Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-10-23
A Picturesque Fete.


Old YeddO never saw such a display as
was witnessed on the oath of August,
when Toxic, the capitol Of the restoration.
rather famous of late for its public enter
tainments, eclipsed itself by the magniti-
cence of its fete to the MikadO. In no
other country, says the AIikadO Times,
could such a characteristic assemblage
have been witnessed. This popular fete
to the Mikado had been for some time
projected by the citizens of Toxic, who
were anxious that their emperor should
receive from the people of his capital
the same display of loyalty which, so far,
had principally been confined TO the prov
inees through which, from time to time,
he had made royal progress. The AIikado
arrived on the ground shortly after half
past three in the afternoon, escorted by 4
troop of lancers and accompanied by the
representatives of Toxic, who had met
him at the park entrance. The presenta-
! tiOn TO his majesty of people of Toxic
OYer'eighty years of age was then made,
some addresses were made and replied to,
and, at about half past four, the games
commenced which were to form the prin-
| cipal attractions of the fete, Gen. Grant
and suite, the diplomatic body. having
arrived in the meantime. The first per-
| Torrance consisted of lance and sword
exercise, in which some hundred men
/ took part, fighting in couples either with
/ i
| were encased with the usual paddings
on their left side, while the heads were
! protected with masks, and right Justify
/ did they belabor one another.
! To onlOOkers the broadswOrd exercise
| affords the most amusement, especially
/ when, in the excitement of the tussle, the
| two men would drop their weapons and
| fightout the battle by wrestling, often
rolling over and over each other in their
mOmentary wrath or vexatiOn. After this
came the Yabu Some, or archery by
mounted hOrsemen, and of all games this
| certainly was the most entertaining. a
| straight road across the inclOsure was
! kept by hurdles forming a riding course
| of probably 300 yards,) and three white
| paper-targets stood in front of blackboards
at equal distances, each target being
| about ten feet from the road, down which
| the archerS had to ride at full speed,
! The first target was at the commencement
of the course, second in the middle, the
| third at the finish. The archers appeared
| in their picturesque costumes which are
now only to be seen in the prints of a
past civilization, with their many colOred
| dresses, their aprons of deer or bear skin,
| their heavy stirrups, their long bow and
| their culver of arrows at saddle seat
| Starting at gallOp, the archer places his
arrow in position with the bow held well
| up; as he nears the target the bow
| SCreCCnGS, the arrow comes IN Il line VIII
| his eye, and when passing the object, al
| imperceptible motion discharges the shaft
| into the target, cutting it i'll two, and Gre
ating a shower of tinsel paper to attract
attention to his proves, while the attend
ant marker raises a white FFmOp' to show
/ the hit. The practice was wonderful, an(
out of ten competitors but one failed tt
hit the targets, and he, poor fellow
missed all three. Most struck all in sue.
cession, and the last rider won we'll earned
applause by brandishing his arrow in hi
hand until the target seemed to have beer
passed, when suddenly its very center wa
found to have been pierced. This ablt
archer was Mr.. Kasiyo, prince of Chi
kugo and former governor of Kanagawa
The MikadO left Immediately after thu
games, when all the guests repaired t.
the supper pavilion, where ample mea
and most ample drink were provided fo
an innumerable crowd of hungry ant
thirsty souls. From dark until 10 o'cIocl
an unusually fine display of fireworks
was let off from the lake, and the who'll
park became aglow with lanterns hang
ing in festoons from tree to tree. TIL
road back to the station, with its myriad
of lights, its crowds of people, its bloc
of carriages and jinrikishas, is a sigh
which will not be forgotten by those VIII
witnessed it.