Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1893 — “TOURNAMENT OF ROSES.” [ARTICLE]

“TOURNAMENT OF ROSES.”

An Annual Southern California Festival. The “Tournament of Roses” is given every year; it might be called a floral thanksgiving, as the idea which suggested the festival was the coming of the winter flowers and the ripening of the orangep. It is essentially a children’s day; and the young folks are encouraged to take part in it. For weeks beforehand the tournament is talked of, and the fortunate owners of pony-carriages and carts are vying with one another in the elaboration of designs to compete for the prizes offered to the vehicles showing the most beautiful and artistic floral decoration. Prizes are given also for the various races of ponies, horses, and burros, —one prize being for the last burro to arrive in a slow race. Finally the day—the first of the new year—arrives. Early in the morning the E recession forms. The boys and girls on orseback, their steeds garlanded with flowers, join the master of ceremonies. The band plays gaily ; and they wend their way to the park, where the tournament is to b$ Ijpld The grand stand is already packed with men, women, and children, nnd in front is a heaping pile of oranges and flowers, free to all. Finally the master of ceremonies rings a bell, the young folks stand back, and the track is cleared. The first event is a revival of an old Italian and Spanish sport, played in the fifteenth century, and known as “tilting at tho ring.” Rings a little larger than a napkia-ring are suspended at intervals over the course, and the “knights” charge upon them at full speed, endeavoring to carry off as many rings on their long lances as they can. The one taking the greatest number is declared the victor. Shouts and cheers greet the knights, some of whom often are descendants of the oldest Spanish families in the State, next comes the hurdle-race or trenchjumping, by fine California thoroughbreds. “Can it be, as I have heard, that a calla-lily hurdle is used?” we have heafd asked. Quite possible, for the men now drag across the track a veritable hedge of the white flowers—to Eastern eyes the most remarkable hurdle a horse ever jumped. The bell rings, and away go the racers. They clear the hurdle in graceful leaps, and sweep past the grand stand with a clatter of hoofs and a jangle of silver trappings from the old Mexican saddles, spurs and bits. The third event is a race in which the young folks are particularly interested. Two fine greyhounds—“ Mouse” and her grandson “Junior”—have challenged the fastest race-horse in Pasadena. Mouse is bedecked with a huge collar of red geraniums (the “colors” of the club to which she belongs), and looks up, blinking and winking very hard, as much as to soy, “I have run away from this horse on many a hunt, and don’t propose to be defeated before all these people.” All is ready. The track on both sides is crowded with eager faces. “Go!” shouts the starter. Around comes the race-horse, “Daisy,” and as she crosses the line with hardly a glance at her old companions, Mouse and Junior are slipped, and they dash away amid a chorus of oheers and shouts. The horse skims along like a bird, but close beside her are the two dogs, moving like machines. Around the course they go, Junior ahead, barking and thinking it great sport, while old Mouse hangs at the quarter, looking up every few moments to see why Daisy does not go faster. Louder grow the shouts as the competitors pass around the great cirole. Boys and girls crowd upon the track, and the cry goes up that the dogs are ahead. A moment later, horse ana dogs come rushing across the line, the latter well in advance. As every one knows that the fastest horse cannot run away from a greyhound, the defeat of Daisy is considered no disgrace. While the dogs are being congratulated and the kennel of fox-hounas beneath the graud stand is howling and baying a welcome, the open space within the track is cleared for the polo-teams, and for an hour they give an exciting exhibition of their manly sport—[St Nicholas.