Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-11
1T WAS VERY CLEVER
RAPPAHANNOCK LADIES RIDE IN A
NOVEL TOURNAMENT,
THB KNIGHTS ALL FEMININE.
They Crowned Their Gentlemen
Friends and Made Good Speeches.
In Which Equality Of the Sexes
Was Broadly Hinted Az.

WASHINGTON, VA, September 10
: Sspecial)-A most exciting tournamet
was gwen at Woodvile by the ladies'
happahannock last Tuesday. Just at ,.
O'CLOCK sixteen fair horsepower met
Masons Grove and entered into q. conte
u see who could win those honors whic
would entitle the laurel-earner TO crow
KING. The riding was most interestin
Inc contestants carried an egg in a tabl,
spoon, which was no mean test OF goo
riding. Everything was done bv the Il
dies.
"A CHARGE TO THE KNIGHTS
MIS-. calvert acted as marshal. and de
iVered the charge to the knights. IT wa
IN the following words:
DIT hnights,-You come 10 touch Won
spoons not as knights who on the liste
heius or tourney touched their adverse
res shields In token of defiance. but II
Sish OF that horsewomanship which 4
Souis' L charge you by everything yo,
noiu dear, by your love for the gaIlan
ninsnl Whom you expect TO crown. by
.nat haIo OF brightness which you woulC
| nave around you always, to ride well anf
|
| is the first contest of the kind thar has
| ever taken place in this county; and AGAR
1 charge you that your dexterity in WELD.
ing TWO household articles Of such promI.
hehce shall make this tournament a sue.
| cess"
THE SUCCESSFUL LADIES.
MISS Anabelle Mason, OF Woodvilie won
the hrst honor and crowned Mr.. Steven
son. Oh Washington. ID. c. Miss Edith
Jones, OF Richmond, came out second.
and bestowed a similar compliment on
MT. Bolts Strother. Miss Jones tied with
Miss Mason for the first place. ana only
received second honors by a drawing AT
winch she was unfortunate The third
honor was won by Miss Salie Powell. OF
Emporia, Va. who crowned Mr.. Henry
Cooper. Miss Fannie Hughes won the
fourth distinction, browning Mr.. Austin
Smith.
PRETTY MISS MILLER'S SPEECH.
The coronation address was delivered by
Miss Carrie Miller, of Woodville, lust be-
lore the dancing began. 1t was as fol-
lows:
Fair Queen, Ladies. Gallant sirs.-
me tlme mas come in the history of
thls country when the life OF woman is
10 De used for more purposes than one:
when her voice shall be heard in o.tbar
places than around the family altar
where are congregated those whose only
business 1t is to pass away the time.
The canvas of the past is painted over
with the changing scenes and customs
winch have followed the wake of pro
sress and has kept pace with the adj
Vanclng strides of civilization until the
dawn Of woman's day, which has shone
IN such splendor over the West, spread
ing the fame of Frances Willard. the
queen of America, and which unallv
points eastward, where we, the women of
hold the reins and gang
Dur own gait.
CALLED TO CROWN KINGS.
Unlike Joan of Arc, we are not called |
o deliver our country, but, like her. We |
ire called to crown our king And so |
IlHering from the knights of medieval |
INES, who first introduced tournaments: /
nd who encountered each other with
rms, and differing from those of the
resent day, we have been somewhat
riglnal and adopted ''un tournoi des
euIs' as 1t may be termed, or, in COM
ION parlance, an egg tournament.
The era of equality Is here when the
ghts Of woman are as sacred as the
lactive, is sd at liberty, and when her
dice, so long obliterated by the power
man, is heard and exercises the privi-
ges which God, In His wisdom. ordained
should exercise.
MANS MIND NOT SUPERIOR
With most humble apologies to Mary
ease, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Mary
ston Livermore we declare that the |
ind Of man is not the supreme power OF |
lie land; that the laws Of man are not
e only rules Of action by which this
'ople shall be governed, and that wo-
an Will continue to rise until she has ,
ached the zenith Of her power, when
10 shall mark out the pathway of this
Iuon. Her future is as bright as the
m that adorns her soul with virtue
I'd refinement, and as glorious as that
ward which awaits her purity, her
bility, and her sacred devotion TO ius
70.
The day of her advent, as the years
by, shall be celebrated with thanks
ying and praise; the course of he-
reer shall mark the brightest pages of
, nations history; the power of her
nd and voice shall awaken the dead | I
seriousness OF man, while the influence |
her soul over the mind and heart shall
rlfy the atmosphere Of our social cir
QUEEN IN THEIR OWN RIGHTS.
70 the victor belongs the spoils. Like d
2 women of old. this Queen is a sove-
gn in her own rights, and these, her
'al attendants, are endowed Of their
nix by no mans hand. b
'o-day they went forth upon ambling
freys. with humble domestic imple-
nts in their hands. and won for them =,
YES the honors they now bestow as
" elevate you, the men they have
'sen. to regal rank with themselves.
at you are chosen by this queenly
zen, and you by ladies fair as these.
indeed a distinction and an honor.
Dugh to be won by spooning such as
) has been, maybe to you, a. novelty Or:
a surprise, you must remember that
this many an egg has brought about
ults far more startling and unexpect-
D. sir. wear your crown; and you, sirs, {
IT coronets, with becoming modesty,
sheepishly, but happily, aye proudly,
true valor and true manhood ever re- ,
e the sweetest reward from women
h as these who have chosen you And.
on derive as much pleasure from be- 1
crowned as we do from browning G
you are three times happier for bot
ing been fortunate, and =
wv let the dancing beginI .,
/, sirs, of the set. step in.
Queen and her King at the head, Z
ladies to their places by royalty led; A
lie outside. we common folks pleasure n
be to watch your stately measure. \
to moralize. How mutable are mum H..
dane things.
. ha1 hna \ III