The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1931-10-22


tie Maryland town, Francis Scott
Key and Admiral Schley, the one, the
author of "The Star Spangled Ban
ner," and the other, the hero of San
tiago's battle in the Spanish-Ameri-
can War.
In spite of the luster that clings
about the lives of Key, fancy and
Schley, it is because OF barbara
Fritchie that Frederick is celebrated,
and all because of the poem by Whit
tier. 1t was well that the poet was
descriptive of the place, for in that
he did naught but justice: Ground
about them orchards sweep,
apple and peach-tree fruited
Deep"
For Frederick lies in land akin to
Paradise, mans country and Gods.
1t has the beauty Of the farm and the
hills, the pretty country and the
quaint winding street where many
buildings give proof Of the age of the
city. In the time of Barbara Frit-
chic it was: "Fair as a garden of the
Lord,
To the eyes of the famished rebel
horde"
And it is of that time that l write:
"On that pleasant morn of the early
Fall
When Lee marched over the noun
tain-wall,-
Over the mountains winding down,
Horse and foot, into Frederick
town."
There are some who believe that
the poem of Barbara Fritchie was
founded on a Pigment of the magma
ton, but l can take you to the little
old house where the good dame lived
and show you still her treasured
possessions and among them, above
all, the flag she waved in the teeth of
the advancing Confederate army.
Hers was the only Stars and Stripes
there flying at the time she perform
ed her heroic deed. You remember:
Forty flags with their silver stars,
Forty flags with their crimson
bars,
Flapped in the morning wind; the
sun
Of noon looked down, and saw not
one."
But her flag was there, and today
it is treasured in glass case and her
house has become nations shrine
and that flag is the chief attraction.
She was old was Barbara Fritchie;
she was ninety. 1t was an age wh.cn
might have kept her within the
seciusion Of her small rooms, Dul: up
rose old Barbara Fritchie then,
Bowed with her fourscore years
and ten;
Bravest of all in Frederick town.
She took up the flag the men hauled
down."
Her small dwelling is typical of
the earlier days in Maryland. The
roof slopes upward, facing the street.
In it are set two deep gables to afford
light into the upper chambers. They
are not a great ways above the
ground. There is a little apartment
just back of one of these windows and
there l saw two of the old spinning
wheels where Barbara spun and was
happy.
"In her attic-window the staff she
set,
To show that one heart was loyal
yet"
/ sat down on one of her old kit
chen chairs which is now placed be-
fore a secretary desk which it was
her custom to use and in an open re-
gister at the desk / wrote my name
and address along with scores of
other visitors who were there that
day. l looked out of the front win
dows on to Patrick street where a
bridge spans murmuring Carroll
Greek, and it was easy to fancy that
one could see the armies of the
Southland, marching forward while
all Frederick held its breath in fear,
all save Barbara Fritchie. cup the
street came the rebel tread,
Stonewall jackson riding ahead.
Under his slouched hat left and
right
He glanced; the old flag met his
sight"
You know what happened then. He
ordered his men to shoot the flag
down, the only one flying in Freder-
lex town. It fell, you recall, but she
reached out and grabbed it and lean
ing far out of the tiny gable, called:
"Shoot If you must, this old gray