Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-07


A, ived, but the
SSA ID city is not yet
V3kSAa&UN full Since Sat-
MSk urday they have
Es&9EYEA been coming in,
NNEgANSV and the heavy
column of the
invading knights
came in sight Of their holiday city today.
Their invasion met with no re-
sistance and the only barricades
across the path was that Of their own baggage.
Their tents are pitched throughout the city in
al the hotels and private boarding houses.
RATHER ell these places are converted into
temples, with the banner Of the red cross hung
from their windows. White plumes are waving
everywhere, and the whole city seems to be in
uniform.
The early trains brought in many knights.
ahose VINO arrived just before daylight kept
their sleepers until the sun called them up.
and the beating Of drums and the
marching of the new arrivals aroused
them 70 activity. The early daylight saw
knights in gay uniforms. with bands and BAN
ners, marching from the depots to their several
headquarters. About the depots it was gay
and busy scene.
THE RUSH FOR THE hotels.
There was rush for every hotel, boarding
house and eating place, and the password at
every portal was breakfast" About every
place where food was served was patronized,
and from seven to eleven tables were sur
rounded by knights.
And perhaps they did not always obey the old
rule OF the order to ask softly and privately for
what they want, where their wants could not be
MADE known by signs. But they were an
respect to the order
III at any time the thing you require is to be
found you must seek it With all gentleness and
with submission and reverence to the board in
remembrance Of the words Of the apostle, Eat
thy bread in silence"
They are the most orderly great crowd that
ever appeared in Washington.
MOUNTAINS OF BAGGAGE
As they finished their meals they poured out
upon the streets or set to work finding their
baggage. As many English tourists would
hardly have more baggage. There were as
many trunks and boxes and bags as the -ex-
press companies could haul from the depots.
One, two and four-horse wagons were piled
with trunk and bags as high as loads OF hay.
Inside the lobby at Willard baggage wasspiled
higher than q mans head, and on the pave
ment about the entrance it was piled almost to
the top Of the portico, while three or four
immense wagons waited to be unloaded. 1t
was like scaling the walls of Jerusalem for the
Knights to get through their own baggage.
The piles were composed of strange assort-
mept OF odd-shaped packing cases. trunks and
satchels and hat boxes. There we're cases that
held swords. eases for hats and others for uni.
forms; some cases were odd enough in shape
and OF size almost to hold a horse
The knights were assembled around the pile
and some were almost buried beneath il in
their efforts to identify their traps Now and
then a knight would make a grab and
walk of with satchel in one hand
and big case in the other, while his little boy
would Garry his sword and his wife follow With
the hat box. In this way professions Of
knights loaded With the "spoils" res
cued from the promiscuous pile was
formed, marching through the lobby and up
the stairs. hundred hands reaching down
into the pile kept the mass Of boxes
mush. All the intellectual development
and the ponderous strength of the fat porter was
kept at high strain to preserve order. With an
immense Saratoga trunk on his back he stood
like Atlas. in the middle Of the corridor, bring
ing order out OF chaos.
MAN FROM CHICAGO,
with due regard for the comfort Of his family
and the distrust Chicagoan thinks he ought
to feel for Washington accommodations
brought six wooden bottomed chairs all the
way from bis home to be sure OF something to
sit on.
At the Ebbitt and Riggs-at all the hotels
the Porters were tottering under the loads they
were Juggling upstairs. The lobbies of Will
lards, the Ebb,tt and Riggs were crowded with
regaliad knights and their wives and daughters
with badges and mysterious emblems covering
their breasts
Those VINO had had their breakfast and were
freed from the burden Of their baggage Joined
in the throng, and the avenue was crowded
during the whole day with the soldiers of the
cross, with swords at their sides and their coat
rnpfS uIfh kal.
embiems Standing in groups here; a column
marching there, and moving about by ones and
tw0s and twenties; some with ladies cling ng
to their arms, some with children by the hand,
some looking in the store windows,
some walking idly along, some studying guide
books and others occupied in alternately get
ting lost and then finding themselves again
they wound in and out weaving a tapestry Of
rod and white and gold that spread over the
city. portraying scenes from the days of chiv-
airy.
Hurrying through the crowd are the thought
full knights. who trust not entirely to the bag
gage men, but bear their own burdens.
Knights in full uniform, with sash sword
aud plume, the stars, the cross and
the tigers claws upon their breast, struggle
through the crowd with heavy satchel in
each hand and perspiration on their brovs.
while the wife comes behind with map of
Washington and a hat-box. and the little boy
marches proudly by his side with all empty
sword-case over his shoulder.
On the streets carriages loaded with knights
are blocked in with baggage wagons and
trucks loaded with cots and pillows, which are
being hauled to the hotels and in front OF some
OF the doors the pavements are piled with these
articles Of furniture, suggestive Of fifty or
hundred in room.
ON TIL. STREET CORNER
two knights are engaged in trading badges.
Another Is in a store buying long white plume.
A group stand around an elevated throne COW
cred with brass tacks. on which they mount
by turn for black slave to kneli
before them and polish their shoes. These
thrones are erected here and there on conven-
lent street corners and the blacks are making
money by bowling before the boots Of ar
knights.
READY FOB THE KNIoHTa
stately knight standa before fakir's booth
while the suavs proprietor takes out grease
spot thoughtisss boy on the corner has
rubbed into the new uniform.
An insinuating gentleman urges . group of
noble knights to zee how much they weigh in
their uniforms, and ancther with lift test is
anxious TO know u thsthr a. strong - they
look. Half hundred slots stand yawning in
every square ready 50 giss out candy, gum, aud
. variety OF intormatapn - the drop OF nickla