(Dedicated to the Army and Navy)
North, South, East, and West
Rise and join your hands.
Native born and Brothers drawn
From many Fatherlands.
Rise ye Nation of the morn,
Land where Liberty was born;
Ye who fear no ruler’s nod,
Ye who only kneel to God—
Rise—Salute your Flag!
Stars upon its azure throng,
Stars for states that stride along,
Stars of hope that make men strong.
Blood-red bars for battle done,
Steel-white stars for peace well won.
Rise—Salute this Flag!
North, South, East, and West
Bring your tribute then.
Gold ye have and grain enough
To feed earth’s starving men.
Ye who tent on distant shores,
Ye whose name the ocean roars,
Ye who toil in mine and field,
Ye who pluck the cotton’s yield,
Rise—Salute your flag!
North, South, East, and West
Rise and join your hands;
Native born and brothers drawn
From many Fatherlands.
One ye stand in common cause,
One to break oppression’s laws,
One to open Freedom’s gate,
One! Ye re-United States!
Rise—Salute your Flag!
Stars upon its azure throng,
Stars for states that stride along,
Stars of hope that make men strong.
Blood-red bars for battles done,
Steel-white stars for peace well won.
Rise—Salute this Flag!
* * * * *
The singing ceased, and Gray Lady stood with bent head, a smile upon her
lips and tears in her eyes, for often when one is happiest, the two go
together.
The words of the hymn had been written by a dear friend on one of the
anniversaries of the day that the General gave his life for his flag’s
honour, and forgetting that Goldilocks knew, Gray Lady had thought that
no one remembered the verses but herself.
Tommy and Sarah, to whom it had fallen to explain the occasion in a
little speech of Miss Wilde’s wording, stepped forward, then looked at
each other and seemed struck dumb. Sarah found her tongue first and also
her own wording for the speech; clasping her hands nervously, she began:
“Last fall when we had the orchard party, you said ‘some day Birdland
must have a flagpole of its own,’ so we thought we would all do it and
Miss Wilde said, ‘yes.’ The big boys cut the pole in Haines’ woods (he
let them), and they shaped it out and polished it all themselves, and
Jacob helped set it yesterday. We were awfully afraid you wouldn’t go to
New York so’s they could do it without being seen.
“Miss Wilde fitted the music to the words, and Mrs. Wilde cut out the
flag, and the rest of us all sewed on it, the little boys too. The
stripes were easy, but some of the stars wiggled in the points, because
it’s hard turning sharp corners.
“We all bought the eagle, not in a store,—they cost too much,—but of
the junk pedler, and it’s been done over. It’s a good strong one, better
than they make nowadays, grandma says.” Then, as Sarah realized that she
had forgotten all the expressions of thanks for the happiness that had
come to them at “the General’s” which Miss Wilde had so carefully worded
and drilled them to pronounce correctly, she gave a despairing look at
their friend and, seeing something in her face that invited her, cast
herself into Gray Lady’s arms.
* * * * *
After the flag had been lowered, duly examined, and praised, and the
crooked stars declared to be quite natural, because, as Goldilocks
truthfully remarked, “real stars twinkle and always look crooked, you
know,” Gray Lady said: “Now that I know the beautiful surprise you had
for me, I will tell you a little secret of my own. It is true, as rumour
says, that Miss Wilde is going to leave Foxes Corners school at the term
end, but _not_ to go to Bridgeton.
“She is going to have a little school all of her own in the big room at
Swallow Chimney, with Goldilocks and as many of you for pupils as wish
to go to the High School by and by and are ready for the eighth grade.
Yes, I have arranged it with the school committee, and it is perfectly
satisfactory to them. Oh! children, do not smother me!”
Then Tommy Todd suddenly realized that he had not only thought of
following Sarah’s example and hugging Gray Lady, but that he had
actually done so!