Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-06-12
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.
CONTINUED from 1st page. ]

citlZeuS, dn clau III Tie SdyeSt OF uOuudy
attire, as it were, and with faces beaming
all over with joy and happiness
The elegant double parlors were
specially arranged for the occasion, and
were converted into general recepticle of
the myriad guests, and there was general
commingling of beauty, chivalry, age and
youth, in a season of social enjoyment that
must be witnessed to be properly appre-
ciated
The great dining hall was converted into
the ballroom of the occasion, and here,
with the splendid Fifth Artillery Band
orchestra to furnish the music, and
the only Prof. Jimmie Lowery
to call the figures, the gay devotees of the
goddess Terpsichore enjoyed the enchant-
ment of the giddy waltz and enrapturing
quadrille and cotillion to their hearts con-
| tent
AWARDING THE PRIZE SWORD.
| When the vast audience was assembled in
! the Opera-house, order was obtained by r.
E. Commander E. Bolli, and Sir H. NJ.
Aiken announced the exercise of awarding
the prize sword.
| MEMPHIS CoMMANDERY THE VICTOR.
! Rt. Eminent Commander, of Ohio, J. K.
| Neal as chairman of the committee of
judges, announced that the drill was wit
messed with great satisfaction, and where
both were attended with SO much excellence
it was determined to make the award where
there was the least defect discoyerable, and
that was Memphis Commandery, No f.
(Vociferous cheers By the audience and
Nashville Commandery.)
| HON. H. H. LNGERsoLL
was then called, and in his own happy and
elegant style made the award. He spoke as
follows:
/ Sir knights and Ladies':
We are nearing the end of the programme.
After two days of marching and counter
marching of forming and dispensing. of
turning and wheeling of inspecting and
salUting, of parade and review, of drilling
and competing, and all the other pride,
pomp and circumstance attending the an
! nual conclave of our Grand Commandery.
We are row, for the last time, guests, hosts
and friends all of us, with one ac-
cord, i'll one place, to court the favor
of the tickle Goddess of Joy, and, if she
smile upon us, to spend night of pleasure
unaloyed. Oar work is over, our laboTs
ended our dltes DONE and tonight we wait
upon EU Ohrosyne.
We have attended service and sermon; we
have sung and prayed together; we have
deliberated and decided for the general we'll
fare OF the order; we have visited the Island
Home and the new Melrose we have broken
bread and touched glasses in Knoxville
homes, and chatted and laughed In parlor
and hall and last night in city and suburb,
our eyes were raviShed with gOrgeousness
Of illuminated beauty in garden and grove
and grounds and lawns, such that the silvery
moon, smiling upon us out of an unclOuded
East Tennessee sky, bluer and fairer than
any of India or Italy, seemed to make COM
plant because of very jealousy. The bril-
liant triple arches under the overhanging
trees, clad in that rich verdure of foliage
which so charms us 9 in the leafy month of
June, irradiated. our pathway over the
marble avenue, and fiasheda thrice welcome
to the open mansion of the father of Knox
vile hospitality. The very stars of heaven
were not themselves more brilliant last night
those which flashed their gas ietted irresist-
able invitation to enter the lanterned grounds
and illuminated palace of a social prince. and
partake with the generous host of a royal
collation., spread and served with fairest
hands in honor of the Grand Commandery
of Tennessee.
When the wizard of the North " wrote
''If you would see fair Merose Alright
Go visit it by pale moonlight"
his eyes had not seen, nor had it entered
into the heart of man, to conceive the added
beauties of illumination by encircled
cross and blazing star and oriental
transparency. which enchanted our enrapt,
ured vision i that night of night, and with
the reflected glory of lake and lawn made
us think we had been transported on the
magic Carpet of Queen Scheherezada to the
tabled realms OF fairyland, where the lamp
and ring O. Aladdin commanded the geni
of modern art and science to minister to oul
pleasure; nor had he heard that the
modern Melrose was hall instead OF
abbey, and that the abbot of Mel
rose had tact and power in spiritual minis
trat on moi vouchsafed to the Scot of old
, Our whole city arrayed herself in holiday
attire, and Gay street, from river to railroad
was never half so gay before. For these
tokens of hOspitable welcome by our fel-
lOw-citizens, l take leave now to express tc
them sincere thanks from the hearts of the
Knights TempIar of Knoxville, and
may [ not say it, of the whole State OF
Tennessee?
Even the heavens have smiled upon thi!
meeting, and, having graciously cleared the
air and forfended us from dust have giver
us days aud nights of rarest beauty, exactly
such as we hoped for as if to answer the
prayers of our Knights that naught NIGH
happen to mar the perfect pleasure of these
festal days
l And now at the close of the programme
on the last day of the feast, while yet the
city d;sports her holiday attire, in the
glad slvery moonlight, her beauty ant
chivalry have assembled in this hall, dedi
Gated 10 harmless amusement and whole
some pleasure to join our visitors in tn,
feast and dance, and thus to crown our fes
tivities with the richest delight and fill the
cup of Joy to its fullest measure.
t But before we engage in those pleasan
exercises, give me leave to detain you a few
minutes in the discharge of duty which
the favor Of my brethren has imposed upol
me.
To add to the interest of this occasion, t.
excite a worthy spirit of emulation anon!
{ the communicates and show who can bes
work and agree, and who can bes