The Detroit times., 1913-11-20

the greed Of gold was never 30 DAG
uiing. the spirit Of true gallantry ha:
not faded but blooms luxuriant In tht
| sparkling dews of the heart OF this
commonwealth.
Yours is no bitter ride by haunt
| ed tarn or through enchanted forest
no arrowed vigil on beaeagered walls
You go not In cleaning steel and fret
ted mail TO meet the bite Of blade
and crash of battle-ax. Yet Ii your
trial one of honor and glory. charge
you that In the contest there be- nc
darkling envy for the victor, but on
| ly true comradeship and that gen
crosby which Is the badge Of noble
minds.
Il summon you to bow the knee
Loyalty before your queen. For as the
contest typifies LIES battle, so shall
she stand for you as the type OF wo
manhood, the crown of knighthOod
he bravest thoughts of chivalry cir
Gle about her The stars OF heaven
only may be above her head, the glow
worm In the nightchill grasses the
only fire at her feet; still the spot
that holds her Is richer than X ceilet
| with cedar and painted with vermil
ion. and sheds light far for hin
who else were lampless
Most Noble Knights. In the name
| OF that high tradition which this day
preserved In the memory Of those
other knights who practiced the tour
ney In It's oldtime glory! In the sigh,
OF your Queen OF Beauty! | chargs
you, Southern gentlemen, to joust Will
that valor. fairness and truth which
are the enduring glories OF the knight
hood OF Virginia."
Over the ringing applause Nancy
| Chalmers looked at him with a Htt.C
smile, quizzical yet soft. Dear ole
major She whispered to Betty Page
How he loves the center OF the
| stage! And he's effective, too. Thir
| ty years ago, father says, he NIGH
have been anything he wanted to-
| even United States senator. But he
would never leave the state. Not thai
i blame him for that" she added
I'D rather be a church-mouse in Vir
ginia than Croesus' daughter any
| where else"
The twelve horsemen were now
sitting their FESTIVE mounts in grUur
at one end OF the lists. Two mount
ed monitors had stationed themselves
M OlthCA Siuc VI TIC fOpcD6TTleT,
third stood behind the upright from
whose arm was suspended the silver
ring. The herald blew a blast, call
ing the title OF the first Of the knights
INSTANTLY, with lance at rest, the lat
ter galloped at full speed down the
hsts. There was sharp musica
clash, and as he dashed on, the rims
few the full length OF It's tether and
swung back, whirling swiftly. It hat
been close thrust, for the iron pike
point had smitten it's rim. A cheel
went up. under cover OF which the
rider lOoped back outside the list tc
his former position.
In an upper tier of the stand q
spectator made cup OF his hands
The Knight OF the Golden Spur
| against the field" he called. "Wha
| odds?"
Five to one, Spotteswood voic,
answered.
Ten dollars" announced the first
! Good" And both made memoran
dunn on their cuffs.
A second time the trumpet sounded
and the Knight Of Castlewood flashed
ingloriously down the roped aisle
miss.
Again and again the clear note rans
out and a mounted figure plunged by
and presently, In burst Of cheering
the herald proclaimed THE knight
OF the Black Eagle-one!" and Chilly
Lusk. In old.rose roublet and inky
plume cantered back with silver
ring upon his pike.
The hazards in the stand multiplied
Now II was Westover's knight against
him OF the Silver Cross; now, the
Lord Of Brandon to win. The gentle
men wagered coin Of the realm; the
ladies gloves and chocolates. One
pretty girl, amid a gale OF chaff, stalk
ed a greyhound puppy. The arena
swan In a lustrous light, and the
greensward glistened In it's frame OF
white. and dusky spectators. In the
sunshine the horses--every one oil
them grOomed till his coat shone like
black, gray or sOrrel satin-curveted
and whinnied. FESTIVE and red-nostril
ed under the tense rein. The riders
sat erect and statesQue, waiting the
call that sent each In turn titlin9
against the glittering and elusively
breeze-swinging silver circlet.
No simple thing, approaching leis
urely and afOOt, to send that taper
Ing point straight to the tiny mark
But at -headlong- gallon astride- q
FLOODED horse straining to take the
bit, q deed requiring q nice eye, a per
feet seat and an unwavering arm and
hand! Those knights who looped
back with their pixies thus braceleted
had spent long hours in practice and
each rode as naturally as he breathed:
Yet more than once a horse SHE'D In
mid-course and at the too-eager thrus,
OF the spur bolted through the ropes
Valiant made hie first essay--and
missed-with the bloodfng singing In
his ears. The ring flew from his pike
catching him q swinging blow on the
temple In Its rebound, but he scarcely
felt II. As he cantered back he heard
the majors bass pitting him AGAINST
the field, and for Q moment again the
spot Of blue seemed to spread over
all the watching stand.
And then, suddenly, stand and field
all vanished. He saw only the Ions
level ropel lined lane with its toinkline
midNair point. An exhilaration caught
him at the feel Of the splendid horse
flesh beneath htm--that sense OF one
ress with the creature he bestrede
which the instructive horseman knows
He lifted his lance and hefted It
seeking Its absolute balance. feeling
Its point as fencer with his rapier
When again the blood-red sash stream
ed away the herald's cry. "Knigh,
Of the Crimson Rose--O ne!" set the
field housekeeping. From the next
toust also. Valiant returned with the
gage upon his lance. Two had gone