Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-09-29
A Peculiar Virginia Entertainment.

the following account of a unique en-
tertainment recently held in Kappa
hammock county, Virginia:
Some call it tournament, some
"spoonament," but whatever it is we
shall endeavor to describe it, yet We
do so with the feeling that nothing
but the pen of Scott or Bulwer can
ftly describe it. Not since medieval
times, when gallant knights met on
the listed fields of tourney, has such
magnificent spectacle Of beautiful wo-
men and fine horsemanship been seen.
AT the hour of four in the afternoon
of the 9th, large crowd assembled at
Mason's Grove, anxiously awaiting the
arrival of the knights. The following
young ladies soon appeared on the
scene, preceded by their marshal, Mrs.
NJ. J. Calvert
Miss Carrie Miller, knight of Elden;
Miss Annabelle Mason, knight of the
Goose Egg; Miss Virginia Mason,
knight of Glen Ayr; Miss Matte Hen
ry, knight of Glen Farm Miss Louise
Reid, knight of MillwoOd Miss Fam
ME Hughes, knight of Mountain View;
Misses Bertha Smith, Edith Jones,
Annabelle and SalEe Powell were
known as the Clover Hill Quartette,
1924. They were beautifully cos
tuned and rode their Kentucky thor
oughbreds and "Virginias S best with
skill and grace.
They were to gailop their horses
from and to a given point, carrying
an egg on a dinner spoon. The knight
carrying it successfully tAree times
won the crown. There was tie for
the crowns between Misses Annabelie
Mason, Edith Jones and Sallie Powell,
but was at last awarded to Miss Anna
belle Mason, the most skillful rider in
the county, giving Miss Jones first and
Miss Powell second honors. Five tied
for third honor, which was decided by
drawing, the winning number falling
to Miss Hughes.
The coronation was at the Wood
vile Hall, where the youth and the
beauty Of the county have "tripped
the light fantastic" for two genera
tions. Most artistically was it deco
rated for the occasion with potted
plants, asparagus and brilliant lights
by the tasteful hands of Mrs. Ella
Starke and Mrs. G. B. Mason.
At the hour of ten the ball was
opened with the coronation address,
which was delivered by Miss Carrie
Miller. She held the assembly en-
tranced for a quarter of an hour with
an address which was delivered in
style worthy of a Bernhardt or our
own Mary Anderson.
Miss Annabelle Mason placed the
crown upon the majestic brow of Mr..
Penn Stephenson. The brilliancy of
the crown enhanced the beauty Of his
countenance to a wonderful degree.
Miss Edith Jones placed her crown
upon the intellectual brow Of Mr. Bolts
Strother, whom the crowd likened to
Little Billie" in Trilby. Miss Sallie
Powell put wreath Of laurel on the
brow of Mr.. Henry O'Baunon Cooper,
which called the attention Of all pres
ent to his striking resemblance to Ju-
lus Caesar. Last, but not least comes
Miss Fannie Hughes, who crowned the
"lady killer" of Culpeper, Mr.. Austen
Smith, with a crown of ivy.
Misses Virgie Starke and Lucy Ma
son made excellent floor managers,
whilst all were charmed with the
chaperonage of Messrs. W. 7. Yancey
and NJ. J. Calvert.
Miss Carrie Miller delivered the
coronation address as follows:
Fair Queen, Ladies, Gallant Sirs:-
The time has come in the history of this
country when the life of woman is to be
used for more purposes than one; when
her voice shall be heard in other places
than around the family altar, where are
congregated those whose only business
it is to pass the time away.
The canvas of the past is painted over
with the changing scenes and customs
which have followed the wake Of pro-
gress and kept pace with the advancing
strides Of civilization until the dawn Of
woman's day, which has shone in such
splendor over the West spreading the
fame of Frances Willard, the Queen Of
America. and which finally points east
ward, where we, the women of Kappa
hammock. hold the reins and gang our
own gait
Unlike Joan of Arc, We are not called
to deliver our country, but, like her, we
are called to crown our king. And so,
differing from the knights Of medieval
times, who first introduced tourna
ments, and who encountered each other