Hiding the Flag-Female Artifice. The Federal commander at Camp Herron, Missouri, having learned that a certain very fine secession flag that waved defiantly from a flagstaff in the village of Manchester, twenty miles distant from the camp, (until the successes of the Union forces caused its supporters to conclude that, for the present, "discretion would be the better part of valor,") was still being very carefully preserved, its possessors boasting that they would soon be enabled to re-hoist it; determined upon its summary capture.

On the 15th of November, 1861, First Lieutenant Bull, of Company C, Ninth Iowa regiment, was directed to take charge of this little expedition, and to detail fifteen good men for the purpose, which detail the Lieutenant made from Company C.

They left camp by the cars at half-past five o'clock in the afternoon, landing at Merrimac, three miles from Manchester, proceeding from thence to Manchester on foot, and surrounded the house of Squire B., who had been foremost in the secession movement of that strong secession town, and was reported to be in possession of the flag in question.

der, conducted by the gallant Lieutenant, started to visit the residence of Mrs. S., in search of the flag.

The distance to the lady's residence was soon traveled, the house surrounded, and the flag demanded of Mrs. S., who proved to be a very intelligent lady, and had around her quite an interesting family. The lady replied to the demand, that she would like to see the person who stated that she took the flag from Esquire B―'s ; that as to its whereabouts she had nothing to say; that the Lieutenant could search her house, and if he could find any thing that looked like a flag, he was welcome to it. Accordingly, a thorough search was made, in which the lady and her daughter aided, but no flag was to be found. The lady then thanked the officer for the gentlemanly manner in which the search had been conducted, and added that she trusted he was satisfied. He replied that he was quite satisfied that she had the flag, and that it would have been far better for her to have yielded it; but as she did not, as unpleasant as the task was, he should-arrest her and take her to head-quarters at Pacific City.

But the 'Squire protested against the Two men were then dispatched for a imputation, declaring that the flag was not carriage with which to convey the lady to in his possession, and that he knew not of Merrimac, and from thence the lady was its whereabouts. His lady acknowledged informed that she would be sent by railthat she had for a time kept it secreted in road. She accordingly made preparation a box in the garden, but as it was likely to go, but after an hour had elapsed in to become injured, she took it out, dried waiting for the carriage, the lady again it in the sun, when it was taken away by demanded the name of the informants, some ladies who lived a long distance and when told that it was Mrs. B., and in the country, whose names she refused that Esquire B. was already in custody, to give. Finally, after a thorough but she then asked whether any indignity fruitless search of the house, after the would have been offered to her had the Lieutenant had put her husband under arrest, and he was being started off to head-quarters, the lady, probably hoping it would save her husband, acknowledged that it was taken by a Mrs. S., who resided a mile and a half in the country,not such a terribly long distance, after all. "Will you pledge your honor," said she, Her husband was then sent to Merrimac," that if I surrender the flag I shall not escorted by four soldiers, and the remain- be arrested, nor my family disturbed.

flag been found in her possession. To this the courteous Lieutenant replied:

"Certainly not, Madam; our object with Esquire B. was his arrest and the capture of the flag; but with you, our object was the flag."

"You will not be arrested, nor your to fight. He explained how this feeling family disturbed."

"I wish you to understand, Sir, that no fear of arrest or trouble would ever have made me surrender that flag; but 'Squire B.'s family induced me to take that flag to save them from trouble, saying that it should be a sacred trust, known only to ourselves, and I consequently surrender it."

She then went to a bed that had been fruitlessly searched, took from it a quilt, and with the aid of her daughters, proceeded to open the edges of the quilt, and cut the stitches through the body of it, and pulled off the top, when, behold! there lay the mammoth flag next to the cotton, being carefully stitched twice and nearly a half across the quilt. When taken out and spread, it proved to be a magnificent flag, over twenty-one feet in length, and nearly nine feet in width, with fifteen stars to represent the prospective Southern Confederacy.

was fostered by the politicians of the South, and how the feelings of the North were represented there, and stated that almost his sole object in coming to Boston was to ascertain for himself whether the facts were as they had been represented. He was evidently surprised to find the anti-slavery poet "so mild a mannered man," and confessed that, generally, he did not perceive that the feeling of the North toward the South was so bitter and unfriendly as he had been led to expect He had received nothing but civility and courtesy, and admitted that Southerners generally received the same treatment.

Finally, Whittier, after attending him to some of the places of resort interesting to a stranger, told him that, as he was now here, he might as well see the worst of the anti-slavery phase of Northern fanaticism

as the fashionable phrase was,—and proposed to visit Garrison. The planter consented, and so they turned their steps to the Liberator office, where they found Garrison, Wendell Phillips, and Fred. Douglass, and there they enjoyed a "precious season of conversation." Would it not have been a sight worth seeing-that conclave in the Liberator office, with Garrison, Whittier, Phillips, Douglass, and the Alabama planter, in the foreground? The planter went to his home a wiser, and perhaps a sadder man, than he came, for, after hearing all that was said, he protested that all he could do, while mourning for the condition of the country, was to pray over it.

