The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-07-02

before each rider in turn, demanding |
his title, As this was given he
whirled to proclaim It. accompanying
each evolution with a blast on his
horn knight of the Golden Spur"
knight OF Castlewood." Lord OF
Brandon" 'Westover's knight"
knight OF the Silver Cross: the
names. fanciful, or those of family es
tates, fell on John Valiants ear with
a pungent flavor of medieyalism. He
started as he became aware that the
rider next him had answered and that
the herald had paused before him.
Knight OF the Crimson Rose!" II
sprang to his lips without forethought,
an echo, perhaps, of the improvised
sash and the flower In his hat-band,
but the shout OF the herald and the
trumpet's blare seemed TO make the
words fairly bulge with inevitabllity.
And through this struck a sudden ap-
palled feeling that he had really
spoken Shirley's name, and that every
one had heard. He could not see her
to overcome an insane desire to stoop
hideously in his saddle and peer un-
der the shading hat.brim. Lest he
should do this, he fastened his eyes
determinedly on the major, who now
proceeded to deliver himself OF the
Charge to the Knights"
The major made an appealing cen
ter to the charming picture as he
stood on the green turf. "the glass
of fashion and the mold OF FORM" his
head bare. his shock of blond-gray
hair thrown back, and one hand, thrust
between the buttons of his snowy
waistcoat His rich bass voice rolled
out to the farthest corner OF the field:
Sir knights:
THE tournament to which we are
gathered today is to us traditional; a
rite of antiquity and monument OF
ancient generations This relic OF the
jousts OF the Field of the Cloth-of-
Gold points us back to an era OF
knightly deeds, fidelity TO sacred trust,
obligation to duty and loyalty to wom-
an-the watchwords of true knight
hood.
I'VE like to think that when our
forefathers. offspring of men who es-
tabllshed chivalry. came from over
seas, they brought with them not only
this ancient play, but the precepts 1t
symbolizes. We may be proud, in
deed, knowing that this is no hollow
ceremonial. but an earnest that the
flower OF knighthood has not withered
in the world, that In an age when the
greed of gold was never so dazzling.
the spirit of true gallantry has not
faded but blooms luxuriant In the
sparkling dews of the heart Of this
commonwealth
Most Noble knights! In the name
of that high tradition which this day
preserves In the memory of those
other knights who practiced the tour.
ney in its old-time glory! In the sight
of your Queen OF Beauty! | charge
you, Southern gentlemen. to joust with
] 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 little
smile. quizzical yet soft. Dear old
major!" she whispered to Betty Page
How he loves the center OF the stage!
And he's effective. too. Thirty years
ago, father says, he might have been
anything he wanted to-even United
States Senator. But he would never
leave the state. Not that ! blame hin
for that" she added; "Td rather be a
church.mouse in Virginia than Cresus
daughter anywhere else"
(To BE CoNTINUEDJ