knew, was a "Democratic year."

The men and women of the Bad Lands, scattered far and wide over the
Northwest, watched his progress with a glowing feeling in their hearts
that was akin to the pride that a father feels at the greatness of a
son whom he himself has guided in the way that he should go. There was
none of them but felt that he had had a personal share in the making
of this man who was beginning to loom larger and larger on the
national horizon. They had been his mentors, and inasmuch as they had
shown him how to tighten a saddle cinch or quiet a restless herd, they
felt that they had had a part in the building of his character. They
had a great pride, moreover, in the bit of country where they had
spent their ardent youth, and they felt assured that the experiences
which had thrilled and deepened them, had thrilled and deepened him
also. In their hearts they felt that they knew something of what had
made him--"the smell, the singing prairies, the spirit that thrilled
the senses there, the intoxicating exhilaration, the awful silences,
the mysterious hazes, the entrancing sunsets, the great storms and
blizzards, the quiet, enduring people, the great, unnoted tragedies,
the cheer, the humor, the hospitality, the lure of fortunes at the end
of rainbows"--all those things they felt had joined to build America's
great new leader; and they, who had experienced these things with him,
felt that they were forever closer to him than his other countrymen
could ever possibly be.

Roosevelt was nominated for the vice-presidency in June, 1900, and in
July he began a campaign tour over the country which eclipsed even
Bryan's prodigious journeyings of 1896. Early in September he came to
Dakota.

Joe Ferris was the first to greet him after he crossed the border at a
way-station at six o'clock in the morning.[25]

[Footnote 25: The account of Roosevelt's triumphant
return to Medora is taken verbatim from contemporary
newspapers.]

"Joe, old boy," cried Roosevelt exuberantly, "will you ever forget the
first time we met?"

Joe admitted that he would not.

"You nearly murdered me. It seemed as if all the ill-luck in the world
pursued us."

Joe grinned.

"Do you remember too, Joe," exclaimed Roosevelt, "how I swam the
swollen stream and you stood on the bank and kept your eyes on me?
The stream was very badly flooded when I came to it," said the
Governor, turning to the grou