Chapter XXVII: Flag Day

The Spring Sale of the work of the Kind Hearts’ Club was held the Saturday after Arbour and Bird Day. People who had seen the bird-houses that their friends had bought at Christmas drove over from towns many miles away, while those who had been before came again and seemed perfectly fascinated by the birds’ baths and drinking-troughs made from the hollowed logs.

The money thus being secure, the wayside drinking-fountain for man, beast, and bird was begun at once and before Memorial Day was completed and the water turned on, to Tommy’s great pride.

Nor were the children obliged to spend all their pennies upon the work, for besides the actual money, they had earned something of more value—the confidence and co-operation of their own parents and of the neighbourhood.

At first the work that Gray Lady had begun at Foxes Corners school was thought to be merely a passing fancy or a matter of sentiment only, but day by day many of those who were not only indifferent, but perhaps aggressive, saw that common sense went hand in hand with the common humanity that the Kind Hearts’ Club expressed.

Flag Day, that year falling upon a Friday, was to be the last regular bird lesson for the Foxes Corners school. Now that the planting season had come, and the summer vacation was near, the Friday afternoons were needed for making up back work on the part of those who had been absent and in preparing for examinations.

In some way it seemed to be an understood fact that Rose Wilde would go to Bridgeton to teach in the High School, and it was a subject about which her pupils were very unhappy.

There were to be some patriotic exercises at the school in the morning as usual; then Miss Wilde asked Gray Lady, who had been away for several days, if the children might not have their afternoon talk at Swallow Chimney instead of at the school, as the air in the low room was quite heavy and uncomfortable in the warm June afternoons.

Luncheon was hardly over on that day before Goldilocks began to show unusual signs of hurry. In answer to her mother’s question as to what made her so restless, she replied, “I’m so afraid we may be late. I promised Miss Wilde we would be over by half-past one,” and then stopped and looked confused.

“I do not see how we can be late when the class cannot begin by itself,” said Gray Lady, smiling, for she was well aware that there was something unusual in the air, but exactly what, she had purposely kept herself from guessing.

However, she did not aggravate Goldilocks by any unnecessary delay, and half-past one saw mother and daughter going through the garden toward the gate of Birdland. Goldilocks, for some mysterious reason, kept her eyes upon the ground, while it seemed to her as if her mother stopped an endlessly long time to admire every shrub and to gather a bunch of delicately pencilled pansies of lilac, mauve, and royal purple to fasten in the belt of her soft gray muslin gown.

As the pair came out from the shadow of the overhanging vines of the garden walk, a low murmur and the distinct words “here she comes” made Gray Lady pause and look toward the rustic gate of Birdland. As she did so, the gate opened, and inside she saw the school children drawn up in line on either side of the grass path that formed a natural aisle to the middle of the orchard, where several of the old trees had crumbled away, leaving an open space.

“We must walk right on,” whispered Goldilocks, clutching her mother’s hand and almost pulling her along. So, wishing every one good day right and left as she went, Gray Lady allowed herself to be led, the children closing in and following.

At first the bright light in the open space blinded Gray Lady, and then she saw that a tall flagpole was planted in the centre of the open,—a slender pole, flawless from bottom to top, polished and smooth as glass. On the top was perched a gilded eagle with wings wide-spread; in the halyards on the pole a loosely folded bundle was caught, and the end of the line was in the hands of Jack Todd.

Gray Lady stood quite still looking from one to the other, her breath coming fast. Then Jack jerked the line, and out of the bundle, fold on fold, fell a large flag; slowly it rose to the top of the pole and floated in the breeze, while at the little click of Miss Wilde’s tuning-fork twenty-five fresh young voices broke into song.

HYMN OF THE FLAG

(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!

THE END

INDEX

Birds, Travels of, 136-153. Blackbird, Red-winged, 333-340. Bluebird, 313-317. Bobolink, 21, 34, 147, 226-228, 403. Bob-white (Quail), 145, 199-202.

Cardinal, 145, 277, 282-288. Catbird, 32, 366, 382, 383. Chat, Yellow-breasted, 403, 411. Chickadee, 25-27, 181, 246, 355-356. Chippy, Winter, see Tree-Sparrow. Cowbird, 333, 336. Creeper, Brown, 184-186. Crossbill, Red-winged, 252. Crossbill, White-winged, 252. Crow, 10-11, 107-109, 114-128. Cuckoo, Yellow-billed, 403, 404. Curlew, Eskimo, 148.

