materials of the right colors he would
have hastily manufactured a flag. His
tweed suit was gray. his shirt a white
drill and his necktie Il brilliant red
IF ! only had some of the right kind
Of blue. | believe I'd try it." he nut
tered. But, Of course, there wasn't a
scrap. so he stared modify at the rap
idly disappearing patch Of sunlight on
the dirty floor. .
Just as it vanished. leaving the cell
cold and gray, q key grated t%n3thes,iock
and the door was pushed ,tirnidly In
ward.
Dick looked up and saw a Chinese
maiden fitting toward him with a,
small tray ON which were set a howl of
steaming rice and a pot of tea.
He smiled as he got up and took 1t
from her hands. He bowed courteous
ly and said thank sou" several times
until she understood what he meant
and giggled de%lightedly. She was q
pretty girl according to Asiatic stand
ards. and Dick was impressed by the
rich quality of her garments, She
wore a handsome coat of some rich
blue satin embroidered in dull silver
butterflies.
The satin was the color Of the blue
field in the flag Of the United States OF
America.
Dick Terry had a daring thought.
With a charming smile he pointed to
her robe and lifted his eyebrows ques-
tioningly. He pointed to himself. ana
then drawing off a diamond ring that
he wore he offered 1t to her In ex-
change for her beautiful gown.
He had to repent this pantomime
several times before the girl under
stood his meaning. and. although she
looked longingly at the jewel. she
shook her shining black hair and edged
timidly toward the door.
Then Dick became mutely eloquent.
He ~gesticulated and smiled and nod
ded and pointed to his red necktfe and
ed tended his hands In appeal for q
piece Of cloth Of that color and repeat
h ed tile performance with q plea for
some blue material OF the tint OF e
robe. with sewing implements.
AZ last she appeared to understand
and Closed the door after her vanish
ing form. #N. @ S.
For long. dark hours after that DICE
WA alone. He was waiting for the
temperance Of the. Chinese Girl.
whom he suspected to be q member q
the magistrates household. u she
nd GF HA0A@e ITES -. -N-.fla1.L T4 q - -tEt a>N