nd the soldierly conduct of the brave man who was its victim
will have a real chastening and wholesome historical significance.

[Illustration: Page from Ex-President Roosevelt's Manuscript of
Speech Showing Bullet Holes.]

CHAPTER II.

SPEAKS TO GREAT AUDIENCE.[1]

Standing with his coat and vest opened, holding before him manuscript
of the speech he had prepared to deliver, through which were two
perforations by Schrank's bullet, the ex-President was given an ovation
which shook the mammoth Auditorium, Milwaukee.

[1] Stenographic Report from The Milwaukee Sentinel.

The audience seemed unable to realize the truth of the statement of
Henry F. Cochems, who had introduced Col. Roosevelt, that the
ex-President had been shot. Col. Roosevelt had opened his vest to show
blood from his wound.

Even then many in the audience did not comprehend that they were
witnessing a scene destined to go down in history--an ex-President of
the United States, blood still flowing from the bullet wound of a
would-be assassin, delivering a speech from manuscript perforated by
the bullet of the assailant.

Col. Roosevelt said:

"Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible," he said. "I
don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot, but
it takes more than that to kill a bull moose. (Cheers.) But fortunately
I had my manuscript, so you see I was going to make a long speech
(holds up manuscript with bullet hole) and there is a bullet--there is
where the bullet went through and it probably saved me from it going
into my heart. The bullet is in me now, so that I can not make a very
long speech, but I will try my best. (Cheers.)

"And now, friends, I want to take advantage of this incident and say a
word of a solemn warning, as I know how to my fellow countrymen. First
of all, I want to say this about myself: I have altogether too
important things to think of to feel any concern over my own death, and
now I can not speak to you insincerely within five minutes of being
shot. I am telling you the literal truth when I say that my concern is
for many other things. It is not in the least for my own life. I want
you to understand that I am ahead of the game, anyway. (Applause and
cheers.) No man has had a happier life than I have led; a happier life
in every way. I have been able to do certain things that I greatly
wished to do and I am interested in doing other things. I can tell you
with absolu