Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-03-28
FOR FLAG
Copyright by the Frank A. Munsey Co.
BY W0LC0TT LIZ CLEAR BEARD.

his.
With biunuering vehemence he had AZ
sured her hat for him she was the only
woman in the world, and that never. by
the width of n razor's edge, would he al
low her fathers former station to influ-
ence him.
Not until long afterward did the captain
come To understand that her fierce resent
ment was prompted by outraged pride in
her father.
Perhaps for that very reason the final
parting come more quickly. Nothing that
he could do or say would alter her decis-
ion. Nothing that her parents could do or
say-and they both tried-altered il.
So Peter Brandford had been left with a
sorrow that quenched all the brightness of
his life. and the abiding sense of a crime
against his love which, in truth, did not
exist. II was in attempted expiation Of
this fancied crime that he had given up
everything save his self Prospect. and had
become the human derelict that he now
was.
Deep in his retrospect, Brandford was
oblivious Of all else until q crowd "a dense
a. To be almost impossible blocked his way.
A. he paused a man III evening dress
wormed his way out through the thicker
part of the throng into it, fringe, where
the old captain was standing
"WorkerSl' the stranger sputtered.
aThey call themselves workers. III bet
there isn't one of that gang who has done "A
tap Of real work for years-unlcSs il was
in the penitentiaryr
..Who are they, them" asked the cap
tain, bewildered, like one who i suddenly
awakened. ..What j. the matters'
s'The International Workers Peace So
ciety l. what they call themselves" was
the reply. As a matter Of fact, they're
Il lot Of towards who are afraid that the
government j. going 10 start consumption.
II they don't like the way this country j.
run, why don they stay"
Sputtering still, the stranger passed out
Of hearing.
The captain laboriouSly made his way
through the crowd until he reached 4 dense
nucleus of strange. unwashcd humanity.
and there he paused again. Any diversion
would be welcome after the companion
ship Of his own thoughts.
Before him was a truck from which flut
tered two flags; one was the stars u
stripes, the other plain red, like q danger
signal.
Between them stood an emaciated man
with disheveled hair and the burning eyes
of n fanatic. who harangned the crowd.
At that distance the captain could under
stand no word of the imperfect English
in which the speech was couched. In or
der that he might understand he edged
nearer, and kept on edglng.
lie wa quite close to the truck when
the crowd broke INTO wild cheers which
rose to Il frenzy a. the speaker plucked
loose the American flag, first Spat upon II.
then trampled it under his feet.
A red mist seemed To spread itself be-
fore Peter Brandford's eyes!
With Il savage oath he began TO plow
truck the speaker kicked NJ him, then
screamed like q woman. for the captains
arms clasped his knees. lifted him high in
the air and then threw him crashing Ia the
pavement.
There was an instant Of astonished
pause.
Then, s%narling like wolves, the crowd
rushed at the old captain. lie had just
time TO tear the desecrated flag from it,
staff; then. still holding il III hi left hand.
he turned at bay.
As the human wolves came within reach.
the captain caught the CLEAN Of u knife.
WhiStling through the air, his stick fell
upon the wrist that held that knife. send
Ing it spinning and glittering through the
air To chatter on the pavement. Another
stopped 10 recover the weapon and drop
ped Imply, concealing il with hi~ body.
Peter Brandford once had been noted
in the army i the best swordsman that ~
contained. In the hands of such a man a
heavy w~alking-stick j. a lethal weapon.
The crowd came 10 a pause. a pistol-shot
re-echoed from the houSe-frontS Brand
ford swayed for a moment, then stood firm
once more. Again and again his stick sang
through the air.
oHe HdH went uoWH' INV men hH'ii'i'
Twice the stick licked forward like u.
snakes tongue. A third man staggered
back, screaming, his hands over his eyes.
But the crowd did not stop again.
Some one plucked at the flag that the
captain held behind him. lie made a saw
age cut to the rear. but he knew that this
was the beginning of the end. for he was
surrounded. But still he fought on.
The fallen speaker tried feebly Ia wrig-
gle away: the captain planted a foot on