Page 4 - MWC 4-20-2023s

The Midwest Cattleman · April 20, 2023 · P4

A long-time customer called We don't let her touch the
this afternoon from a little ground,
place in Western Kansas. After And we fold her up right.
we had finished our business, On second thought
which was the main reason for I *do* like to brag
his call, he paused for a short Cause I'm mighty proud of
time and said, “I know you're That Ragged Old Flag"
not supposed to brag but here
is something that I thought
you might find interesting.
“I've been married to one My favorite Line is:
woman, I’ve gone to one church, “...she's been through the fire before
dealt with one bank, lived in one house…” he went on – the list and I believe she can take a whole lot more.”
was long. (I can't remember the rest.) Then he said it again – “I I'm just not sure how much more.
guess you're not supposed to brag.” Where can we look for hope in this difficult time? Besides
“Roger,” I said, “I’ve always heard that as long as you're stat- looking to our Creator, as many before us have done, we can
ing facts - it’s not bragging – it’s simply the truth. And even if it also look to one another. Men like Roger and women like his
is bragging, it sounds to me like you’ve earned the right.” steadfast wife of over fifty years, whom he lost just recently,
His words reminded me of another story - a song by Johnny who were willing to work hard, worship, and stay committed
Cash: to one another and their community for half a century through
thick-n-thin are what made this country great. Men and
I walked through a county courthouse square women of character. The kind that would always ‘bring the flag
On a park bench, an old man was sittin' there. down slow every night’ and never ‘let her touch the ground’.
I said, "Your old court house is kinda run down, You know some of them.
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town". Nothing short of the same will keep our country great (or
I said, "Your old flag pole has leaned a little bit, make it great again) – a place where we’d want our children
And that's a ragged old flag you got hangin' on it". and grandchildren to live. If you know some folks like that,
He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down, brag on them! No doubt they have earned it. Anyway, as long
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town" as you're stating facts - it’s not bragging.
I said, "I think it is"
He said "I don't like to brag, but we're kinda proud of KwC
That Ragged Old Flag

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
and It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat
watching it,
writing "Say Can You See"
It got a bad rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson
tugging at its seams.
and It almost fell at the Alamo
beside the Texas flag,
But she waved on though.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville,
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on
That Ragged Old Flag

"On Flanders Field in World War I,
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun,
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp, and low, a time or two,
She was in Korea and Vietnam, She went where she was sent
by her Uncle Sam.
She waved from our ships upon the briny foam
and now they've about quit wavin' her back here at home
in her own good land here She's been abused,
She's been burned, dishonored, denied an' refused,
And the government for which she stands
Has been scandalized throughout out the land.
And she's getting thread bare, and she's wearin' thin,
But she's in good shape, for the shape she's in.
Cause she's been through the fire before
and I believe she can take a whole lot more.

"So we raise her up every morning
And we bring her down slow every night,