Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-10-12
vIR6IsIA TOURNAMENTS.
ShiaDke Of Old-Time Customs Obj.
tanned by Visitor from
the North

the North.
Inc coming tournament has been :he
talk OF the country around for MANY
week, and each of the Virginia bellies
OIL the ncighborhood has been having
new costume fashioned by the only
oressmaker in town to try to attract the
most attention at the dance to follow.
ihe long-expected day has at last ar
rived, and after a hearty dinner, pre-
sided over by a colored NANNY, who
continually waved a branch of a tree
over the table to keep off any stray
mes, we were on our way to the meet.
Our party, consisting of two pretty
girls from Washington and PhiladeI-
phla, respectively, two small children.
the lady whom we were visiting and
myself, from New York, joined the long
line of carriages which were passing
along IN all sorts of style, some drawn
by hlgh-bred Virginia horses and filed
with the aristocracy of the country,
and some seeming on the last edge of
olIapldauoE, drawn by a working nag
and filled with the darky owners them
selves, with all grades between.
The tournament was held in a large
held at the edge of the town on an up
land overlooking a wide extent of or
chard and woodland among the Blue
Ridge mountains, 20 miles from any
railroad station. Three arches of tree
trunks had been erected. from the CEN
ter of the top of each of which pole
hung, on the end of which a ring was
suspended. The track through these
arches was 63 yards long and had to
be covered in six seconds by the con-
tending knights on horseback, who.
with spear in hand, had to secure the
rings-each racing three times, SO the
maximum of rings to be obtained was
nine.
On reaching the field we were nearly
run down by the Knight of the Pink
Shirt, who was practicing speed across
the extent of green, but we finally OBJ
tanned IN advantageous place of view.
our carriages being within speaking
distance of each other, and we found
the contest about ready to begin. The
marshal, with long white plume in his
black hat, was mounted on a fine horse
and was surrounded by the members
of his council, each on horseback, caper-
ing and prancing back and forth. The
Knights to contend were grouped to-
gether to hear the final reading of the
rules. Our attention was here attracted
to free exhibition of athletic hand
springs, cartwheels, etc, by three or
four little pickaninnies directly on the
track, whose aspirations for honors
were soon cut short by the vigorous use
of their mammy's umbrella.
he ho1 IN,
tones the Knight of the Sash, and
from the group cantered out youth
with long pink and yellow sash wound
around his waist and carried over one
shoulder, who placed his rings in po-
sition and at the word came rushing
down the track, securing two rings in
his passage. He was followed in turn
by Bruiser in a white shirt and black
sash, by the Knight of the Pink Shirt
in pink shirt and black sash, by Hard
Times in a black silk blouse, by the
Scarlet Knight in a complete riding cos
tune of scarlet and by many more.
some of whom were dressed as jockeys.
Among the spectators were to be seen
typical southern gentlemen and the
best man in town. Then there are the
girls, hearty, easy-gOing, laughing
southern beauties, enjoying themselves
to the utmost. These are all supple
mented by the darkies, little and big,
fat and thin, seated on the fence around
the field, watching the racing with big
white eyes and rows of white teeth
showing when any knight is fortunate
enough to secure three rings.
There was great excitement on one
side of the field upon the arrival of a
certain wagon. 1t became more intense
when the people began to climb on the
wheels and steps. Suddenly the crowd
began to break, and the cause was eN-
planned. Each one came away with &
watermelon which had been purchased
from an enterprising vender. The
colonel is one of the foremost on those
returning with the watermelons.
The racing had been going on all this
time, and the final round was being
run. All our hopes are with Bruiser,
for he was a friend of one of our friends,
but the best he could do was to get
second nonors-
The victorious knight took his ninth
ring with yell that would have done
credit to a Comanche Indian. and he
was thereupon declared the king. The
remaining knights were then placed in
order of their merits and the carriages
dispersed until evening.
When evening arrived with it came
the lads and lassies, the knights in the
same costumes they wore in the races
and the girls in their fresh, simple lawns
and organizes. The charge was deliv
cred to the king and his chosen partner
in a prettily rounded speech, each
knight crowned his own partner and
the roval set formed on the dancing
platform. To the music of the band
which was brought IS miles for the &C.
casion, dancing and f1irtations were
kept up until nearly morning in the
grove hung with lanterns adjoining the
tournament field. The final drive home
in the cool of the morning was fitting
close to a glimpse of old Virginia life
brooklyn Eagle
scotch Salmon Fishing.
From all accounts the rentals of
salmon fishing privileges in Scotland