A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



after the war. Well, I spotted them or their dams 

 and sires during the war, and what Jennison didn't 

 get during the war I tried to get afterwards." 



Another story may be added because it falls so 

 aptly in Missouri. During President Cleveland's 

 first campaign I was sent over to Platte City, Mo., 

 with several others to organize a regiment of cavalry 

 to participate in a big night rally, and parade in Leav- 

 enworth. Those were the days of the Flambeau 

 Clubs. All the "pep" has gone out of parades since 

 the use of fireworks has been prohibited. We had 

 three of them in line, a total of 200 expert Flambeau 

 men whirling pin wheels, and putting up rockets or 

 Roman candles as they marched. Nothing that I 

 have ever seen compares with that sort of display. 



We chose a day when Gov. Thomas T. Critten- 

 den was billed to speak. Jesse James had been killed 

 by "Bob" Ford under a contract with Gov. Critten- 

 den. The James boys had worlds of friends in Platte 

 county. Gov. Crittenden had been warned that he 

 could not speak at Platte City without being killed. 

 They were all there, and I asked the Governor to 

 give me a minute, before he spoke, to announce our 

 cavalry regiment, which, by the way, came 500 strong, 

 on probably as grand a bunch of horses of that 

 number as ever formed a regiment. When the Gov- 

 ernor rose to speak there was a tense silence; not a 

 single hand clapped; the dropping of a pin could 

 have been heard. He was calm and cool, as though 



[113] 



