y two New York friends, Lispenard Stewart and Dr. Taylor,
and half the cowboys of Billings County, "jumped" an east-bound
freight for the scene of the festivities.

Dickinson was in holiday mood. The West Missouri slope had never
celebrated the Fourth with fitting ceremonies before and Dickinson,
which, with its seven hundred inhabitants, considered itself somewhat
of a metropolis, made up its mind to "spread itself." From near and
far eager crowds streamed into the little town, on foot and on
horseback. The _Press_ reported the celebration with zest:

A BIG DAY

The First Fourth of July Celebration
in Dickinson a Grand Success

An Epoch in the History of Our Town
that Will Long be Remembered

Addresses by Hon. Theodore Roosevelt
and Hon. John A. Rea

The first Fourth of July celebration, attempted in
Dickinson, took place last Monday. It exceeded the
anticipations of all and proved to be a grand success--a day
that will long be remembered. The day dawned bright and
cool. Early in the morning people began to arrive and by ten
o'clock the largest crowd ever assembled in Stark County
lined the principal streets. The train from the west brought
a number of Medora people, amongst them Hon. Theodore
Roosevelt, the orator of the day.

The first exercise was the parade, consisting of three
divisions, under charge of Chief Marshal Auld, assisted by
C. S. Langdon and Western Starr. About ten o'clock
everything was in readiness and the parade began to move,
headed by the Dickinson Silver Cornet Band. Following the
band were the lady equestriennes, a large number of ladies
being in line. They were followed by the members of Fort
Sumter Post G.A.R. and Onward Lodge R.R.B. Next came a
beautifully decorated wagon drawn by four white horses,
containing little girls dressed in white, representing the
States of the Union. This was one of the most attractive
features of the parade, and was followed by a display of
reaping and other farm machinery. The "Invincibles" were
next in line and created considerable mirth by their
fantastic and grotesque appearance. Citizens in carriages
and on horseback brought up the rear. After parading through
the principal streets the procession marched to the public
square and were dis