Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-09-12


giisiensng aud voices thrilling. chan,
the tag pledge la Unison, aud a, the
close half a hundred right arms arc
thrust forward and upward. the better
to wave half hundred little American
Tags.
That II the scene presented to tho
visitor In any public schoolroom IN
america on Washington's birthday or
Gag day or any other occasion Of IA
friotic program.
America owes Its flag pledge TO Kan.
sas II was written by Kansas boz
and inspired by a Kansas woman.
Here Is the story:
A little more than twenty years ago
Mrs. Lillian A. Hendricks OF Cherry
vale. Kan. was an untirin1 worker In
the women's Relief corps. an auxiliary
OF the G. A. r.. and held the Office Of
patriotic instructor In the Cherryvale
organization The mother OF two boys
she wanted them to grow UP with the
spirit OF her ancestry. which led back
TO John Cary Of Revolutionary wag
fame. and she entered upon her duties
as patriotic instructor with enthusiasm.
She followed the custom OF her official
predecessors In visiting the schools
and talking TO the pupils about the
r!orfes OF the country and It's ,radi.
tons. But she went farther She In.
duccd the principal Of the high school
To set aside recitation hour. durins
which the sixteen members Of the class
of issls wrote their ideas OF their debt
10 their country and their duty to It's
government
One member OF the class was Frank
r. Bethany. His tribute impressed Mrs
Hendricks 80 mitch. when II was gath
erred up with the others aud sent TO her
for Inspection, that she preserved Il.
With lsas came the Spautsh-Ameri-
can war. and one Of the FIRST to yolun-
teer his services 10 the country was
Frank Bellausy. then tweniy-one years
old. iin jogn.i the Twentieth Kansas
infantry rs member OF the Fes.ment2i
band and went to the philippines.
where he remained until the Kansas
iiyhtins force returned 20 the Uui,et
States and was mustered out.
But In the meantime. In 1899. with
the fervor OF patriotism which the war
with Spain aroused, came the decision
Of a conference Of representatives OF
the patriotic organizations OF the couu-
try that a pledge Of aileg.ance was pee
essary to inculcate love OF country
In the generations 10 come. Through
out the states the submission OF suit
able sentiments was Invited, ana the
w. r. C.. through Its state departments
and they through local corps Ike the
one at Cherryvaie. took !; M Mrs
Hendricks, whose love 81 the stars anu
Stripes was something very much IKE
worship, thought at once OF the pieise
OF allegiance written by the high school
boy who now was with Uncle sans
fighting men across the Pacific, and she
submitted II To the national committee
which was To make the selection oAt
Of thousands uTon thousands or manu-
scripts which reached the committee
and were read and passed ON. the pledse
of Frank Bellamy was chosen as the
one expressing In fewest words an"
strongest phrases the loyalty o. an
American 10 his flag and TO the lana o'
his birth or adoption SO II came 10
pass that the Kansas boy author 81 'ile
flag pledge" Is numbered with Francs
Scott Key, author OF The Star span
gied Banner" Joseph Rodman praAe'
author Of THE American Flag; w >
S. Smith. author of america ana ON
ers FROM w&,sc pens have come undyIhs
expressions of fealty TO our country.
Frank Bellamy returned from lne
Philippines shattered In health by BIS
stay in the tropics 1t is an inisreStihs
fact that he knew nothing Of the adoP
tion OF his pledge Of allegiance 10y lhe
patriotic societies of America until Mrs'
Hendricks told him when he arrived III
his home town.
1--WE are proud Of you. Frank, sne
said. 'and the national W. X. T. nas
passed resolution thanking you io'
writing IT,"
The boy flushed. at didn't express
half what tried to write" he said
The physicians who examined MN on
his arrival home found that the whi's
pla que already had him in its grip ana
ordered him to the mountains. lie "eh'
TO Colorado. and. since he could no iohs
err follow music as vocation, De .ooA
up art. for which he also had talent
and. his own mother having died. ~
looked to Mrs. Hendricks for ADVICE ai,'
corresponded with her throughout
residence In the west. -.
Mr. Bellamy never recovefeu -
health. bat his last days were nAu
easy because Of the fact that tnro.en
Mrs. Hendricks efforts he obtaineu
liberal pension as a Spanish-American
war veteran. He died In Denver M
81, 1918. His body was taken 10 NC.
ryvale and rests in Fairview cemes