After  the  defeat  of  Boyne,  the  Stuart  king  fled  to  France,  and
with  him  went  many  of  his  bravest  soldiers.  -

Next  we  find  theni  at  the  courts  and  on  the  battlefields  of
the  Continent,  winning  fame  and  titles,  one  a  marshal  of  France,
another  a  premier  of  Spain,  and  others  distinguished  under  the
Great  Frederick,  laying  the  foundation  of  the  Prussian  monarchy.
The  bloody  field  of  Fontenoy  resounds  to  their  valor.  The
regiments  of  Dillon  and  Walsh  among  the  forces  of  D'Estaing  at
Savannah  had  every  officer  an  Irishman;  Count  Arthur  Dillon
leading  one  of  the  columns  of  assault  up  the  British  works.
With  these  facts  in  view  no  entertainment  in  the  series  of
national  and  private  hospitalities  was  more  appropriate  than  the
banquet  of  the  Friendly  Sons  of  St.  Patrick,  and  so  the  members
of  the  ROCHAMBEAU  Mission  recognized  it.
FRIENDLY   SONS   OP    ST.  PATRICK    REMEMBER    REGIMENTS
DILLON    AND    WALSH

The  rooms  were  richly  draped  with  the  Stars  and  Stripes
of  the  States,  the  Harp  and  Green  of  Erin,  and  the  Tricolor  of
France.  Red,  white,  and  blue  and  green  was  the  color  scheme


174          -     Fete  Champetre  at  Ophir  Hall

of  the  evening.  Festoons  of  smilax  and  tiny  incandescent
lights  produced  the  effect  of  an  enchanted  bower,  and  the  room
was  redolent  with  the  fragrance  of  bloom.  Patriotic  emblems
were  numerous,  and  the  music  breathed  the  theme  and  sentiment
of  the  evening.  It  was  a  modern  realization  of  Tara's  Hall.
The  presiding  officer  sat  at  the  center  of  a  raised  table.  As  a
background  there  stood  forth  on  canvas  a  full  portrait  figure  of
Ireland's  patron  saint.  As  a  legend  overhead,  "  Cead  mille
failthe  "  (One  hundred  thousand  welcomes).
