Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-08-24
II ON MI\II.rLn

Tournament at Salem, Fauquier county. Y.
Tournament came oft Mt Salem. Fan.
uuier Oh Inst Tuesday, the 10th. winch
oclip srd nythinS OF tho kind ii ever WA.
our good fortune To witness.
At = o'clock. the hour appointed for III.
riding, very large crowd from all the p.
gion round about. hal assembled upon field
hard by the village. to Witness the lr:.t, If
horscnansIrip displayed by those who con.
tended with generous rivalry for the honor
of crowning the Queen Of Lovo and Bean.
ty."
When we arrived Mt the village We found
the Knights most OF whom were ia fancy
costume--sIttIng upon fiery chargers mpa
tent 10 bound with their knishtIy rider,
To the spot, where they would shver then,
lances ~ la mode" Of the time hunor,I
irusts. 4 short time ella sed er" the Deputy
Marshal gave the word. and of these uul.
luuts dashed at iull speed with their ra,ir,
aud ribbons waited 10 aud ira by the gentle
breeze, and were the observed Of all closer.
yers" rs they made several evolution, IN tho
presence of the iuIr. upon field which in
times gone by had been the track over which
the speed of many u we'll bred horse had been
tried.
After dashing round the field several
times. they were drawn zap III front ot the
fair daughters oi Salem and yIrinily. a. he
addressed by tho Marshal, MIR. K. IT, Car
ter, who had not Yet arrived. But. It va,
not long before that gentleman came da>hng
up, making t. the ladies most graceful Sau.
tatinns. ~ he passed Oh Ia deliver the charge
to the Knights. After reading the regula.
most chustc and handsome charge, which
did credit To his head aud heart. aud rctrn.
ell the applause 81 the crowd.
Now commenced the spirited contest
Eighteen kni sht. entered the list. Two
rings were suspended side by side, with u.t
space between to allow two Knights 10 tits
the same time.
When the riding MAS over, in which good
horscmanship and true knightly bearing
hnd been displayed. they were drawn up
once more in front of the ladies. some with
bouyant spirits. and u triumphant smile
playing over their cuuntcnanrcs, others, no
longer bright with expectation AMI mlulg-
ing the sweet hope that fortune would smile
on them, to "cruwn the Queen aud Maid, If
Honor" The following Knights wore sue
cesslui
.Kuight of the Cobl.r" Webster MAJ.
dux, esq. crowned Miss Strother, oil Eau.
qucr; 'Knigh, of The ,iirn." Richard Ilor-
IIrr, esq. chose Miss Spedin. Of Washing
ton, ID. c.. ~ lst Maid of Honor; "knigh,
of Lexington" &. Flowerrrr, esq, selected
Miss IIowison of Philadelphia, H. n Mad
of Honor Knight Of Monterey" Master L.
Rector. crowned Miss Fannie MnlIux, Of
fnuqucr, Sd Maid of Honor
These gentlemen won not their spurs III
MI easy contest. The riding was good; nni
tho manner in which this Tournament was
conducted made one think that the ancient
days Of chiynry had returned. Especially
did we think NJ. when Knight WAS seen
emerging from the woods with lance couchri,
proceeding Ia tho place where the Knights
were stationed, all Thought. like lvunhnc to
touch the shield of Brian peBois Guilhert,
and bear away the laurel, which the Knight
of the Cobler" had won. hut lowering his
lance he passed iuto the crowd aud became
"a mere locker on in Vienna"
Attor the browning Of the Indies was over,
the company proceeded u the nthle. winch
WAS covered with the choicest viundS, under
the spreading trees oi the forest, hard-hya
cool and refreshing fountain of water
When ample justice had been done these,
a thousand heart. beat happily, and when
Musi, rose with il. '"npiu"us swell
Soft eyes looked love Ia eyes that spnko ngniu,
Aud all wont merry a. IA marriage boil
Then the dancing commenced and was
kept up until.
'.Twights ,rn drwS stole over the village green,
With sober tints Ia harmonic the scene,
and To admouish the company tina; the 'r-uv
tiles of the day could no l"mgur be indulS"d
in. The greater portion "l the Company
proceeded To the village, To engage longer III
the mnhrs of the mystic dance. Altogether
it was one Of the most pleasant days We ever
spent. \ II seemed I" ENJOY themselves very
much. and 10 be highly pleased with the en-
tcrtainncnt given by the citizens Of Salem,
and surrounding country. \lATOR