Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-05-28
MisttlIanv.
THE KNIGHT
MESCHIANZA.

Two scenes from the past two
scenes from the dim shadows of Rev.
olutionary romance. One is q scene
Of light-the other of gloom.
The first scene took place when
those "dear, delightful, red coats I"
were in Philadelphia and while Ben
edict Arnold was canfned to his room,
in the city of New Haven, with the
wounds of Saratoga.
The other scene occurred more than
a year afterwards, when Benedict
Arnold was in command at West
Point.
Yonder, on the outskirts of Phila-
delphia, stands an old house, with the
marks of decay about its roof, its win
dows and walls. An old house, with
scattered tenements and broken can
non all around it. Not long ago,
fallen into utter neglect, it was occu-
pied as a coach-shop; now is crowd.
ed with the young faces, the busy
hum Of a common school.
There was time when that old
house was a lordly palace, with one
wide green lawn stretching away
from the hall-door for L0 a mile,
away to the brink Of the broad Della
ware.
There was night when that house
shook to the tread of warriors, and
the steps of dancers-when every
tree along that wide lawn shone with
lights ON every bough. Yes. a night,
a banquet was given there by the
officers of Sir William Howe, in hon
or of his glorious victory Victory |!
Yes, in honor of the fact that he had
not been worse beaten by Mister
Washington.
All, it was a glorious night. A
midnight sky above, and light and
glitter below. Then gondolas freight
ed with beauty, glided over the wa.
ters, flashing streams Of light along
dark waves. Then the gallant Off.
GERS put off their red coats to put on
armor and helmet, like knights of old,
and gay tournament, with heralds,
and plumes, and stecds, and banners,
flashed over the wide lawn.
Let US for moment look in upon
the tournament.
In yonder balcony, on the southern
side of the lawn-that balcony, over
hung with the blood-red banner, fes-
tooned with fowers-is crowded one
living mass of womanly beauty.
Blue eyes and hazel, eyes dark as
midnight or soft and languishing as
June, there mingle their glance in one
blaze Of light. There You behold the
tender forms Of girl-hood. the mature
bust Of womanhood, there crowded
into the view, you see all that is like
the ruby or the rose on womaD's lip.
like the summer dawn on her cheek,
like the deep stars Of night in her eye.
These are the flowers of the aristoc.
racy, assembled in one group of love-
liness, to grace the Meschianza Of Sir
William Howe.
Meschianza That is Q strange
word, what does it meani can
not tell you, but my mind is somewhat
impressed with the fancy of its Hin
doc origin. Yes, it is possibly deri.
we'd from some Sanscrit word, and
signifies to be glad at not being beat.
en-. to be exceedingly joyful on limit.
ed victories, to be thankful that ones
neck is safe. That is the only deriva.
tion could ever find for Meschianza
Below the balcony spread the seat
OF the tournament. There, at one end
through the trees. you see the palace
like a funeral fire, with lights, and
yonder, far down the lawn, the broad
Delaware glimmers into view.
Hold your breath /; the tournamen,
is ready to begin. From these groups
Of Knights at either end Of the lists
two cavaliers sally forth and confront
each other. One in armor of plated
gold. mounted on dark steed, with
a black plume shadowing his brow
The other on that milk white steed. is
cased from head to foot, in armor ofaz
ure steel. A white plume tosses from
his brow.
Now hold your breath, for they
come laundering on. On. on, over the
green lawn, on each others breasts
on with the leveled lance.
There is pause--they crash togeth
er-Dow there is moment of doubt
but now--look.l | How the white scarf,
from yon gallery wave like snow
fakes on the air.
The Knight of the dark steed i.
down; but the knight in armo
of azure steel, mounted on |
milk-white steed. rides round the list
in triumph, with his snowy plume tos
sing as he goes.