1883.]

The excitement in the little settlement was intense. Gregor Lang was
outspoken in his indignation against the Marquis, and the few
law-abiding citizens rallied around him. The Marquis was arrested and
acquitted, but O'Donald and "Dutch Wannigan" were kept under lock and
key. The better element in Little Missouri snorted in indignation and
disgust, but for the moment there was nothing to be done about it. The
excitement subsided. Riley Luffsey slept undisturbed on Graveyard
Butte; the Marquis took up again the amazing activities which the
episode of the quarrel had interrupted; and Maunders, his mentor,
flourished like the green bay tree. It was said that "after the
murder, Maunders could get anything he wanted out of the Marquis"; so,
from his point of view, the whole affair had been eminently
successful.

All this was in the summer of 1883.

* * * * *

For all their violence and lawlessness there was no denying,
meanwhile, that the settlements on both sides of the river, roughly
known as Little Missouri, were beginning to flourish, and to catch the
attention of a curious world.

The Mandan _Pioneer_ spoke of surprising improvements; and even the
Dickinson _Press_, which was published forty miles to the east and
which as a rule regarded Little Missouri as an outrageous but
interesting blot on the map of Dakota, was betrayed into momentary
enthusiasm.

This town, situated in Pyramid Park on the banks of the
Little Missouri River and surrounded by the Bad Lands with
their fine scenery, is, at the present time, one of the most
prosperous and rapidly growing towns along the line of the
Northern Pacific. New buildings of every description are
going up as fast as a large force of carpenters can do the
work and an air of business and enterprise is apparent that
would do honor to many an older town.

The "personals" that follow give a glimpse into the Little Missouri of
which Roosevelt was a part during that third week of September, 1883.

NOTES

Business booms.
J. H. Butler is right on sight.
[MCGeeney] and Walker are doing a good business.
Geo. Fitzpatrick is doing a rushing business.
J. B. Walker takes a good share of trade.
Anderson's restaurant refreshes the inner man.
Frank [Vine] rents the soldiers' quarters to tourists.
[P. McGeeney] will have a fine hotel when it is completed.
We