The union Democrat., 1870-07-02
NUMBER A.
A West fola, cavalr, Driii.

| As the bad weather prevented any outdoor
review, in honor of his advent Yesterday. a
trooper drill was ordered at the riding school
at fivo Pm. To that building quite num-
Der of visitors, including most of the distin-
guished guests at the Point, repaired in
hacks and omnibuses, and ascended to the
rough galleries overlooking the interior.
| The hall is oblong in shape. laid with sa%-
dust and rooted with an arch sparining the
whole structure from sidewall to wall.
Around the sides below wainscot of boards
on end is constructed. slantng down and in
ward. thus preventing horse from siding
against the wall and crushing his riders
legs. On either side Of the hall three posts
are set-one opposite the center, under the
| :ta.lery. the other two near the angles at the
ends of the apartment. They are set about
six-feet from the wall, leaving just room
enough for horse and rider to pass between.
On the top of the first post near the ehgle,
is laid stuffed leather pad. of about the sizo
aud consistency ola boxing-glove. Midway
between that and the middle post, on the
ground. lies similar pad. From light
gallows-beam at the summit of the higher
middle post depends an iron ring. like that
at which the knights tilted at the recent
Brooklyn tournament. Midway on again,
between the middle post and the post stand
ing near the further angle, lies another pad,
and still another is laid on the further post
The pads represent the heads or hearts ef i'm
aginarv enemies on foot or kneelng the
ring the head of an enemy on horseback.
So, while making the circuit of the hall. q
rider encounters no less than four supposabls
foes on foot four kneeling with the bayonet,
or lodging his onslaught to the very ground.
and two on horseback--ten in NIL. This, as
shown by the exercises yesterday, keeps q
cavalryman busy.
The cadets, forty or fifty of them, seated
on their horses in two ranks facing each 9th
er from the opposite ends of tie hall, present.
ed, clad all in gray, a fine but rather Confed-
crate appearance. They wore sabers, revolv-
ers and spurs. Their horses, freshly groom
ed and oiled, showed glistening hides. A
young cavalry Lieutenant, on distracting
gray charger. directed them with clear. ring
ing commands. Twos at time-one riding
out to an angle of the hall. another to the op-
posite sngle-they rode at a gallop sround
the building, s'goiug for' the pads and rings.
at the first pad on the first post every cav
alryrnan fired with his pistol. Sheathing
and trusted to cold steel. Whackl went the
feet of the galloping horse. Clang rang the
blade against the ring, carving it awae.
Thud upon the next pad. Ping and the
pad on the farthest post was spitted aloft on
the point of the cadets saber. Soon round.
So rapid was the riding that soon the reports
of the revolvers and the clang of steel became
incessent. The atmosphere became impreg-
mated with powder smoke. The riders rode
through smudge. Hurdles were brought in.
Over them they went. carrying away the
rings as they leaped. By this time the hors-
es were reeking with sweat, which, minghng
with the oil of their toilets. made them as
slippery as creased pigs. the order to dis
mount was given. Off came the saddles and
saddle-cIoths. The animals were naked to
the brides. "Mount ~ and like Indians
the cadets sprang up in the air, and came
down sans saddles, sans stirrups. on the
horses bare backs. "Is felt" said one of
them afterward, 'as if / had straddled an
enormous eel" Again the order to ride was
given; the pistols rang out steel clashed
the hurdles cracked under rushing horses
hoofs-the horses going at their utmost speed
their riders keeping their seats superbly,
and cutting, thrusting and banging away.
The horses, excited to degree not surpassed
even in actual battle by this rack and run
ming, got so restive at last that some of the
cadets had opportunities to display their verv
best horsemanship. To the ladies in the GAL
leries the rearing and plunging of the steeds.
one or two of which tried the experiment of
falling in order to unship their clnging
freights, were especially pleasing. sus-
pect, by the way, that it is sheer nonsense.
the idea of American women being less "cru-
ell, as we call it, than the Spanish. Neither
are really fond of bloodshed or fatal acci-
dents at shows; it is the gallantry displayed
in the encounters of the ring or the tourna-
ment, the courage which in the worst 6an-
gers ennobles the persons in the plight. that
has the enthusiastic, not to say hysterical,
sympathy of lovely women in all lands.