The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-05-24
STATE OFFICIALS.
The boId and .lashlng horsemansh1n

hA6Pisty cu ny tff- Lees anu ASQDyS. Oy
Jackson. Stewart. Mosby and Others who
were the leading spirits of the Confed-
crate cavalry service during the late
war. excited the wonder and admiration
even of their enemies, and developed the
fact that the Virginians are by nature
the most accomplished and fearless riders
on American soil
Turner Ashby the flower of the Vir.
ginia troopers, who was cut off in the
prime of manhood. was perhaps the
finest type of courage and manly grace
in that branch Of the Confederate sery.
ice, and his name today is a synonym
for chivalry in the south AS people
the Virginians are inclined to outdoor
life, to whom the graces Of physical
culture come as easy and are as inherent
in them their own charming and
warm hearted hospitality. The youth
of the Old Dominion who can sit Il sad
die In fox chase, couch IL true lance in
tournament and take five rail fence
In a steeple race commands the respect
of his fellows and holds a prior lien
1pon the heart of the fairest girl in his
neighborhood
Nowhere IN the south today can be
seen more splendid exhibitions of the
ment and cross country riding than are
given by the inhabitants of little town
called Warrenton. in Piedmont, Va.
situated among the foothills of the Blue
Ridge range of mountains in the midst
of a beautiful pastoral region. which is
chiefly devoted to stock raising and
largely inhabited by the f. f. VS. of
the old regime and their descendants.
who have ~ -
and social distresses occasioned by the
loss of their slaves and are reyiying
many of those delightful customs and
pastimes which formerly prevailed
among them and rendered southern lifo
SO unique and enjoyable
HISTORIC SECTION.
Here 1t was that Ashby and Mosby
were reared and had their homes, and
the latter made this romantic country
OF hill and dale, of stream and wood
land. the scenes of those daring raids
which so crippled the northern forces
when operating i'll that section of the
state. and gained for him the sobriauet
of guerrilla
The battles of Manass:ls and Bull Run
were fought only twenty miles away.
where the gallant hoy soldier, Quincy
~~e~A "tt' tHO htNt ~ AOSG llIe on
the Confederate side McDowell's
splendid army l00OO0 strong. camped
within the limits of the pretty village
and were so touched by the nobility
of the women. whose homes had been
appropriated and tnrned into hospitals,
that they left its quiet precincts un-
harmed and its Inhabitants unlnolested
It is not remarkable then that people
yhr tNraF 81.
chase and during the four years and
anore of that bloody conflict literally
lived in the saddle should be the riders
and marksnien that they are today and
have penchant for the sports of the
: field
The summer in that country is the
season for tournaments, which are con-
Quoted with all the pomp and military
England. when chivalry had its seat in
the hearts of men and inspired them to
deeds of romantic valor
Young unmarried men only are 0uali-
fed to enter the lists of these tourna-
lnents for the honor of crowning 1.-The
queen of love and beauty" They as
sume titles for the occasion which are
suggestive Of knighthood and are sup
posed to ride for the woman who reigns
over their affections and might be re-
.garded as Il possible bride.
= PICTURESQUE SCENE
The picturesque costumes of the con-
testants, their gayly caparisoned steeds,
the silver tongued orator and his gran
diloquent charge to theknights, the in
spiration ut the fair spectators whose
hearts ,stlpitate with expectancy, the
bearing off 0f tha viotoriOuo r;1U oDd
the old fashioned coronation ball that
follows at night. which opens with the
address of the hero of the day and the
crowning of the queen and her maids of
honor. the dance of the royal set, and
the grand finale in which the assembled
company. young and old, unite in that
jolly dance of the olden time-the Vir-
ginia reel-form picture of social life
that recalls the manners and amuse-
ments which were common to the south
thirty years ago, but were wiped out
and forgotten through the mar as we'll
as the-men.
The women Of Virginia are distin-
guished for their ;horsemanship, and
many of them ride like centaurs before
they get cut of short dresses In the fall
of the year they can be- seen riding
across the country unattended, and fire.
quently participate with their husbands,
brothers and beaux in the excitements
Of the chase. The Virginia girl is gen.
orally conceded to be charming under
any circumstances. but when she as
sumes her riding habit and mounts into
the saddle she Is an outdoor picture of
grace and health that has no replica in
the gallery of fnature.-C Chicago Tribune.