Old Glory: the story we're wanting to hear Is what the plain facts of your christening were-- For your name--just to hear it, Repeat it, and cheer it, 's tang to the spirit As salt as a tear;-- And seeing you fly, and the boys marching by, There's a shout in the throat and a blur in the eye And an aching to live for you always--or die, If dying, we still keep you waving on high. And so, by our love For you, floating above, And the scars of all wars and the sorrows thereof, Who gave you the name of Old Glory, and why Are we thrilled at the name of Old Glory? Then the old banner leaped, like a sail in the blast, And fluttered an audible answer at last. And it spake, with a shake of the voice, and it said: By the driven snow-white and the living blood-red Of my bars, and their heaven of stars overhead-- By the symbol conjoined of them all, skyward cast, As I float from the steeple, or flap at the mast, Or droop o'er the sod where the long grasses nod-- My name is as old as the glory of God. ... So I came by the name of Old Glory. _James Whitcomb Riley_ WE'LL KEEP OLD GLORY FLYING _Song_ We'll keep Old Glory flying fair, No matter where we are; We'll let the breeze caress each stripe And proudly kiss each star. 'Twill never know the despot's heel, This Banner of the Free. We'll keep Old Glory flying high, For Home and Liberty! No matter where we go, or when, No matter where we go, Our starry flag in grandeur proud, To us the way will show. On foreign shores, afar from home, We'll carry it on high, And let the foeman know its might-- To honor it or die. _Carleton S. Montanye_ OUR COUNTRY'S FLAG _Song_ Beneath our country's flag today, We stand a children's band, And to it now in loyalty We pledge each heart and hand. We love its colors as they wave Beneath these summer skies, The flag our fathers fought to save Is sacred in our eyes. Our country's flag, the dear old flag, To it, ev'ry heart beats true! We will follow far each gleaming star, Our own red, white and blue. 'Neath each clust'ring fold, as in days of old, It will gather those oppressed, And secure from harm and from all alarm, It will bid them safely rest. To its slightest call, we will rally all; Ev'ry pledge it makes to keep; And it leads us forth over lands afar, O'er the ocean's blue so deep. _Florence L. Dresser_ OLD FLAG