The New York herald., 1875-01-28
BARNUM'S CHEVALIERS.


TEsT-No BLOOD spuLED-THE sAwDUsr
CHAMPION.
A tournament in the nineteenth century and in
the city OF New York ls as uncommon as white
b.ackblrd. OF course. there are billiard tourna-
ments and chess tournaments, and also tOurna
ments where congresses OF women meet for pur-
poses Oh mutual Jaw; but real
flesh and blood tournament. where men en-
counter each other piooded horses In chain
armor and with long asnen lanccs in the shock OF
combat Is never seen nowadays. And even the
so-caled tourney. which was Seen at Barnums
HippOdrome last evening, where the "knights"
tilted at rings hanging from wooden cranks OH
the mock race course, is an uncommon thing TO
see IN these days OF stern reality.
II was announced in the usual way on the Hip
podrome bills tnat "eight Southern gentlemen"
would engage In the tournament, and they were
named respectively after the states that taey
chose 10 representative Knight OF New York.
color green Knight OF Georgia, coiors white and
blue Knight Of Florida color orange; Knight OF
Texas, colors red and white; Knight OF Della
ware. color white; knight OF Virginia, color blue;
Knight Of tennessee, color red; and Knight OF
Maryland, colors blue and orange.
The writer oil this was asked TO 60 behind the
scenes, whicn exist In the Hippodrome as in other
places OF amusement and there behold the
knights in al their glory OF chivary hlving their
armor put by their right trusty aud valiant
squires. The first man introduced to the writer
was an individual IN half armor, and wearing the
order oil the Golden Fleece around his neck. whlcn
he said nao been given TO him by PlZZaro for killing
q sick Peruvian. Ihc reporter questioned this
gentleman and he SAID that he was the knight Of
Rhode Island, but lnat he was not IN the tourna-
ment, because OF the prejudice against him, being
such q splendid rider All around there
smell or the stable. and elephants AMI
cames ana girafes were dash!ng in ana out with
/
doublets and silKen hose and velvet pourpolnts
mere a Mas penIu as Of PeeS mock X ye
phraseology and Seventeenth ward 'chn muslc'
nereIthat was truly amusing to the uninitia ed
dark .Inu. tached and pleasant looking gentleman,
whose name was afterwards discovered TO be
Thomas, came up as the writer was standing be-
tween KICKING nustaug ana Daby elephant IN
absolute iear OF beng pressed into squasned beeI,
ana the KnI2nt OF Rhode Island, VINO seemed TO
have grudge agalnst every body, said -
.Thls Is TIE Constable de BOURBON, but you must
not tnins from his name that ne drinks. Not BY
any means. He was Grand Balm TO the Duke OF
Bretagne Tor SIX years before ne TOOK to the saw
dust. Were you not the noble Constable ~
The Constable ue BOuroOn-lt Is as you say,
good Knight, by my nahdone; and, gaczooks.
would tlat had stoup OF Canaries or a butt or
Malmsley TO wash The dust OUT Of lny tnroat; An.
IL was not thus when we fought under sir Walter
Mariny and sacked PerugIa; was 1t, Sir Hankr
Disappointed knight OF Rhode lsiand-You
are right II was not. But DON'T you think that
schooner oi lager would suit you better than q
stoup ol CanaIies, noble Constable l hear tnat
you were a tough man at the sack OF Rome, but
Id never believe that you had lett your oeer.
tHere the baby elephant made flank movement,
and the Knight OF tnode Island whose real name
Is Jim GOodwln. went nard a-port to get out or
tue way or the mammoth ieet. each OF which
would Ill large iced pail comic ably.)
