Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-04-24
The Peace Flag

sure ly sound logic.
Robbie was ardently devoted to the
Stars and Stripes. He had flag of his
own, one that the teacher had given
him when he marched in the parade on
Washington's birthday; and it was a
good sized flag, for he had been the
leader of his grade. Now a flag isn't
meant to be hidden away in the bottom
drawer of a chiffonier, like candle un-
der bushel. 1t Is meant to CLEAN in
the morning sunshine and flutter in the
morning breeze for the delectation Of
admiring eyes, and to serve as the
guiding star Of small boys who have
specially loyal hearts. So Robbie had
his flag out for an airing; only it was
not morning, it was late in the after
noon.
OF course when a flag is abroad like
that, small boys invariably congregate
to do the bidding of some ruling spirit.
Robbie was always captain, and on this
particular occasion he had company
that filled him with great sense of
Importance and no end of patriotism.
He was ready to face any foe imagin.
able in defence of his country, and
foe was at hand to test his mettle.
Hans Peterson had flag. His moth.
or had made it for him on the 18th of
May, and it wasn't the Stars and
Stripes at all. 1t was Norwegian flag;
and Hans had 1t out for an airing, too.
Discovering foreign flag on Ameri-
can soil, he marched his company at
spirited, if somewhat irregular, double
quick into the alley where Hans was
displaying it.
Down with that rag!" he ordered,
as soon as he could command sufficient
breath for the enunciation.
who says l must?" questioned
Hans, with perfect unconcern.
If do in the name of the Continent
Congress-" clustered Robbie, his treble
voice shrill with angry vehemence.
"My flag is yust as goot as yours"
Hans maintained serenely.
You're an arch traitor! Pull it
down."
ut means free peoples, yust like
yours. Grossmutter said so.'
IF you don't take it down quick, I'll
lick you'll"
II tank it's free country" Hans
persisted, which at that crisis was equi
valent to declaration of war.
Robbie handed his flag to his first
follower with the words, "You fellows
just wait!" and jumped into the fray
1t was sharp fight from the begin
ming. Hans was the bigger boy, but
Robbie was fired with patriotic indig
nation and resentment against for
eigners," and also endowed with a
quickness Of thought, decision, and
movement that struck his antagonist
like whirlwind. Hans went down in
a heap of wailing evaporation, while
Robbie stripped the little Norwegian
ensign into fragments, and flung them
into the dust where his fallen but not
quite conquered enemy lay.
There! I guess that'll show you!"
he painted, and, turning, led his com.
pany trtumphantly away, carrying his
flag over his shoulder, and nursing one
elbow which gave promise of an hon
orable scar"
Robbie was glowing with the enthus-
iasm Of righteous victory, but some
how 1t proved rather elusive and evan
escent. 1t wouldn't stay by him quite
to his satisfaction To be sure, he
bore himself proudly until he reached
home, but he was glad it was time for
their 6 o'clock dinner then, SO that he
could dismiss his band of soldiers and
run into the house.
Mrs. Mclean saw that her little son
was more quiet than usual. However,
she rarely intruded on his privacy at
such times. Little boys condolences
are usually somewhat deferred, she
had noticed. SO she passed common
place remark or two, and then left him
to himself
Robbie ate his dinner, after which
he climbed into big arm chair that
stood near the crate in one corner OF
the sitting room. There was fire In
the crate, for, although tomorrow
would be Memorial day, the air seemed
chilly when the sun went down. Rob-
bic liked the crate fire too. He could
always see curious things going on
among the embers. But tonight his
ideals were drifting about In a way
that confused him. He just couldn't
make up his mind that he had used
Hans Peterson quite right.
Well, Hans was foreigner.
Yes: but hadn't his own grandfather
Thomas Mclean been foreigner too!
He had come from Scotland on great
steamship many years ago. Robbie
had heard him tell about it. Robbie
reverenced his grandfather's memory
very deeply. His grandfather had
been in the civil war;" and always
spoke of the stars and stripes as old
Glory" Something in his tone when
he pronounced the words made fell
low feel like taking off his hat Grand
father never wanted the flag used as
sofa pillows, or in any such common
ways. 1t was always "Old Glory to
him, something to love and honor,
something sacred, though Robbie's
conception of what sacred meant
was wholly intuitive. But of course
grandfather had been foreigner
when he first came to America.
Hans had come from Norway Rob
bic wondered if Norway seemed like
home to him still, and If the little flag
that had been so ruthlessly destroyed
made him think of home. Then he
wondered what Norway was really