The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-09-19
TIE TOURNAMENT.

a day in which the herolsm Of the opaque
ages was celebrated, and the gaily capari,
soned Knight and his careering steed, with
lance and plume, and all the paraphernalia
of Knight errantry, were reproduced. To
be sure, the post of danger was not found in
this modern arena, but there was the same
mad rush of the steed, spurred to his ut
most speed by his gaily decked rider, with
couched lance and nerves all strung for the
imaginary shock. Neither was the gallant
charger rolled in the dust and his rider
hurled prone on the bloody sward with
lance thrust through his body, or helmet
and skull cleft by the battle-axe; but our
cultivated nerves of the present day, ten
der as exotic plants, could not stand such
rugged scenes as gloritied the lists of those
old iron framed knights, and SO all these
rude experiences are wisely left out of the
modern tournament.
In the language of the reporters of SELL
sation papers, the day was all that could
be desired, and a canopy of clouds over
hung the sky, which for SO many weeks
previous had beamed like FURNISHED brass,
with here and there rift, which gave
assurance that the brewing rain would be
withheld till the days pleasure had crown
ed the expecting audience, and the victori-
GUS Knight his blushing Queen.
At an early hour the streets Of the town
began to be thronged with an eager and
curious crowd, which gathered from all
quarters on foot, on horseback and in car
riages. The gay Knights began to show
themselves in their gaudy apparel, and
were regarded with open mouthed wonder
by the denizens of the field and brake,
while the marshals, with sanguinary look
ing sashes, galloped hither and thither
with the ostensible purpose of organizing
somebody, never discovering that they
alone, of all the throng, were in disorder.
At 1O:45 the train brought Ritchie's band,
which added to the sensation as they made
their appearance on the streets in gay uni
forms, amid the bray of trumpets and rat
tie of drums.
the Odd Fellows Hall. of Knights and
marshals, with the musicians on foot in the
advance, followed by long string of car
riages, which stirred up dust, the like of
which has not been seen in Elkton since
Howe and Mcpherson led their British and
Hessians through the old town to the con-
quest of Philadelphia. The track of this
army of fair women and brave men was
marked by the yellow clouds of dust, to
the field, on which deeds that can never
die, performed by the old heroes of the
iron age, were to be commemorated, in a
spirit that best BELTS the temper and be-
comes the time" with dainty hands that
set in rest the harmless lance to pierce sus-
pended rings, Uice the mighty arms of old,
which welded the ponderous mace and
hurled the iron spear.
The field where the lists were formed
was the race course about three-fourths of
mile from town, where the stand, arches
and seats had been previously arranged.
To secure a good position to witness the
exciting sport, some carriages had been
placed on the ground at daybreak, so eager
were some of the expectant spectators.
The concourse Of persons gathered on the
ground by the time the performance was
to commence, was estimated as high as
two thousand, but the count of tickets sold,
indicated that the crowd numbered about
one thousand.
G. W. Crukshank, Esq. had been select
ed as Orator of the day, and the Knights
having been formed by the "officer of the
day" in front of the Judges stand, the
Orator was introduced by Dr.. Tuft, Off
ciating Marshal, when neat address was
delivered to them, in which the rise and
decline of chivalry was reviewed; and its
advantages to the cause of civilization, its
efforts in behalf of christianity, and the
power it exerted in lifting out of degrade
ton and exalting and honoring woman,
were sketched in we'll timed speech, and
which we regret our space is too limited to
publish in full. After the Grafton, which
consumed from a half to three quarters of
an hour, the men Of the lance had the
rules which were to govern the tournament
read to them, and they were ordered to
run a preliminary tilt to open the exhibi-
ton. We give below the names Of the
Marshals, whose business it was to arrange
and direct the performance, and those of
the Knights, with the chivalric nom de
plume of each, and the score made in the
fitting.
List of J Judges:
WILLIAM WARD, TOWNSEND POOLE,
c. MCCULLoUGH, n. p. MANLEY,
H. r. MCCULLOUGH, r. G. LEWIS,
H. d. M. HOWARD.
Chief Marshal:
EDWARD SwEETAPPLE.
Assistant Marshals
DIR. ]. H. LAMAR and DR.. r. II. TUFT.
Field Marshals:
IHOs. CRUIKSHANK, X. Il. LAMAR,
ARTHUR CHILLEs, DR.. t. WoRRELL,
GEORGE BoUCHEILE, THOMAS WARD.
w. S. POTTER, DR.. r. F. TULL,
d. T. STRICKLAND, ALT. WETHERILL,
DR. G. HENRY WIN. GRANT,
GEORGE RowAND