Show t The First American Flag Many years yeaTS ago before there was a United States and before there was any flag with stars stripes thero there In n the Quaker City a prim little lIme maker dress by th tho name nama of Betsy Ross Rosa She Sho was j r r. fine tIne seamstress and a real pa pa- triot that an and the fin fluent finest t of or tho the city city came cama to her for her skill It Wall Tras Revolutionary times time and often otten the continental rude rude- ly IT clad and poorly drilled but bat bravo brave every one of ot th them m. m would march by in the street At t that tl time tio 8 the thirteen little American colonies had suffered great wrong from King George and the people would stand in the street to cheet cheer the soldiers s along for tor all aU were wore devoted de do- voted to the Cause cause ause of ot freedom On this June Jane day Betsy Deby had been called to her door by the tramping of feet and she ho stood watching the soldiers march byrOw by rOw after ITOW of them Hurray Three cheers cheen for tor the brave braTe men muon from Virginia cried tho the people But as Betsy turned to go into the house honse a neighbor called to her What a shame that we haTe hare no flag for tor our oar troops Aye truly sir sin answered Betsy Bet Bet- ff sy 57 Since we hauled down the flag ag of England we sadly need on one of ot our own Scarcely had she settled herself at her work again when suddenly there came a loud load rapping at her door Opening it whom should she see but General Washington himself him him- self and two other men A fine tine summers summer's day ROES said Washington In his Pleasant voice roice w Wo 0 come conte to yoS yoU on important business At once Betsy led Jed the men into her quiet back parlor and the there begged them to tell her their errend e er er- rend Congress has bas Just Jost accepted a design for the flag we need so said Washington and wo we have haTe come como to you rou to see DOS if It you can make one for tor us us B Betsy's 8 face ac Ut lit up with Pleasure I f shall try my best she Bhe answered Then General Washington took from his pocket a paper on which was a drawing See Sea he said there thera are to be thirteen stripes stripe seven seye red ones and six white whito ones and in the t upper left let hand corner there wit will willbe I be a a. blue field with a circle of 01 thirteen white stars one star for fo each of our thirteen good colon ies lea Thus it was that Betsy Ross Rosa S made the flag of our country country- the first Stars and Stripes As time went by Americans sa saw 7 the tho Stars and Stripes go 9 forth fortl I again and again to do battle with t wrong and to uphold the right So they grew to love it more dearly dear ly and to understand more of its meaning The stars on the blue field that have grown far tar beyond the tho thirteen thirteen thir thir- thirteen teen of Betsy's day stand for tor aUthe all aU the states in this great union shining shin ing tug out into the world with tho the light of freedom and Justice The thirteen stripes stand for tor the tho thirteen thir thirteen teen little colonies that first I i I I I I fought so nobly for freedom The The- red says to all Be Brave The white whito says Be e pure puro The Te blue blua says Be Ba true truel I So today when I the flag goes by it is not the beau 1 I colors we bare our heads beads to salute but the tho courage age th the truth troth and purity the true idea of freedom freedom free free- dom for tor which Old Glory stands |