. They galloped madly up and down the
wide, dusty streets at every hour of the day and night, knowing no
sober moment as long as the convention lasted.

Roosevelt and Sylvane arrived on April 18th, taking what quarters they
could get in the Macqueen House which was crowded to the doors and was
granting nobody more than half a bed. The ceremonies began early next
morning with a blast from the Fifth Infantry band from Fort Keogh, the
army post two miles to the west.

Promptly at 9:30 A.M. [runs the story in the Minneapolis
_Tribune_] a procession was formed in front of the Macqueen
House, with the Fifth Infantry band at its head, followed by
carriages containing the officers of the Association and
ladies; next a cavalcade of wild cowboys just brought in
from the adjacent ranges, followed by about 150 cowmen
marching four abreast. The procession was about two and
one-half blocks long from end to end, and the line of march
was through the principal streets to the skating rink, where
the public meetings of the Association are held.

As the procession was nearing the rink, the horses of the
foremost carriage, containing the president, vice-president,
and secretary, took fright and dashed into the band. Both
horses took the same side of the tongue and made things
unpleasant. At this stage of the game President Bryan and
others abandoned the carriage, and Secretary R. B. Harrison,
with his large minute book, made a leap for life, and the
subsequent proceedings interested him no more. The
procession then broke up with a wild charge of cowboys,
accompanied with such yells as would strike terror to the
heart of the tenderfooted.

The actual meeting of the Stockgrowers' Association was, contrary to
what might have been expected from its prelude, a thoroughly dignified
affair. Roosevelt was, as one of the other stockmen later declared,
"rather inclined to listen and take the advice of older men"; but it
was significant that he was, nevertheless, elected to the Executive
Committee as the successor of the Marquis de Mores as representative
for Dakota Territory; and was appointed to one or two other committees
of lesser importance.

"Roosevelt was of a restless, nervous, but aggressive disposition,"
said H. H. Hobson, of Great Falls, who was present at that meeting,
"and took a keen interest in the proceedings. He was a great