The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-02-16
REAL LIFE RI DIXIE.
viRGlNiANs ARE NOT SURPASSED As
FEARLESS RIDERS.


Where the Daring; Cavalry Leaders of the
Civil War Received Their wnnderrul
skill Successful Horsemen VIII.
Southern Women Are Graceful.
The beld and dashing horsemanship
displayed by the Lees and Ashbys. by
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 Viz
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 sarv
Zoe, and his name today is synonym
for chivalry- in the south, AS a people
the Virginians are .iuclined tooutdoor
life. to whom the grsces of physical
culture come as easy and are as inherent
IN them as their own charming and
warm hearted hospitality. The yonth
OF the Old Dominion who can sit 4, sad !.
die in a fox chase. couch a true lance in
tournament and take five rail fence
in u steeple race commands the respect
OF his fellows and holds a prior lien
upon the heart of the fairest girl in his
neighborhood
Nowhere III the. south today can be,
seen more splendid exhibitions of the
bona fide fox hunt, the old time tourn:i
ment and cross country riding than are
given by the Inhabitants Of little town
cailed Warrenton. in Piedmont, Va.
situated among the foothills of the Blue
Ridge range of mountains in the midst
OF 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 recovered from the financial
and social dIstresses occasloned by the
loss of their slaves and are reviving
many of those delightful customs and
pastimes which formerly prevailed
among them and rendered southern life
so unique and enjoyable
A HISTORIC SECTION
Here it was that Ashby and Moshy
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 in that section of the
state, and gained for him the sohri,uet
of guerrilla
The battles of Manassas and Bull Run
were fought only twenty miles away
where the gallant boy soldier. Quincy
Mari. was the first to lose his life on
the Confederate side McDowetl-s q
splendid army. 100000 strong. camped
within the limits of the pretty village
and were SO touched by the nobility
OF the women. whose homes had vheen
appropriated and turned into hospitals.
that they left its quiet precincts un-
harmed and its inhabitants unmolested.
II is NOT remarkable then that a people
who before the war were fond of the
chase and during the four years and
more of that bloody conflict literally
lived in the saddle should he the riders
and marksmen 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
dncted with all the polnp and military
mock of Joust in the days of '.Merrie
England. when chivalry had it's seat in
the hearts of men and inspired them to
deeds, s,of romantic valor
Young unmarried men. only are mali
he'd To enter the lists OF these tor,rna-
snents for the homer of crowning ..the.
queen of love and beauty They as
snme 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 he 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
diioquent- charge to theknights. the iu-
splratlon of the fair spectators whose
hearts palpitate with expectancy the
bearing off of the victorious ring and
She old fashioned coronation ball that
toiiows at night, which opens with the
address of the hero of the day and the
Z 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-
g1nia reel-forin Il 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 war as well
as the men. -
The women of Virginia. are .distin-
guished for their horsemanship, and
many OF them ride like centaurs before
they get out 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 exciteinentss
OF the chase The Virginia girl is gem
orally eopeeded to be charming under
any circumstances, but when she as
sumes her riding habit.and mounts into