The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-28

are soldiers of the Continental army and that you are marching into battle against the Redcoats. The orchard can be your battle-ground and you"
 T want the drum, I want the drumi" cried Paul, reaching for 1t.
 No, I want it I'm the littlesti" objected Robbie.
 You nasty. horrid boys" exclaim- ed little Ruth. T can't blow the horn so-so-all I'll have left is the flag"
 But, my dear little girl" Grandma hastened to explain, don't you know that it is a greater honor to carry the flag into battle than 1t is to beat a drum or blow a horn? Why, the color rbearer, as he is called, must al- ways be at the front, where the bull lets are thickest, to wave his flag aloft and urge the soldiers on. And the enemy always shoots at him. too so the flag will fall to the ground and really, my dear, only the bravest of soldiers are allowed to carry the flag So you"
 Then I want to carry it!" inter- rupted Paul.
 No. 't's minei" echoed Robbie.
 Ruth shall carry the flag" said Grandma, in a tone that put an end to further argument. And neither Paul nor Robbie objected any longer Tor, you see, they were not really selfish little boys. just thoughless and very enthusiastic ones
 So the procession was formed-with Robbie in the lead. blowing the horn: then Ruth, proudly holding aloft the flag; and with Paul bringing up the rear, beating loudly and bravely away on the drum.
 Toot-toot-to-to-too- to-o-oot! sound ed the horn shrilly.
 And a-tat-tat-tat-tat-ta tat -tat-tat, rolled the drum merrily.
 Little Ruth couldn't make a noise With her flag, but she waved it aloft ana cried at the top of her pretty little voice: Ray! Ray! Three cheers for tn Red, White and Blue, Rayi"
 And Grandma waved to them, from the corner of the porch, as the valiant little procession started out for the orchard. On and on they went single file, past the icehouse. around back or the barn and the pig-sty and over the fence into the orchard. "I wouldn't be afraid of no Red coats, would you?" inquired little Rob bic, with better spirit than grammar. 'T should say not!" agreed Paul quickly. We've would just wait until we could see the whites of their eyes and then fire-just like our sol- diers did at Bunker Hill! Humph! It would take more than any British soldiers to scare mel" HIJa1tfp suddenly that Ruth ran right Into him and bumped her little nose. "There's some Redcoats sneaking along by that fence. Let's charge 'eml"
 "Right!" shouted Paul, entering the spirit of the play. Don't kill them, Robbie; just let's capture them and then make them salute the Amer ican flag before we-before we hang them! Come on-forwardl"
 Here, you stay behind, Ruthie!" commanded Robbie, seeing that Ruth was marching straight ahead, her flag flying proudly above her little golden head. This Is no place for girls you-you might get shot!" Won't" answered Ruth promptly. I'm the color-bearer and-and-and Grandme. says the color bearer is the bravest of all the soldiers and he goes right into battle, too, so there MT. | Smarty"
 "Yes," objected Paul, "but you aren't 'he,' Ruth, and there must be a million Redcoats over there behind the fence and-and they might scalp you! Of course Robbie and I aren't afraid, but-but-but-" | But Paul never finished his sentence Instead, he stood with mouth open and look of utmost fear and aston ishment on his face. Both children looked at him in amazement, trying to imagine what was the matter. Paul gulped hard once or twice, shook him self out of the apparent trance which he seemed to be in and cried:
 "Run RunI Snake! Snake" And with that he threw down his drum and set out toward the house as fast as his little legs could fly.
 Robbie waited only long enough to shout "Where?" and to catch a glimpse of the long. black, slimy look ing snake on the ground several rods ahead of them, and then, he, too, dropped his horn and fled.
 But not little Ruth No indeedl The color-bearer, you see, never de- serts his colors, and never runs Though she was trembling from head 50 foot and funny little chills and