The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-07-16
Dawn's Early
Light
IN
By FRANK RIoNEY


Six rows of stars, eight in a row.
Forty-eight white stars twinkling on
a blue square. Seven long lines OF
red and six of white ripping, waving,
gathering up and flying out straight
again. A setting sun sending out red
beams of light that mingled with and
faded away among the early peeping
stars far overhead dipped parting
salute to Old Glory. Old Glory, illu-
mined by the red golden rays, looking
more resplendcnt and glorious than
ever waved back an acknowledgment
Such was the picture Jack Cody
gazed on. Jack, fine, hearty, clean
cut boy of fifteen years, was the son
of lumberman and lived in small
wooden house on the outskirts of o
village that was situated away off ever
so far from trolley cars. subways ana
skyscrapers. Jack was a boy OF the
woods. The forest was for him school
and playground and was frequently his
bedroom.
This particular June evening Jack,
resting after strenuous day, was
sitting on a pile of lumber ana gaz-
ing at the fagpole newly erected on
the "town hail."
News, a speedy traveller, where tele-
phones, papers and crowds mix,
seemed to slow up and get down to
crawl when 1t journeyed toward
Jacks town. 1t had to work miles
upstream against rolling logs, along
old, rocky trails and through long
stretches of woods. lakes and other
things that go to make up 81 virgin
country. This time 1t had put on a
little extra speed. being helped along
by some surveyors who had come as
the advance guards of a party OF rail-
road engineers and workmen. The
news was big news. 1t was the presl-
dents war declaration, and 1t had the
village buzzing with excitement. The
surveyors had brought the flag along
and one of them had left behind him
a pencil, coiored blue at one end and
red at the other, Jack was the lucky
finder of the pencil and with 1t he
was endeavOring on piece OF white
wrapping paper to portray the scene
spread before him. The trees, hills,
houses and view in general proving too
much for him, he concentrated on the
flag.
"Forty-eight stars and thirteen
stripes" said Jack. Gosh, but 1t is
some fiagI wonder who invented
it?"
His picture finished, he climbed
down from the log pile and wandered
towards the "town hall" to proudly
display to some of his boy friends his
copy of Old Glory. From nowhere in
particular, similar to that mysterious
place from which eonjurers produce
cards and rabbits. Jacks friends pro-
tuced pieces of paper of various
shades and shapes and the young ar
fist was surrounded by noisy crowd
shouting, "A flag for me, Jack y
Make me onei" do one for mel"
Across the main street, the one and
only street of the village, was group
Of men quietly discussing the news
and asking questions of an elderly
man whose appearance showed him to
be a newcomer to the place.
The commotion created by the clam
oring boys brought the quiet discus
sion of the men to an end and the
stranger strolled over to know what
the uproar meant.
"Goodl" he exclaimed, when he
found out. "Great, boys, great
That's the spirit. boys" he said, 'but
easy there, fellows, until ask you q
few questions. What are you going
to do with your flags?"
"Stick 1t in my window" shouted
one boy. "Paste it on the wall owe.
my bed between Lincoln ald WASH
ington," said another nd so on un-
til it seemed that the lille village
would be papered FROM end TO end with
the flags that Jack had not yet
drawn.
"Finep said the inquirer, "Fine
Let me ask you, boys, now that
know what you are going to do with
jun Ad6s WHAT yOu hAOW dDOul JOuA
flag-and what you are going to dc
for your flag? l ask you what you
are going to do?"
A silence that could be almost
heard descended ON the crowd and the
boys looked uneasily at each other
II didn't know that the flag wanted
Inc to do anything for it," spoke W
Jack, much to the relief of his friends
as the strangers attention was drawn
from them and directed to Jack.
"Come into the hall, my boy. gel
your friends to round up few of the
men, as many as they can, and LEI
them all come, and I'll try and tel
you and your friends little story OF
the flag waving up there on the pole
Very quickly the big room filled and
| it seemed as though Jack would have
to get busy penciling out standing
Room Only" notices, when the mar
! who called the meeting had COM
menced his story.
There is no occasion to follow In
detail all he told the men and boys
of the Stars and Stripes, for thai
would be telling you something, friend
reader, that you already know for
wards and backwards. Sufficient 10