The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-10-10
CHAPTER M Continued .

CHAPTER ~ (continued).
Those are lucky dogs of duty to.
day His eye caught mine. why
don't you 20 after them, Fortcsque?
There will b. plenty Of fun afoot
yonder where they land"
where Is that?"
AT the old fort: follow the crowd.
and you'll not go astray Have you
IL ticket?"
Captain Andre honored me with
one this morning."
Then you are good for the first
row. Don't miss It, man." with enthu
SLASH. Twill be such sight M has
not been witnessed since the Field OF
che Cloth OF Gold"
"A passage at arms you mean"
"Ay! as gorgeous AZ those OF the
old-time knights; fair conCelt as !
read the program. I'd be there now
Out for the damned orders that hold
me here. II you ride hard you can
make the spot before they come
ashore"
There was no reason | should not
go, and much in the glittering prospect
appealed to me. Five minutes later
Y was trotting out OF the wager camp,
pressing passage through the crowds
already headed southwark. the dra.
Roon riding silently at my heels.
Mounted men that day were few and.
doubtless believing we were connect.
cd with the pageant. the jam sullenly
parted, and gave us opening. 80 we
reached the site OF the old fort as the
barges began discharging their oc.
cupants. A glance about, however,
convinced me as to where the lists
were TO be run. and headed my horse
in that direction and gained point
of vantage before the throng poured in.
was somewhat to the right OF the
big stand, the FESTIVE heels Of my
horse keeping the crowd away. and
with Il clear view as far as the river
bank. II was. maybe 400 yards down
a gentle slope to the waters edge,
where the line was forming. This pas
sageway was lined with onlookers.
held back by numerous guards, while
10 my left extended square lawn,
perhaps $50 yards each way, surround
ed by a double rank OF grenadiors the
bayonets cleaning on their guns. This
open space was equipped with every
thing needed for the coming tourney,
and on three sides were tiers OF raised
seats. had barely observed all this
when the guns Of the Roebuck, echoed
by those OF the Vigilant. began to
Boom salute, and the head OF the
column OF marchers began slowly
mounting the slope. The costumes
worn were ms varied as those of
masquerade, representing all the
changes since the days OF chivalry
The whole line glowed with color, and
CLEANED with steel
Like some great serpent, glittering
IN the sun, this procession passed I'M
der the triumphal arches and dsap-
peured as its members took prescribed
positions on the stands, or in the pa
WILLOWS bordering the field of contest.
AS thus arranged the grouping OF col.
ors was most brilliant In the front
of each pavilion were seven young la.
dies attired picturesquely In Turkish
costume. wearing in their turbans
those favors with which they meant
TO reward the knights contendlng in
fhclr honor. Behind these, and occu-
Istng all the upper seats, were the
maidens representing the two divi.
sions of the days sports-ladies OF the
blended Rose and ladies OF the Burn.
sng Mountain. From the crowd surg.
ing around heard name after name
mentioned, AZ famous PHILADELPHIA |
bellies were pointed out, not few ia.
miliar to me. Even as ! gazed upon |
that galaxy Of beauty, half angry that |
Americans should take part In such a |
spectacle Of British triumph, the field |
was cleared for the lists, and sound
of trumpets came to us from dis.
lance.
Ont into the opening rode the con.
tending knights. attended by esouires
on foot. dressed in ancient habits of
white and red silk, and mounted on
gray horses, From the other direction
their opponents, In black
and orange. riding black steeds, while
20 the center advanced the herald
loudly pfoclaiming the challenge. |
knew hot who they all were. but they
made gallant show, and | overheard
many a name spoken Of soldiers met
In battle-Lord cathcart. Captain An.
DIRE, Major Tariton, Captain Scott. Ay!
and they fought well that day. those |
White and Black knights on the mimic