Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-08-15

I hHt re were AaofS tNAA Et@aNNN W - -
tread Who Was pressnt that Il was orc Of TIE
grabaast sfEairs Of tire kind eter held in the
counsv. The riding was very superior and Che
general deportment a. the gallant knights and
/ tie vast assenblage of spectators present was
trulv e.iifying. alI evincing just appreciation
o. the nohlc ol.ieCs Tor which the Tournament
vas held. los. S. AIlstan, Esq, afler the knights
we're presented % the Judges By Ghe Chief Marshal,
arcs, and in bis usual happy style, introduced
the orator Of the day, General Andrew G. Chap
| man. of Charles eaanty, Kh0sa eloquenCe held
suchsined his hearers for considerable time.
The foilcwing Is IN sutsta6ee he Grafton Of Gen.
Chapman.
&c F,;sKs.. and wou LADIES' and Genflehen -
whr. may ask, is this brilliant pageant today
4 We are In no scenes Of warfare, peace sniiies
wiusome,y around us, bringing her victories no
/ less renowned than war.
i WHY then behold we, in this our dull Ploti-
! dine realistic arc, mounted knights, II not
armed eaF-a-pie. deeked in all the gorgeous hne-
l ~ of the middle ages, and looking as tereelF
wmriike as those gentle youths, who NJ the bid
d;rg az the worid-renowned Peter the Hermit,
| laid aside their enervatIng habits, and afraycd
themseltes under the banner Of the cross Dor tSe
recovery OF Palestine and the Holy Laird Let
/ Us 70 back biz.
The origin Of chivalry il lost in the darkness
Of early ages; ii was unknown, 80 far as our
KNOWLEDGE goes, 10 the Greek or Roman. But
/ that 10 was an outgrowth natural and incident
| 10 the necessities Of the dark ages, we have no
rcascu to dOubt-nOthing happens without
1 cause.
The wild hordes Of Goths and yandals that
swept over Europe, len but few traces Of their
/ poiished fnes--the sieTncr virtues which made
| the name of Greek the synonym Of courage and
| endurance had guccumbed 10 Eastern vice and
| luxury: Rome. too, had ceased 90 fight her own
battles. and the dread surrounding Roman sol
der bad become, as Il were, myth OF the past.
The barbarie hordes Of the North aud East
swept over the fair face Of Europe, and all is lost
/ in pitchy darkness. Yet in the inscrGtabe de-
signs ofProvidence this very contact Of the wild,
untut red savage-saVe In deeds Of bold ahd dar-
ing courage-had It's good effect, and ia time the
struggling rays offeasOn sun began 70 glimmer.
Christianity, too though trodden TO EARTH, like
truth ITSELF lad risen again, and as dafkiiess il
dispelled by intelligence, hand IN hand marches
| the banner Of Christ.
Boldly was il proclaimed TO the world that all
noble youths who would join the holy crusades
| for the recovery Of Palestine should be remem-
| bered in the prayers Of their church, and anx-
| iously did the boy long for opportunity wherein
by some daring exploit Of arms he could win his
| spurs and receive the coveted knighthood. This
honor love Of woman, honor TO the generous,
glory TO the brave"
And but for those hoiy ctusades, generating
martial Split that bervaded all Europe minstrel
had not sung-bard had not set to verse the glo-
ries and honors Of the toufney-where mounted
knights in deadly combat met kings and award
ed priZeS-prinees entered the lists, and fair wo-
man graced them with her presence, awarding
smiles TO the victor therein.
And then as new first and foremost in this
holy religious ntusiSsm, was gentle woman.
Tearfully and pfayerflilly the mother buckled
on the arInor Of the son and babe him God
speed in the holy cause; trembngly did the sister
weave the belt to encircle the brothers noble
form: in eloquent silence knelt the loved oife TO
buckle the spurs Of her adored, silently prayer
| ful they might be used only 10 pursuit Of the
heather and the infdei.
In the unsettled state of Europe consequent
npou the downfall Of its efeie dynasties--in the
absence Of all government save that Of brute
| force, where might made right, individual Prov
ess came TO the rescue of the weak, and noble
knights. following the better instincts of mans
| nature, soon learned there could be no nober
calling for the strong and valiant than TO war
for the weak and Che defenceless. And, as is
| natural, the first effect OF this emergence from
the darkness Of ignorance, is devotion 10 woman,
| to some chosen one Of whom each knight vowed
allegiance and swore willingness 10 lay down
| life and fortune in her defence.
The Greeks had pleasing delusion, that when
the Gods, wearied with this worlds cares, fed
TO heaven, love stayed behind, self-exiled for
man sake IL is curious to note there is no bet
ter Evidence OF peoples progress in civ lzation
and refinement than the place woman holds In
man s esteem With the savage, she is the drudge
and ill-used slave-with the civilized, her sphere
of usefulness is enlarged-her influence genlally
and generally felt-with the enlightened her
throne Is without dispute.
Base is the brute, cowardly and cravef the
heart that shrinks from yielding her first and
purest allegiance Last ut the cross, first at the
tomb. the church Of to-day would be helpless
without her support. And az Of old she ufged
and prompted noble and generous youth TO deeds
Of vaiOr in holy wars, whose coveted smile nerved
Eainting hearts and arms fltigued 70 renewed
strife against infde and heather, so to-day in
knighty contest and emulous rivalry, At her bid
ding, come noble knights, and the church again
sha ! reap the fruit thereof.
Sir knights, cool and steady be the nerve,
quick the eve, firm the seat, steady poise the
spear, in the tourney now abont TO commence,
for fair eyes look upon your deeds, approving
smiles await the victor in your contest. Let no
one be outdOne in the manly effort TO win
smile from the bohny lass he loves best. Let
the tourney begin.
At the conclusion Of the grafton, the tilting
began. with the following result