Show 4 111 HOW THE LAST FLAG < FELL II 4 I An Historical Story of Patriotism and Pluck By T C HARBATJGH 11 Wihen the British left our shores at the close of the Revolution they left flying one royal flag which as they had nailed it to the flag pole they fondly hoped would continue to kiss the breezes for some time Ito come They had done this as an act of defiance de-fiance to the young republic and mcny a soldiers eye was turned upon this lone British emblem as the ships of King George dropped down the bay and the spires of New York faded from view Sir Guy Carleton toad set apart a day for the evacuation of New York and it fell on the 25th of November He was not very reluctant to leave for the long eight years war was over and dle colonies had not only beaten I the kings men in fair fight but had captured two of his best armies The Americans led by some of their frncus officers were ready to march in and take possession of New York j he moment the last rtd coat had I vanished and on the 2th there was a great deal of excitement which could I not be wholly subdued The strei ts were thronged with men and boys and the latter were with difficulty kept from cheering the march of the British through the streets as they tramped down to the shipping to embark for England I 1 At the foot of famous Broadway stood Fort George named for the British king and from its tall staff floated the flag which the enemy had left behind It flapped in the breeze of that November No-vember day in a manner quite distasteful dis-tasteful to the Americans who had seen it waving there for almost seven I years They did not like the thought that it was to float on even after the last British soldier had vanished down the bay and when General Knox and his troops took formal possession pos-session of Port Geore all eyes were turned towards that obnoxious ensign I sign It must come down but how The patriots did not want to destroy the tall flag staff for they wished to hoist I Upon it another flag which would represent re-present the newest republic on the I face of the globe and so they gathered gath-ered about the staff as they suggested I means for lowering the British flag t The English vessels were vanishing down the narrows and tne white sails would soon disappea but there in the wind waved the Hag they had left I behind bidding defiance to their conquerors con-querors and saying in mute language that though the colonies were free I the emblem of a king still remained to disturb them I I believe I could climb that pole I Paid a boy who stood looking at the 1 flagAn American officer overhearing these words turned and gave him a tz look of astonishment He was a good looking boy with afresh a-fresh face and strong young limbs You do said the officer Do you really think you could climb that flagstaff flag-staff and tear the banner looser I loose-r could try anyhow Here sergeant take this boy over 1 to General Knox and let him tell him what he things he can doA do-A continental sergeant stepped forward for-ward and in a little while Johnny Van Arsdale was walking at his side tovard General Knoxs headquarters The boy had seen the chief of Wash ingtons artillery but had never been In his presence The sergeant took the lad to the generals headquarters and saluted This boy says he can climb the flagstaff flag-staff and remove the British flag The kind face of Knoz was illumined by a smile He looked the boy over from head to foot and said You look agile boy You have Climbed before have you Yes sir replied Johnny blushing c If you would let me try to take the flag down I would do my best You shall try and you look capable of doing it and with another salute the sergeant withdrew and marched the delighted boy back to the parade ground The crowd gathered about the flagstaff flag-staff looked at the boy and soon understood un-derstood what was up A great many L of them knew him and not a few knew how agile he was Not only had the departing British nailed their flag to the pole but tney had knocked off the cleats and greased the staff so as to make it hard to climb New cleats were soon obtained and Johnny Van Arsdale went to work He had brought with him a lot of sand and by nailing back the cleats and I applying the sand to the slick pole he I II started upon his descent a great cheer arose from every throat Lower and lower the came handover hand-over hand but with a flush of victory on his face The banner flapped a little in the wind now but its freedom was subdued No longer it kissed the winds from the pinnacle of the lofty staff nor was it nailed there In defiance de-fiance to the colonies Louder than ever was ithe cheer that rent the air when the triumphant triumph-ant boy reached the ground and unwrapped un-wrapped from his body the windtorn banner which he had secured I told the general I thought I could bring it down he said to the officer who stepped forward to take the captured banner In another moment he was hemmed in by a wildly shouting crowd and strong men look him upon their shoulders and carried him in ecstacy across ithe parade ground I Tit was a moment of proud triumph thank Shim for his daring act In a little while another flag floated from the flag staff of Fort George but it was not the standard of the king It was the stars and stripes of the young nation which had secured its right to have a flag by seven years of war and when Johny Van Arsdale saw toe other banner waving gracefully grace-fully from the flagstaff his eyes lit up with joy Its the prettier flag of the two Long may it wave cried he And while it floated there the last British vessel vanished and New York held no soldiers but those who would henceforth occupy it Johnny Van Arsdale lived a good many years after his daring aot in lowering the last British flag and more than once he was compelled to relate to groups of children how he took it down from its lofty height and saw the banner of freedom take its place Thus was the British flag raised by men taken down by a boy whose name and deed the pages of American history have kept alive even unto this day Silt FRANCIS HEAD Another Quarterly Reviewer of the early days was Sir Francis Head and well do I remember his cheery face am kindly manner The last time I saw him he was hobbling about on a pair of crutches for he had recently been suffering suf-fering from a severe attack of shingles shin-gles His feats of horsemanship across tiiiiiiiT o I TOLD THE GENERAL THAT I THOUGHT I COULD BRING IT DOAVX managed to climb hand over hand j amid the cheers of the people 0 Higher and higher he went working like a beaver but not looking down once upon the upturned faces As he neared the top of the tall Has pole a strange hush seemed to fall over r > be crowd below It was expectation not altogether intermingled with fear There were those who feared that even should lie reach the top his hands would not be strong enough to tear r the flag loose but the little patriot persevered until he could touch the ensign Look I he is up now said a voice far beneath him He has caught Jiold of the flag He is tearing it F loose There l see how it yields Hew if He-w ll accomplish his purpose The boy looked like a black speck n as it Tvtire as he clung to the flag pole while he wrenched the flag from its fastenings He worked with a will watched all i a e < the iime by those on the ground and when they saw I that he had wrapped s the taadar around IS body and had 0 J 1 for the little patriot and his pride increased In-creased when General Knox sent to 1JL I L i JT tS i Lc1 The Little Patriot Persevered Until He Touched the Ensign the pampas of South America as well as with the Quorn and the Pytchley are matters of history On this occasion he said to me For fiftytwo years I never missed one day getting on horseback until this malady attacked mf and I attribute my wonderful won-derful good health to this constant practice In order to obtain exercise while thus crippled he set up a swing in his garden on Duppas Hill and was swung by his old coachman It is the next best thing to going across the country he said and I can smell the sea when the wind comes direct from the South Downs I believe he had his tombstone all ready prepared after his own design several years before his death and used to keep it in his coach house until un-til it should be required It now stands at the head of his grave in the pretty churchyard of Sanderstead near Croy donJohn Murray in Good Words |