Dove, Mourning, 219-220. Duck, Wood, 213-215.

Finch, Purple, 363. Flicker, 189-194.

Goldfinch, American, 247, 422-426. Goose, Wild, 356-358. Grackle, Purple, 117, 337. Grackle, Rusty, 337. Grosbeak, Rose-breasted, 403, 426-430. Grouse, Ruffed (Partridge), 197-199, 203-208. Gull, Herring or Harbour, 229, 232-241.

Hawks, 157, etc. Hawk, American Sparrow, 172-174. Hawk, Harrier, 171. Hawk, Marsh, 171. Hawk, Red-shouldered, 154, 171. Heron, Great Blue, 363. Heron, Snowy Egret, 50, 65-72. Humming-bird, Ruby-throated, 366, 375-376, 403.

Indigo-bird, 279-281, 403.

Jay, Blue, 25, 116, 128-135. Junco, 250, 308.

Killdeer, 220, 223-225. Kingbird, 403. Kingfisher, 340-350. Kinglet, Golden-crowned, 250, 251.

Lark, Horned, 297.

Martin, Purple, 95, 96, 99, 101, 365. Meadowlark, 217-218, 337. Migration of Birds, 136-153. Mockingbird, 271-274, 277, 289, 290. Murres, 143.

Nest-Building, 358. Nighthawk, 147-153, 366, 369-372, 403. Nonpareil, 276, 278. Nuthatch, White-breasted, 178-180, 183.

Oriole, Baltimore, 403, 412-420. Ostrich, 65, 73-79. Ovenbird, 365. Owls, 157, etc. Owl, Barn, 166-167. Owl, Barred, 163, 166. Owl, Great Horned, 163, 165. Owl, Gray, see Screech Owl. Owl, Mottled, see Screech Owl. Owl, Red, see Screech Owl. Owl, Screech, 158-162. Owl, Short-eared, 166-169. Owl, Snowy, 295.

Partridge, see Ruffed Grouse. Phœbe, 32, 335, 350-354. Plover, Upland, 220. Plover, Golden, 148-150.

Quail, see Bob-White.

Redpoll, 297. Redstart, 249, 403, 408. Robin, 23, 322, 326-332.

Sandpiper, Least, 220-222. Sandpiper, Spotted, 220-223, 365. Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied, 188-189. Shrike, Northern, 298-299. Snowbird, Gray, see Junco. Sparrow, Chipping, 364. Sparrow, Fox, 334. Sparrow, Song, 21, 318-325. Sparrow, Tree, 249. Sparrow, Vesper, 363. Sparrow, White-throated, 298. Starling, English, 110-113. Swallows, 89. Swallow, Bank, 91-95, 98, 101, 365. Swallow, Barn, 21, 91-94, 98, 101, 365. Swallow, Chimney, see Chimney Swift. Swallow, Cliff, or Eave, 93, 95, 98-99. Swallow, Tree, 94, 98, 101, 364. Swallow, White-breasted, 93. Swift, Chimney, 90, 152, 366, 372-375.

Tanager, Scarlet, 34, 403, 420-422. Thistle-bird, see Goldfinch. Thrasher, Brown, 366, 381-383. Thrush, Golden-crowned, see Ovenbird. Thrush, Wood, 366, 377-379. Thrush, Brown, see Thrasher. Turnstone, 148.

Veery, 366, 380-381, 403. Vireo, Red-eyed, 403, 405-407.

Wake-up, see Flicker. Warbler, Black-and-white, 365. Warbler, Myrtle, 250, 251. Warbler, Yellow, 403. Warbler, Yellow-rumped, see Myrtle Warbler.

Whip-poor-will, 335, 365-367. Wilson’s Thrush, see Veery. Woodcock, 201, 209-212. Woodpeckers, 187. Woodpecker, Downy, 194-196. Woodpecker, Golden-winged, see Flicker. Woodpecker, Partridge, see Flicker. Woodpecker, Pigeon, see Flicker. Wren, House, 366. Wren, Winter, 248.

Yellowbird, Summer, 408-409. Yellowhammer, see Flicker. Yellowthroat, Maryland, 403, 410.

OUT-DOOR BOOKS BY “BARBARA”
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Transcriber’s Notes:

A few obvious typesetting errors have been corrected without note. Some illustrations have been moved slightly to keep paragraphs intact.

[End of _Gray Lady and the Birds_ by Mabel Osgood Wright]

End of Project Gutenberg's Gray Lady and the Birds, by Mabel Osgood Wright