Connecticut western news., 1918-10-24
AN ENDURING MONU-
 MENT TO PATRIOTISM Falls Village Now Flies the Flag That Stands for Right
 and Liberty
Contributed

SlNdI anu bluG dS dllN NOuto
 desire; the beautifully-tinted Berk-
 shire Hills; the tranquil Housatonic,
 unmindful of the world struggle.
 peacefully flowing by; the Village
 Green, with its background of banks
 and stores, representing commercial
 ism and prosperity, and, beyond, the
 homes of the dwellers in the Peace
 ful Valley, symbolical of the happi-
 ness and contentment that comes to
 those who lead clean, righteous.
 Christian lives.
 Such was the scene that greeted
 each star of the flag that was up-
 furled at Falls Village on Saturday,
 and as the bars of white and crim-
 son stood out rigidly, as if in defiance
 of all the powers of evil and creators
 of suffering and desolation in the
 lands beyond the seas, not man,
 woman or child in the assemblage
 that listened to the opening prayer
 of the Rev. MT. Hazeltine and
 joined in the singing of The Star
 Spangled Banner, but felt a thrill
 of patriotism and loyalty toward the
 emblem of our nation.
 Following the raising of the flag by Lieut.. Ferguson of the Home
 Guard, Capt. J. R. Mackey, acting as
 master of ceremonies, made a few appropriate remarks, laying particu- lar stress upon the point that in the years to come, when those present of
 the younger generation had become old men and perhaps "grand-dads", with what pride each and every one
 would look back upon this day, and
 pointing to the flag still flying from .the concrete-imbedded steel pole, could lay his hand upon the shoulder of the boy who is to take up the burden he has laid down and say Well, boy, your grandpa was here the day that flag was raised. And when your children's children shall gather here, the Stars and Stripes will still be waving up there."
 In speaking of the amount raised toward the cost of pole and flag, Capt Macley took occasion to say that the total was $1SS, and then, te the utter surprise of all, further stated that Dr. Skiff had given S10e to the Red Cross of Canaan, $50 to the Red Cross of Lime Rock, and $38 to the Campfire Girls, thus dis posing of the money raised, and had personally assumed the obligation involved in the purchase of the pole as we'll as of the flag and all other expenses, an announcement whial was immediately followed by a call heartily responded to, for three cheers for Dr. Skiff, and then lusty tiger"
 Capt. Mackey then called upon the chorus to sing "Your Boy, My Boy", which was effectively rendered., after which he introduced Major William Flynn as orator of the day. To those who heard the major speak thara will always be the lasting im- pression of the intense 'earnestness, the heartfelt sincerity, and, the Christian spirit with which he de- livered his address. Standing upon the platform, with bare head and beaming countenance, he conjured up in ones mind the impression that of such a man had Charles Dickens modelled his immortal Pickwick-he of the big heart, the rotund and rosy the beaming and be- nignant smile, and that cheeriness of which dissolved all the trials and tribulations of his fellow members of the Pickwick Club. To have given an extended introduction would have been a mere waste of words, for the major, through a long perid of service on the railroad, is known to all, whether high officers of the road, the working force, or the now almost extinct genius "hoho", who in the days agone surreptitiousiy became a patron of the railroads on the "bumpus". ,-
 In prcfacing his remarks Major Flynn spoke in glowing terms of his esteemed friend pr. Skiff, dwell ng particularly upon the warmth hat had characterized their many years of intimate friendship, and in m impressive and impassioned man Ter dwelled upon the noble, patriotic md loyal citizenship of the Doctor, If whom any town must be proud to lumber among its members. After which, in a quiet, deep, almost quiv- .ring voice at certain passages in lis address, when he spoke of the ,utrages that had been committed ,y the crowned leaders of the so- alled Central Powers, Major Flynn poke of the various angles upon which he looked upon the flag float ng before him and of what that flag epresented to him and should rep esent to every man, woman and hild in the assemblage.
 "When Gen. Pershing", said the peaker, "stood at the tomb of La ayette and laid thereon a floral ffering, he reverently bowed his lead and said: Lafayette, we are ere? Pershing has not forgotten he debt we owe to France, and today ha Kaiear rao1iyac that wa ara