1t was down in the programme that the success
1ul kng gnt who carried away the prize IN the tour
ney would be crowned by the Queen OF Love and
Beauty, ana 1t was suggested W the Constable dc
Bourbon tDat a vlst should be paid TO her Majesty
III the greenroom, where her ladies', pages and
MAIDS OF nOnOr were IN waiting. SIR Jin who
was very angry that lie was not allowed TO ride,
prececed ana TIE valiant Constable and the
writer followed. III the greenroom the Queen,
Miss Ella O'Grady, who had few minutes be-
lore won the Greek chariot race, was lound. sur
rounded by her ma.Gens and cavaliers. Mss
O'Grady Is a tail blonde on Wednesdays. and on
otner nights sne Is slender brunette, ana she
welcomed the newspaper man TO her court with
all the grace and majesty OF Berengaria or Of
Isabella OF CASTLE.
.'IIow 90 you find yourself this evening. SIR"
asked Her Majesty, calmly and with excessive
poIteness.
putty well, thank you. num-" quickly replied
the knight oil Knodc Island.
Nobody was taking to you, don't think" an
swcred the Queen with stately grandeur, and sir
jim shut himself up like jackKnIe Tor the mo-
ment Tnen there came in a large group OF maid
ems OF honor. all having In the cniyalrc drama
loity lineage 10 the pages OF Jebau Froissart or
Enquerrand de Monstreet. But TO their uDroman-
tic acquan tances To-day OF these toned danes
are known respectively as Miss Annie Yates. Miss
Mary Cotton, Miss Maud Oswald Engenia sau.s-
bury, MISS Alice Costeneyara "a pale orunettej,
Miss Matte Lewis IAN auburn and yiyacious
blondej, MISS Mary Busoy 10 wHom KiDg Kaiasana
gave oouqueD, Miss Maggie Iayior quiet aud re.
Z
Miss NARY BrRRs. These ladies' VINO sometimes
ride IN chariot ana hurdle races, comprised The
danes OF nonor 10 Her Majesty. Du. somehow or
another they cid not seem 10 hold the presence OF
royalty Ia much ave. and they had lots OF iGn
wnile the rignt walnut ana trusty .ni4hts were
donninR their arnor Tor tue tournament. ire
Queen wore q tuDic OF white satln, trimmed VITA
gold lace ana purple velvet Trimmed witR ermlne.
and mad diamond cross pendant iroM her fair
neck and diamond drops pendant rom ner ears.
on her head was q pasteD0ard crcet valued.
The nuryouriy down stars became more and
more uproarous as the knigAts. WHO were uli Vol.
unteers, managed 70 get tner clothes on. Tue
first Zero dressed was the Kni2ht OF Texas, wDo
rode an uneasy mustang. MS was sir Jack, as ne
u known among hls brothers Of cnlyafy io
wore steel morton sucl as CrOfnWelis ironsldes
carried at the ignt Ol Long Marston Moor anu a
surcoat OF enaln mali OF tue fourteenth century
The knight OF Texas was quite exuDerant and ia
excellent spirits, and wntle saddng MS morse and
posing ms aLce helG iorth to the Constable dc
/ EonrOon tn ngn giee.
'l tell you there's lots OF lun among the boys to-
night" said he "Gaston, COuut de foIx, tue
! Cnevalier Bayard ana the kn1gnt VI Tennessee are
! having a little game Ol dra1 untu the norm blows
/ but none 10 me. You put down more money thau
/ you take up; that's Tue ouiy trouble. rJu dlIniL
see tie knight OF tennessee, did your Wny
he IS gay, ! tell you: ne's Jnst hot lnOlasses
on a corncob he 'ig But dome hing this Is ex.
! citing enough for me--tnts tuing OF ttlng at
rings wneu you are at uii speed on crazy mus
tang. Wny do1't they give us some axes and let
US e. into the ring and lgnt on loot aud c6op
| eacn other 40 INTO kiudliuR wood Now,
/ n they aid that, and the boys gos heated up a
/ little, there would be some fun.'
! CONSTABLE DE gOUBBoS-i am sure you can't
1 complain oi your mustang We give Sou the uest
! horses Ia the stud. you can't ballov on tnat, l
know your mustang u u nttie lvey; bat, then,
/ tnat'e because he Is not ioEd OF company us'a
/ got over that W and by. ~
Li0s RlNg A1.AKhs laslue, ln Q stare VOICE
n0rseA. IDsts very ABe, bus doht Waat Any.