Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-29

fusion. The afternoon is devoted to field
games. sports and pastimes,' but the chief
event is the Roman chariot race for a
purse of $1,000 introduced for the first
time three years ago. At first the idea
was taken up with a shaking of the head
the entries would never come in-cars
could not be built-horSes would never
train four abreast-and 1t was dangerous
sport. anyhow. But in these few years
this event has proved the attraction of the
afternoon. and when the professional
charioteers. attired I'm togas and sandals
similar to those worn by the ancient
Romans, each wearing the ribbon of his
chosen color. appear on the race course
in their chariots. each drawn by four
full-blooded animals, the excitement
knows no bounds. The drivers take their
places. two in each heat, and when the
crack OF the pistol denotes that the race
has begun. it is only perfectly natural to
suppose that IL the blood is thrilled when
hearing of the great chariot race in Ben
Hur, much greater must be the nerve
pressure as the real race Is run, with the
straining, foam-fiecked horses with dis |
tended nostrils, circlng round the track
ever faster and faster, urged on by the
whip and cry of their drivers. and by the
shouts that arise from the thousands OF
spectators lining the course. The muscles |
in the bare arms of the men are tense and !
knotted and the reins wound around their
arms cut into the flesh. as they stream
with every nerve to win the laurel wreath 4,
cidentally the thousand dollar purse that
goes with 1t.
Vaqueros on swift mounts are stationed
at intervals about the track, ready at
moments notice to fly after any rum
aways for 1t sometimes happens that the
chariot horses become SO excited with
the exhiIation of the race that they run
@l4 t,oo L. Low
after the decision has been given by the
judges.
Between these races, various sporting
events are added; but good as they are.
they sink into insignifcance beside the
star attraction. After the races the peo-
Pile go their various ways and prepare
fon the great ball. This is carried on UNI
der the same elaborate management and
expense and is attended by hundreds OF
the best families. At o'clock, following
the bugle call, the queen and her maids
| enter the Romanesque room of the huge
| hotel and twice make the circuit of the
room, followed by those who have partic-
| ipated in the tournament. Then comes
| the dance. Men in evening clothes dance
with ladies of the court: pages with pow
dered hair and glistening shoe buckles
glide with their partners, decked in all
| the glories of their Worth creations: and
on this one glad day Of all the year class
distinction is forgotten, patrician and
| plebiean lines are obliterated and every
one mingies in a happy carnival, individu-
! ality for the occasion being entirely lost
sight of.
All day long there is a magnetic infiu-
ence that pervades the multitude, intangi-
| Bile, elusive. but apparent. Every one is
occupied with the great tournament and
when it is over there is a letting down-a
| relaxation of tense nerves. Everybody
draws a long breath, picks up his be-
longings and in the light of the early
morning departs for home, still talking of
| DRY scenes that never can be forgotten
| and time can never efface.