Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-02-06
REAL. LIFE IN DIXIE.
vlRelNlANs ARE NOT SURPASSED AS
FEARLESS RIDERS.


Where the Daring Cavalry Leaders Of the
civil War Received Their Wonderful
skill as Successful Horsemen - Why
Southern Women Arc Graceful.
The bold 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 Vir-
ginia troopers, who was cut off III the
prime of manhood, was perhaps the
finest type of courage and manly grace
in that branch of the Confederate serv-
ice, and his name today is synonym
for chivalry in the south. AS people
the Virginians are inclined to outdoor
life. 10 whom the graces of physical
culture come as easy and are as inherent
in them az their own charming and
warm hearted hospitality. The youth
of the Old Dominion who can sit a sad
die in fox chase, couch true lance in
a tournament and take five rail fence
in a steeple race commands the respect
Of his fellows and holds prior lien
upon the heart of the fairest girl in his
neighborhood
Nowhere in the south today can be
seen more splendid exhibitions of the
bona fide fox hunt the old time tourna-
ment and cross country riding than are
given by the inhabitants of a 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 recovered from the financial
and social distresses occasioned 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 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 in that section of the
state, and gained for him the sobriquet
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. McDowell's
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 been
appropriated and turned into hospitals,
that they left It's quiet precincts I'M
harmed and its inhabitants unmolestel
1t is not remarkable then that 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 be 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-
Quoted with all the pomp and military
mock of joust in the days Of "Merrie
England" when chivalry had its seat in
the hearts of men and inspired them to
deeds of romantic valor.
Young unmarried men only are quail
fed to enter the lists of these tourna-
ments for the honor of browning the
queen of love and beauty" They as
sumo 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 possible bride
A PICTURESQUE SCENE.
The picturesque costumes of the con-
testants, their gayly caparisoned steeds,
the silver tongued orator and his gran
eloquent charge to theknights, the in
spiration of the fair spectators whose
hearts palpitate with expectancy. the
bearing off of the victorious ring and
the old fashioned coronation ball that
follows at night. which opens with the
duuT6SS OI Jl6 nero OF UIle Gay anu Jn6
GROWING 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 war as well
as the men.
The women of Virginia are distin-
guished for their Workmanship and
many of them ride like centaurs before
they get out of short dresses. In the fail
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 nature!-Chicago Tribune