The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-11-15

" MORNING. NOVEMBER 10. IL
The Norfolk Eair-rournament
Bali, &C.
]onnrsPospeScE or THE slcnxosD DAILY DISPATCH. !

NORFOLK, Nov. IL. 1855
In srite OF the threatening aspects Of wind and
ciond YESTERDAY mur0ias, a tide OF humanity com,
Henced, at ~ early hour. to flow toward tie Fair
uroonds, and by ~ O'Clock, several thousand had
Sathefed around the fence which eucloses the
track; about this time a light drizzIe rain COM
Deneed TO tail. The benches, which had been pro
sided Tor the ladies, soon became tTen ches. and
instead OF being seated they had to stand; IN the
meantime every available spot where there was
the slightest chance for a sight, was soon He'd:
by some mysterious process the ladies got on the
top 81 Chicken coops; the numerous boxes which
had contained goods were brough into re asiten,
and, Indeed, every available place was used as a
foot stool, and the ladies' with eager curiosity
mounted 10 see the sghts. The rain continued to
iai, Increasing in violence until about O'Clock,
Wh0o tue titt0g commenced. About this time
the Clouds had assumed darker hue, ''the rain
III torrents feli, and soon in spite OF the umbIei-
ias-whlch were distributed among them IN ratio
VI about oGe 10 ten-twO thousand ladies were
Veto Use hoinely expfeseton-a drowned
rats. Bonnets were spoiled, siiks we're ruined,
iaces lost their starch, and IL hour the great
est possible change had come over the assembly.
Numbers OF the ladies' were drepcbed, aud many
"A faif face which a short while befJfe had beeb
HE happy possessor Of a most brilliant color, had
no" lost the bloom OF the iose and was As pale as
the lily; Ia the meantime the ground had become
perfectly wet aud as muddy could well
imagine, aud after the fitting the neat little gai-
ters that had to be inserted to the tops in that
I'd a most deplorabie appearance.
AT the appointed hour the Knights rode up in
front OF the speakers nd received The charge
from Gen. Geo Blow. TIE Herald then announced
all things ready. aud
The TOURNAMENT commenced. The riding was
done in gallant style; tue chargers were fleet, anu
managed by skiiifui hands After the equestrian
dlsplay-duriAg which the Knights as we'll as ali
others, were wet thrvugh-t WAS announced that
Dr!Hopk De, OF Norfolk county, knight Of Castillo,
had tie first choice, ard WAS entitled to select
the Queen of Love aud Beauty. This right the
Doctor then waived in favor OF Lieut.. Jno. Saun-
dere, L. ). A, Knight OF the Army. Dir. Hopkins
reserved the right Of selecting the first 3tald o1
Honor, which he subsequently waived i'll favor Of
E. smith, Esq, the Kuisnt Of The BiancO-y.AZuIe or
" nIte and Blue Mr. Wright, Knight OF the Silver
Cross, was eEtitItd 90 name the second Maid Of
Houor, and Mr. Ferguson Goodridge, Knight OF
Isanhoe, the third Maid of Honor. The Knights
were all handsomely dress. 10 appropriate cos
tune, and formed an imposing cavacad as they
rode around the track.
After the Tournament, then commenced the Mud
Carnival. Ab"ut Two thousand iades of All sizes
ages and conditions, with hardly dry thread upon
them, commenced TO wade through the mud
hundreds of them had walked out, while the same
hacks had broUgh. out from Dozen to twenty
loads, and of course there was nothing like yeh-
cles enough for ODetenth OF them-aud Of ali
sights we have ever seen. it beat all. Some Of the
fair ones we're spienddiy attred when they came
out; but the cloves Of bOnnets' were shapeless
masses; the magnificent silks presented the ap
pearance Of having been washed in mud puddle,
and many belle of AL hour before, might now
have been mistaken for "Biddy" of the kitchen.
In consequence OF tie continued rain, the selec-
Jions were not made on the ground, but postponed
until night, when they were made at Johnsons
Assembly Room, at O'Clock that evening The
knight of the Army selected Miss Fannie Keer as
Queen The Knight OF the Btdnc0-y -Azute named
Miss Annie Ward, fret Maid uf Honor Tue
Knight of the Silver Cross named Miss White,
head, of Suffolk, as second, and the Knight Of
tveuhoC named Miss Amelia Booker third. After
these seiectioas were made, the company formed
On either siGe of the hall Miss keer entered,
eaniug Oh the arm Of the kuight Of the Army;
the Knight of tie Bldnco Azuls followed i'll The
resr, wiki large white satin cushion, On which
rested a magnificent crown. VUIandt's band
struck up mach, aud the trio advanced to the
toot Of the hail. where the coronation took place
Another cushion, similar to the one ou which the
crown rested, was placed at the feet of the beau.
titai girl, who stood in natchess beauty riS-a ris
20 the audience, ready 10 receive the honors The
hnIsht OF the Army Low took the cushion Oh
which the crown rested, and said
Beauteous lady-lt is with profound pride and
pleasure, that the honor has devolved on me to
crown You il the presence of this brilliant Assem-
biage, Queen of Love and Beauty All hearts.pre>
sent will bow with homage to the magic of your
charms, and joyously welcome as their sovereign
whose genial smiles will be ever ready 10
fuake them happy. Permit ne to place this
crown ou your far brow, aud may it ever be- aA
unc!ouded as on this festive night, is the ardent
prayer of your kugh, and the subjects who sur
round you.
The fair girl then kneeled and the Knight OF
the Army placed upon her brow the iusgnis
which denoted her the sovereign of the occasion
This was the beginning OF brilliant fe:e. whoge
pleasures will linger in the memory of many a
ialI belle and gallant beau.
The SUPPER was furnished by Mr.. B. Pedd,e of
the C0mmerciei House, and was a most brilliant
triumph of the caterers art. Never have We seen
30 insignificant a table spread, before: ard when
We tel! you that 1t cost nearly one thousand dol
lars you can form some idea OF it. The committee
Of Arrangements, certainly deserve credit tor the
laanuer in which they have discharged their
duties.
The FLORAL DECORATION of the Hall, was done
by Dir. Johu Shauks u this city, i'll d most beauti-
iui STYLE and the two hundred bouquets from his
establishment, were one of the beautiful fs D.
lures of the tcte.
The stage was handsomely decorated with vari-
ousfare and exquisite exotic and native plants:
all Of which had beeu arranged by a master haud,
producing most beautiful effect. The Bail vas
the most brilliant affair ever gotten up in Virginia
1t having b6en the am Of the committee to eclipse
ali others ever attempted before in the South
Among the large number Of visitors on the
ground, noticed Ex-President Tyler Mayur
rownes, Of Petersburg, Col. Joseph Scott. of tha
same place, Gen. Vim. Ii. Richardson, Of Rich
mond, and a number of distinguished gentlemen
from North Carolina.
IL is a matter Of serious regret that the weather
was 80 unpleasant, as both the Executive Com
mltteesot Fair aud Ball had made every propara-
tiou requisite for a good, comfortable time.
The weather this morning is clear and the skies
are as bright and Tree from clouds il it had never
rained. The great trotting match comes off to-day
alter which, the st0W mule race, which has been
gotten up expressly for fun; purse of twenty
dollars is to De given to The last donkey which
comes in, and an exciting time is expected.
PERCUSSION.
Corn-E Virstnia-snos.