I perceived that the captain made one of the company you were in."

"Indeed!" she said with a merry little laugh. "I am afraid I hoped I had
grown and improved more than that would seem to imply."

"But you are still as proud as ever of being an American, and as proud of
your Stripes and Stars?" he remarked enquiringly and with an amused smile.

"Yes, most emphatically, yes," she replied, lifting her eyes to the flag
floating overhead, "I still think it the most beautiful banner ever flung
to the breeze."

"And I suppose--from its constant display here, there, and
everywhere--that that must be the idea of Americans in general," remarked
Miss Austin in a slightly sneering tone. "I must say I have--naturally, I
suppose,--a far greater admiration for England's flag, yet I should not
want to see it so ostentatiously displayed on all occasions as yours is."

Lucilla colored, but was silent, fearing she might speak too warmly in
defence of her favorite banner should she attempt a reply; but Chester
took it up.

"Miss Austin must remember," he said, speaking in calm, polite tones,
"that ours is a very large country, to which immigrants from other lands
are constantly flocking; and they, as well as the ignorant among
ourselves, need to have constantly kept before them the fact that we,
though spread over so many States, form but one nation; for otherwise our
Union could not be maintained; we must continually impress upon all our
people that this one glorious nation is never to be separated into parts;
and the flag is the emblem of our Union; a symbol that is unmistakable;