St. Landry democrat., 1893-05-13
"TOURNAAIENT OF ROSES. y"
An Annual Southern California Fes-
tiVal,

| .Jitdls
The Tournament of Roses is given
every year; it might be called a floral
thanksgiving, as the idea which suggested
the festival was the coming Of the winter
flowers and the ripening Of the oranges.
1t is essentially childrcn's day; and the
young folks are encouraged to take
part in it. Fer weeks beforehand the
tournament is talked of, and the fortu-
nate owners of pony carriages and carts
are vying with one another in the elabo-
ration of designs to compete for tho
prizes offered to the vehicles showing the
most beautiful and artistic floral decora-
ton. Prizes are given also for the vari-
Gus races Of ponies, horses, aud bur
os,--one prize being for the last
| burro to arrive ID a sloW race.
Finally the day--the first of the new
year-arrives. Early in the morning the
| procession forms. The boys and girls Oh
horseback, their steeds garlanded with
| flowers, join the master of ceremonies.
The band plays gaily, and they wend
their way to the park, where the tourna-
mcnt is to be he'll The g.anl stand is
| already packed with men, women, and
| children, and in front is heaping pile
of oranges and flowers, free to all. FL
nally the master of ceremonies rings a
bell, the young folks stand back, and
the track is cleared The first event is
revival of an old Italian and Spanish
sport, played in the fifteenth century,
and known as "tilting at the ring"
Rings little larger than napkin-ring
aI OF inf he
course, and the ''knights' charge upon
them at full speed, endeavoring to carry
off as many rings on their long lances as
they can. The one taking the greatest
number is declared the victor Shouts
and cheers greet the knights, some of
whom often are descendants of the oldest
Spanish families in the State
next comes the hurtllG-race or trench
jumping, by fine California thorough
breds. "Can it be, as have heard, that
calIa-lily hurdle is usel?" we have
heard asked. Quite possible, for the
men now drag across the track a ve:ita
bic hedge of the white tlowers-to East
crn eyes the most remarkable hurdle 4
horse ever jumped. The bell rings, and
away go the racers. They clear the hur
die in graceful leaps, aud sweep past the
grand stand with Il chatter of hoofs and a
janglc of silver trappings from the old
Mexican saddles, spurs and bits.
The third event is a race in which the
young felix's are particularly interested.
Two fine observation-disclosures and her
grandson nior"-have CHALLENGED th:'
fastest race horse in Pasadena. Mouse is
bedcckcl with huge collar of red :,rra,
NUNS (the "colors'' of the club to which;
she belongs, and looks up, blinking and
winking very hard, as much as to say, Il
have run away from this horse on many a
hunt, and don't propose to be defeated
before, oil these people,
All is ready. The track on both sides
is crowded with eager faces. ''Go.'
shouts the starter Around comes the
horse, "Drsy,' and as she crosses
the line with hardly glance at her old
companions, Mouse and Junior are
slipped, and they dash away amid a
chorus Of cheers and shouts. The horse
Skins along Ikea bird, but close beside
her arc the two dogs, moving like ry.-
Junior ahead, barking and thinking it
great sport, while old Mouse hangs at the
quarter, looking up every few moments
to see why Daisy does not go faster.
Louder grow the shouts as the compctl-
tors pass around the great circle. Boys
and girls crowd upon the track, and the
Cry goes up that the dogs are AHEAD. A
moment later, horse and dogs come rush
ing across the line, the latter we'll in adj
vance. AS every one knows that the
fastest horse cannot run away from
greyhound, the defeat of Daisy is con-
sidered no disgrace.
While the dogs are being congratu
lated and the kennel of fox-houuds be-
meath the grand stand is bowling and
baying welcome, the open space within
the track is cleared for the polo-teams,
and for an hour they give an exciting cx-
hibtion of their manly sport.-[St.
Nicholas.