Hoisting the American Flag on Independ

ence Hall by President Lincoln.

About the time of the breaking out of the rebellion, John G. Whittier, the Massachusetts anti-slavery Quaker and poet, met with an Alabama planter in Boston, who expressed a desire to converse with On the twenty-second of February, him, and an interview took place, during 1861,-the anniversary of Washington's which there was a free interchange of birthday,-the interesting ceremony of views and opinions concerning the events raising the glorious flag of the American of the day. The planter frankly acknowl- Union was performed in Philadelphia, opedged that there was in the South a strong posite Independence Hall, by President feeling of hate toward the North and Lincoln, then on his way to be inaugurated Northern men, and they were determined at Washington.

Just in front of the main entrance to gave renown and celebrity to this Hall, the State House, and but a few feet from cherishing that fraternal feeling which has the sacred hall of liberty, a large platform so long characterized us as a nation, exhad been erected for the President-elect cluding passion, ill-temper, and precipitate to stand upon before the people, while he raised the starry banner of the republic. The elevation, nearly six feet, enabled a vast multitude to observe everything enacted thereon. The front and sides of the stage were wrapped around with an American flag, while lesser flags floated from the stanchions.

Before the flag was raised prayer was offered, and in reply to words of welcome addressed to Mr. Lincoln on behalf of the city, through its chosen orator, the President spoke as follows:

EMANCIPATION
Lincoln.

action on all occasions, I think we may promise ourselves that not only the new star placed upon that flag shall be permitted to remain there to our permanent prosperity for years to come, but additional ones shall from time to time be placed there, until we shall number, as was anticipated by the great historian, five hundred millions of happy and prosperous people. With these remarks, I proceed to the very agreeable duty assigned me."

The excitement was of a fearful character when the President-elect seized the rope to hoist the flag of the country to the crest of the staff over the State House. The souls of all seemed starting from their eyes, and every throat was wide. The shouts of the people were like the roar of waves which do not cease to break. For full three minutes the cheers continued. The expression of the Presidentelect was that of silent solemnity. His long arms were extended. Each hand alternately pulled at the halyards, and a bundle of bunting, tri-colored, which had never been kissed by the wind before, slowly rose and unfurled itself gracefully aloft. If the shouting had been fearful and tumultuous before, it became absolutely maniacal now. From the smallest urchin to the tall form which rivaled the President's in compass of chest and length of limb, there rose a wild cry,-reminding one of some of the storied shouts which rang among the Scottish hills in the days of clans and clansmen. Suddenly, when the broad bunting had reached the summit of the mast, it unrolled at once in all its amplitude, and blazed magnificently in the sunlight which then spread so brightly upon its gorgeous folds. At the

"Fellow Citizens,-I am invited and called before you to participate in raising above Independence Hall the flag of our country, with an additional star upon it. I propose now, in advance of performing this very pleasant and complimentary duty, to say a few words. I propose to say that when that flag was originally raised here, it had but thirteen stars. I wish to call your attention to the fact that, under the blessing of God, each additional star added to that flag has given additional prosperity and happiness to this country, until it has advanced to its present condition; same moment the band struck up the and its welfare in the future, as well as in 'Star Spangled Banner,' and a cannon the past, is in your hands. Cultivating ranged in the square sent up peal after the spirit that animated our fathers, who peal. Mr. Lincoln was then escorted to

his hotel, and in a short time the crowd | The other morning, at the breakfast had melted away.

table, when I, an unobserved spectator, happened to be present, Calhoun was obHomage to the Flag by an Eagle. served to gaze frequently at his right hand, While they were hoisting the Stars and and brush it with his left, in a hurried Stripes over the officers' headquarters at and nervous manner. He did this so Camp Curtin, near Harrisburgh, Penn., in often that it excited attention. At length the spring of 1861, and just as the men one of the persons composing the breakhad seized the halyards, a large eagle, fast party-his name I think is Toombs, that came from no one knew where, hov- and he is a member of Congress from ered over the flag, and sailed majestically Georgia-took upon himself to ask the over the encampment, while the flag was occasion of Mr. Calhoun's disquietude. Thousands of eyes were up-"Does your hand pain you?" he asked of Mr. Calhoun. To this Mr. Calhoun replied, in rather a hurried manner.

run up.

