National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-08-07
ORKNEY AND BERKEEE.
Batch of Gossip from the Mountains.

|
Tho class of visitors now at Orkney Springs
remind me of the palmy days of the old White
Sulphur, when army and navy officers, Scna.
tors and members of Congress- leading public
and private citizens, reigning bellies and
knightly beaux, thronged the pGrlors aud ball
room Of that Saratoga Of the South. Chancery
and the laws delay" have dono much towards
crippling the old White sulphur, and her time
| honored prestige has lost much of its fashion
able glow. Orkney, the now-claimed "now
Saratoga of the South" although an old
watering place, has only sprung into popular
distinction within the past two or three years,
and promises 20 fulfill every claim made for it.
Its splendid collection of mineral waters, con.
sisting Of sulphur, iron sulphur, chalybeatc,
healing, alum, tho much celebrated bear
wallow water, and tho recently discovered
arsenic spring are unequalled, and indeed
combine all the remedial and curative mineral
attractions Of moro than half the mineral
springs of Virginia.
| Its altitude, surrounding scenery fine hotel
capacity, shady lawns, walks and drives; its
| excellent management, places It intrinsically
among the frst-cass summer resorts. | am
| told that Orkney had over eight hundred
guests last season, and gained the reputation
| of being one of the gayest and most plcasurable
| resorts in the Virginia and Pennsylvania
mountains, and am confident that additional
| fame will bo given to the place before the close
| Of the present season.
Enthusiasm, not alone confined to the young
guests of Orkney has beer running high for
the past week in anticipation of the tourna-
ment and ball which occurred last Friday
afternoon and evening Typical chivary on
| tho fitting ground, and typical royalty in the
| ballroom, succeeded by actual gaiety in the
| may whirl of the dances, made Friday full of
cvcntful emotions At four p. nj. the knights
were formed in line, and charged" by Colonel
J. H. Donovan, U. s. A., in a most appropriate
address. The piazzas OF the Pcunsy ylvania and
| Maryland Houses aud the awning.covcred
| bridge which spans the distance between the
| two. were filled with anxious spectators, while
the cottage piazzas of Jersey Row, opposite
| presented an equally animated audience-the
| tiltng ground on Jersey avenue lying between
the two. The Sir Knights were well mounted,
| and displayed graceful horsemanship, but did
not mount to the Southern standard in skill
fully capturing the rings. The tiltlug, how
| ever, which lasted for over two hours, was
| none the less exciting to queens expectant,
mothers anxious, knights ambitious, and spec
tators generally. Mr.. Hoover, of Rockingham.
won the crown; A. n. Sebert, of Shenandoah;
+. C. Weller, of Front Royal, aud II. w. French,
| Of Alexandria, won the honor of selecting the
first, second and third maids of honor in the
| order of their names. Master Bennie Parker,
| a youthful knight of fifteen years, disputed
the fourth honor with admirable tenacity and
skill, which drew forth universal admiration
and applause
After the riding, Judges ]. s. Upshur, u S.
NJ, General VIM. Malone, late q. s. A., Colonel
| L. III. Bates, u. S. A., and Marshals III. II.
| Riddlesberger and i. c. Terrell, took the sue
cessfiil knights in charge to ascertain their
choice, notify the ladies aud make the neces-
sary arrangements for the coronation ceremo-
MES. Then came the minutes which string
themselves into long, impatient hours until the
herald flew from room to room with little bits
of paper to the chosen queen and maids At
nine o'clock the knights and their ladies'
Judges, marshals, orators and crown bearers
met in tue grand parlOr of the hotel and formed
the royal procession. For more than an hour
previous the brilliantly lighted and spacious
ballroom was in the possession of a large and
watchful audience to witness the coming of
the royal party. At $3.50 the queen was placed
upon the throne in the person of Miss Nina
Kearney, of New Jersey, daughter OF the late
General Phil Kearney. Miss Ardie Jones, of
New Jersey, first maid, taking position in the
rear, while Miss Kate Chalmers, of Missis-
sippi, and Miss Connie Macdonald, of
New York, second and third maids, to the
right and left of the throne, and the Sir
knights forming background circle, the
whole exhibiting a right royal tableaux. Col
onel A. w. Jones delivered the coronation ad-
dress, and ut the appropriate moment Misses
r Mary Simpson, of New York, and Della Jones,
l Of New jersey, two little six'year.old girls,
0 approached the throne with fairy-like grace
= and laid the crown at the feet of Her Majesty,
+ when the successful knight took and placed ii
upon the brow of Miss Kearney, proclaiming
. her the Queen of Love and Beauty. God
Save the Queen" burst from the band, and the
coronation ceremonies were over. Then came
: the congratulations, the grand march, the
I royal sett, and then-oh such an evening OF
pleasure and gayety.
1t would be impossible to do tho picture jus.
: tice by undertaking to furnish you with list
1 of the bellies of the evening and their splendid
= toilets, and yet know on this point the ladies
will be dissatisfied. Suffice it to say that the
@ toilets would have done credit in their elegance
= and becoming taste to the finest Saratoga ball
:, The ladies were all bellies, fact which car
- well establish by the combined atiidavits of {
@ large number of handsome, well-dressed young
o men, who utilized as well as ornamented the
. occasion. The ball was closed with the german
, and thus ended the festivities of Friday
Il August l.
y Saturday, the following day, was genera
v field day for fun and frolic, consisting OF foot
=. wheelbarrow and sack races the two latter il
" their turn being rich, rare, racy, and side
y splitting. Tho afternoon closed with bowl
+. ing match for tame deer which some noun
:, taineer had caught aud cultivated for the oc
II casion. The greasy pole, with its tempting
e prize, was not assembled for want of climbing
,- champion but every one voted the diversion o
h Saturday TO be sufficient, and tho sports of tn,
u day a complete success,
'. General James Chalmers, NJ. G. of Msss
d sippi, with his family, have been here since
h July q Ho leaves for White Sulphur thi
" week, (returning again in few days. wher,
IS he will deliver an address before the Histo,
II rical Society Of Virginia, taking for his sub
n jeGt the life and services Of General Forrest
", The Generals friends look forward to this ad-
u dress as a production that will hold an i'm
n pOrtant position in the archives of the lat,
# war, so far as the campaigns of General Forres
=, arc concerned, His early and intimate assOcia
II tion in all tho battles of his chief make hin
}, the proper ouogist and best historian of thost
It stirring events. General William Malone ar
20 rived here last week, and it is is said that ht
is laying political pipe and mobiising hit
+ troops in this part of Virginia for coming
IS great battle Oh the Virginia debt question Ill
r is very properly regarded as tho head ant
front Of the movement, aud with that ability
l. for combination and intuitve strategy which
10 distinguished him during tho late war, he will
y make it hot for the Mccullough adjustment
!, Hon. Il. j. Henkle, of Maryland, is still here
10 and the well-bnown fresco artist, Bromedi. o
N tla National lanitnl arrival on SaturlaU