National Republican., 1883-04-25
REINFORCED BY THE RIFLES.
Che Nationals Visit tho Light Infantry Fair
With ALI Their Friends
The Rink Filled TO OvefIowing and
Hundreds Turned Away.
prominent Officers and Representatives Of the Virginia
Militia Also Present
scenes and Incidents OF the Evening-The
Record OF the Voting.

that nave no audiences and business men VINO
want custom should contract with the Ma
'tionsl Rifles, of this city, to attend at either
place, for they bring crowds. They brought
a crowd to the Light Infantry fair last night
that packed the rink far beyond its capacity.
1t streamed through the entrance until there
was not room for another one-not even q
reporter-and formed upon the sidewalk and
street till there were more than 1900 persons
were vainly waiting to get inside. The in
fantry managers tried to close the doors, but
that was a physical impossibility. With
infinite toll and endeavor q passageway had
been made for the Rifles, and they entered
the vast hall with the bounding step and the
machine-like precision of victorious veterans,
but once inside, the admiring crowds broke
down every barrier and filled up all space.
The Rifles tried to march around the hall, but
ere they got half way through they were
stopped by multitude that only q charge of
bayonets could have dispersed. And there
they stood. the "red coat knights" literally
like bees pressed in honeycomb for on either
side was q wall of beautiful women which ar
rested their onward progress, and beyond the
dense crowd was reinforced every second by
fresh comers anxious to behold the Rifles in
array. In fact, so dense and packed was the
assembly that at one time the managers in
despair took down the voting tablets to afford
more space.
The Rifles were escorted to the rink by a
detachment of the Light Infantry and the
Marine band. As they entered the hall they
were preceded by platoon of the infantry
in full uniform then by section Of the band,
then squad of honorary members of the
Rifles, and then tho famous company itself,
numbering sixty-five picked men. Their scar
let and indigo uniform flashed its brilliant ana
beautiful hues in the glare of the electric ra-
dance with superb effect. Their en-
h. all al 60 tt,1 Of
applause. And they truly made splendid
appearance. Individually there was not
man in the company who was not fine
specimen of manhood. Their march was as
one man. Every step was in perfect time,
every movement was with the precision of
machinery. All tho poetry and the holiday
pomp of war were in their gallant bearing, in
their brilliant uniform in their quick springy
buoyant steps. The high discipline, the per-
feet drill which the Rifles have attained speak
volumes for the skill and knowledge of their
officers and for the intelligence and capacity
of its members. To behold them is to be in
spired with the military fever. Washington
is justly proud of its two crack military or
ganizstions-the National Rifles and the
Light Infantry battalion.
After passing around tho hall once, during
which evolution they literally got stuck f"
in the crowd, and had to stand for fifteen
minutes cynosuros of admiration to the thou
ing company marched again down to the
south portion of the rink, where brief speech
of welcome was made, and they were formally
given the freedom of the hall and invested
with all the privileges of guests. And then
they were introduced to the girls.
Leaving the Rifles thus in clover, the re-
porters did their best to circulate through the
crowd and pick up incidents of this the most
notable and successful fair that was ever held
In Washington.
As soon as the Rifles began to circulate
through the hall the girls armed with little
books, made a red coat an object of assault
wherever they found it. The brave boys
opened their pocketbooks with ready fingers,
and scattered their money in numerous
boxes clasped by fair fingers. George Evans
was the center of throng of females
all the evening. He voted for every
candidate for everything and took chances in
all the articles offered, from baby crib down
TO a cribbage board, and the Rifles were not
far, If any behind. The crowd was SO great,
however, that the young ladies found it
nearly impossible to go on forays, but their
still hunting was so profitable that the
receipts were larger than ever before. Not
withstandng the jam, good nature prevailed
and the inevitable humping and hustling was
endured with merriment instead of rebukes.
Some would.be funny half grown boys,
animated with desire probably to become
hoodlums, attempted at one time to push
rapidly through crowd of ladies' but they
were stopped by significant warnings from
Infantry men and Rifles.
The voting received great boom, and sew
eral new candidates names were placed upon
the blackboards The contest for the corps
badge is being carried on with energy and has
narrowed down to fight between Messrs. j.
Il. Dyer and H. E. Bauer. The latter gentle
man has offered diamond ring to the lady
securing the greatest number Of votes for him,
and one bright eyed girl who already wears
diamonds in her ears, inveigled over q hun
dred visitors into voting for her candidate
last night. In some quarters she has exer-
cised such an effect that several young men
are going to mortgage their salaries to help her
win the ring. And it could not adQrn fairer
hand. Late last evening the commissioned
officers of the Sd Virginia infantry, and some
of Gen. Fitz Lees staff officers, visited the
fair and were received with cheering by the
Light Infantry and the Rifles, Some of them
said, upon leaving, that they were glad they
had purchased return tickets for home, as
their cash had gone the way of all cash-into
woman's white but grasping fingers Other
military and social organizations will visit
the fair this week and the first four nights of
next wcek-tho managers having decided to
extend ii until tomorrow week. The voting
however will close on Saturday night.
trunk. which was railled ut booth No. 16,
MRS. Boudinots) was won by Mr.. Vail. His
address Is desired.
FATE.
She was her fathers loveliest daughter;
He was his mothers manifest son.
Softly she said TO him, "Glmme quarter2'
Sadly he answered, haven't u one"
So two young hearts that were hopefully beating
Hers for his money and his for musl--
Soon fast away from each other were leetng-
Fate is as cruel as boarding house hash.
..... .., ALSO FATE. ...-
She plided along through thefair a-..-
@ With dignihed lady-like air f.I-r r.s--t
And never she thought --.-. --... -.' ~
That splinter had caught
III her curl and pulled of her back hair.
On a Rife she leaned tenderly,
And her fnce was as sweet as could beS
But the back OF her head,
Whence the hiTsute had fled,
Was sight such as seldom you see.
HOW THE VOTING STANDS
The following was the record of the voting
when the fair closed last night:
Silver composing stick for the most popu-
lar printers apprentice-C.P p. Boss, 50; j. Il.
Clements, ~; j.. +. Kearney, II; Wilson, z;
A. @. Proctor, 35 N, Poynton, "a.
GOld-headed cane for the most popular
florist-J. II. Small, %; John Freeman, II
John Coleman, 8.
Morgan & Kennedy's single shell for the
most popular oarsman-RObert Wade, of the
Columbia club, 81; A. b. Cropley 8 John r.
White, A; Ed. w. McRae, 8 William Rob
erts, A.
Gold watch and chain for the most popular
drug clerk-Thomas @. Kell, 60; S. Edgar
Mahan, lib; ii. Il. Barrett 2 Ben Suter 8