Homage to the Flag by an Eagle.

turned in a moment, and as the noble bird looked down, the cheers of three thousand men rent the air! Never was such ovation paid the "Imperial Bird of Jove." It lingered for a few moments, apparently not a particle frightened at the terrific noise, then, cleaving the air with its pinions, disappeared in the horizon.

"Pshaw! it is nothing but a dream I had last night, and which makes me see perpetually a large black spot, like an ink blotch, upon the back of my right hand; an optical illusion, I suppose."

Of course these words excited the curiosity of the company, but no one ventured to beg the details of this singular dream, until Toombs asked quietly:

"What was your dream like? I am not very superstitious about dreams; but sometimes they have a great deal of truth in them."

"But this was such a peculiarly absurd dream," said Mr. Calhoun,-again brush-ing the back of his right hand; "however, if it does not intrude too much on the time of our friends, I will relate it to you."

Of course the company were profuse in: their expressions of anxiety to know all

about the dream, and Mr. Calhoun related it:

Strange Blotch on Calhoun's Right Hand. "At a late hour last night, as I was sit-Notwithstanding the long period-some ting in my room, engaged in writing, I thirty years which has elapsed since the was astonished by the entrance of a visfollowing political narrative was given to itor who, without a word, took a seat opthe world, it has still a fresh interest, and posite me at my table. This surprised me, all the more striking in view of events as I had given particular orders to the serwhich have come upon the American na- vant that I should on no account be distion in these later years. The 'unob- turbed. The manner in which the intruserved spectator' whose pen made record der entered, so perfectly self-possessed, of the scene here described, was a verita- taking his seat opposite me without a word, ble eye-witness of the same: as though my room and all within it be

longed to him, excited in me as much sur- will sign my name to the Declaration of prise as indignation. As I raised my head Dissolution.' But at that moment a black to look into his features, over the top of blotch appeared on the back of my hand, my shaded lamp, I discovered that he was which I seem to see now. What is that?' wrapped in a thin cloak, which effectually said I, alarmed, I know not why, at the concealed his face and features from my blotch on my hand. That,' said he, view; and as I raised my head, he spoke, dropping my hand, is the mark by which What are you writing, senator from South Benedict Arnold is known in the next Carolina?' I did not think of his imper- world.' He said no more, gentlemen, but tinence at first, but answered him volun- drew from beneath his cloak an object tarily, 'I am writing a plan for the disso- which he laid upon the table-laid upon lution of the American Union.' (You the very paper on which I was writing. know, gentlemen, that I am expected to This object, gentlemen, was a skeleton. produce a plan of dissolution in the event There,' said he, 'there are the bones of of certain contingencies.) To this the in- Isaac Hayne before you-he was a South truder replied in the coolest manner possi- Carolinian, and so are you. But there ble, Senator from South Carolina, will was no blotch on his right hand.' With you allow me to look at your hand, your these words the intruder left the room. I right hand?' He rose, the cloak fell, and started back from the contact with the I beheld his face. Gentlemen, the sight dead man's bones and—awoke. Overof that face struck me like a thunder clap. come by labor, I had fallen asleep, and It was the face of a dead man, whom ex- had been dreaming. Was it not a singutraordinary events had called back to life. lar dream?" The features were those of General GEORGE WASHINGTON. He was dressed in the Revolutionary costume, such as you see in the Patent office."

6

All the company answered in the affirmative, and Toombs muttered, "Singular, very singular,” and at the same time looked curiously at the back of his right hand, while Mr. Calhoun placed his head between his hands and seemed buried in

Here Mr. Calhoun paused, apparently agitated. His agitation, I need not tell you, was shared by the company. Toombs thought. at length broke the embarrassing pause—

"Well what was the issue of this Firm Devotion of a Loyal Southern Woman scene?"

Mr. Calhoun resumed:

to the Colors.

A finely independent and successful "The intruder, as I have said, rose and stand was taken by a woman in New asked to look at my right hand, as though Orleans, on behalf of the Union, in the I had not the power to refuse. I extend- dawning days of rebellion. She and her ed it. The truth is, I felt a strange thrill husband, a Mississippi steamboat captain, pervade me at his touch; he grasped it occupied the middle front room of the and held it near the light, thus affording lowest range of sleeping apartments in full time to examine every feature. It the St. Charles Hotel, at the time when was the face of WASHINGTON! After the city was to be illuminated in honor holding my hand for a moment, he looked of secession. She refused to allow the at me steadily, and said in a quiet way, illuminating candles to be fixed in the ‘And with this right hand, senator from South Carolina, you would sign your name to a paper declaring the Union dissolved?' I answered in the affirmative. 'Yes,' I said, if a certain contingency arises, I entire control.

windows of her room, and the proprietors remonstrated in vain-she finally ordering them to leave the room, of which she claimed, while its occupant, to have the