Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-11-09
A KNIGHT OF 1901

~ series OF school readers" which
was most used a generation ago-it
may have been the third" or it may
have been the fourth" reader-was i
one which, among other classic Sc
lectionS. contained the account in /
verse OF how. when the queen
Of the medieval fete had BAN
tered Lord Francis 10 chase aft
er the glove she had wantonly |
thrown into the arena among a fero-
cious collection OF man-eating lions.
the active and sStute Lord Francis
lightly lesped" down 10 the arena
sands. deftly snatched up the lady's
glove before the astonished lions could
figure out what be was up 10. climbed
nimbly back 20 his seat by the fair
lady's side. and then-good Lord Fran
cisi-threw the glove, slap bang. right
in the lady's face.
mot love" guoth he. "but vanity,
prompted such deed as this"
The poet falls TO inform Us upon the
point. but one can imagine that after
this there were no wedding bans for
the fair lsdye and lord Francis. who
was the catch Of the season. and that
she was exceeding sore about il, and
repented her folly az leisure.
There may be different meNtal attI-
tudes regarding the propriety OF this
tempestuous conduct OF Lord Francis,
some. no doubt, contending that no
true gentle nan would under any stress
Of irritating circumstances return 70
lady her glove by throwing II sharp
y into her face. and that this breach
4 - -
IS a boorish-mannered and racous-
minded person. whose name should be
stricken from the blue book OF his day;
but q appears 20 be a majority point
OF view that the lady was served ex-
sctly as she deserved. and that IL she
went unmarried 20 the end OF her DAYS
she received only such measure as she
melted And strangely enough. il Il
the ladies themselves who most ar
IDENTIFY uphold this latter view o.
the case.
In the midsummer Of this first year
OF our newest century. the big city o,
Chicago. stirred by the public spirit OF
generous citizen. discovered IN sud
deRness what had been a readily ap
parent fact FOR three whole genera
tions-that IT'S far-stretching shore o,
sandy beach and cooling water was
heritage 81 the people, and had no
been designed by nature as a riparian
asset for land-grabbing corporation
or an easy dumping spot for the rsfus
% contractors. Accordingly. privat
means having furnished re equip
msnts Of which the civic purse had de
MED. or never thought Of. there wer
, established all along the shore. fror
the mouth OF the sedgy Calumet Z
far lake View. public bathing beschei
provided with convenient dressing
: rooms, with soap and towels and batl
! In suits. free FOR the uses Of all VIII
= came, with Nfe lines and floating raj,
I, upon which the bathers could dispor
: and. above al, with expert attendan nj
\ % teach the art OF swimming and I
\ be ~ touch In any moment OF per
Z which might unhappily overtake n
inexperienced or the venturesom
?. The waters OF Lake Michigan are col
o and only when an east wind rolls 4
q sun-heated surface in upon the shu
E lows OF the western shore Is II real
=. adapted for pleasure bathing.
= Public appreciation OF this ne,
D. found luxury-and tacit condemn
u ton Of the civic stupidity which n.
o. 30 long denied n TO the people, !
K, real owners-was evidenced at on
u in the vast popularity these free bat
a. ing beaches leaped into in an !
10 slant and continued 10 hold until {
b! nipping air OF fan rendered undre
- disporting on the sands no longer
"a pastime and Joy. Hundreds Of tho
" sands Of visitors, the records sho
es partoOk OF their advantages duri
the brief season.
ts IL was at the most frequented
u all these beaches so opened 10 On
r lie use that young Elmer Armstrol
- a university matriculSnt. whose !,
he aey lad been a stout heart and @
- bition 20 rise. strong body and I
ia hardy constitution bequea.&%5
ne sturdy forbeErs. 4 pure mind and
si- trsPid resolution. He had, besides
u widows blessing and a couple
a. hundred dollars he had earned as
na amateur life saver before he beca
freshman st 10.
ST. Not much, you viii say, when
m must be reckoned that this was
en- solutely all he had IN the world,
yond the dear memory OF how
re