The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-08-14

from earliest morning and as a result
OF their efforts the stand formed
pretty picture. II had been lavishly
vet tastefully decorated with flags
and bunting and pictures OF Bryan.
Tickets were issued for l4i people on
the speakers stand. most Of them be-
ing the members OF the reception COM
mlttee. the officials. visitors from the
outside ana newspaper men.
StrOng skirmish lines reinforced the
stragglers soon after the noon hour.
Ladies and children seemed most tn
realize the Importance of arriving
early. and the grand stand filled rap
idly. BY . O'Clock IL was completely
filled and formed a very pretty picture.
The grand stand looked like mann
moth bouquet. the faces OF Buttes fair
ones, with the Infinite variety OF
dresses and hats and gay colors form
cd a collection OF rare howers which
an observer could never tire OF look
ing upon. Meanwhile the men began
gathering on the track directly in
front of the speakers stand
soon steady stream of people COM
ing through the gate was swelling
the crowd between the speakers stand
and the, grand stand Al first the
stream of people was like "A rivulct,
which scarcely seemed In he noticeable
to the lake Of people which was stead-
lily becoming broader and wider The
little Ilvuiet would seem to lose IT.
self in the lake without apparently
adding to the latter's size. Then the
rivulet became a stream and the lake.
which had no outlet. grew and grew
before the eyes OF the watcher. stretch
ing out on every side. Then the pen
ple came In a perfect torrent. Scent
ing likely to tear down the fences and
gateways In the mad rush 10 unite
with the great lake OF people and reach
as nearly as possible to the center OF
the great sea Of humanity.
When the great crowd, which ac-
companled the band, rushed to the
great lake. IL seemed like cataract,
! like a broken dam. like Johnsiown
flood. The rushing waters stirred and
agitated the lake, caused II to sway
this way and that under the impulse
\ of the entering waters. until at last
the great lake slowly settled itself and
became placid. But by that time the
| lake had become a tremendous sea, a
wonderful human ocean. stretching IN
every direwion as far as one could
see in front, or 10 the siders of the
speakers stand.
WAITING FOR THE MAN.
| IL was a long walt. standing for
hours In the sun. waiting for Bryan.
But no one became impatient, no one
complained. All seemed To consider IL
n privilege that might come but once
In a lifetime. Everybody was good
natured The boys sold popcorn ana
peanuts and hockey pokey and toy bal
looms and pictures of Bryan. The meet. !.
ing was announced for o'clock ana
at that hour ears were strained 70
I .af IN N
music. But not a sound could be heard
except the unceasing murmur OF the
ever growing crowd. Wilder Pinkham
stood on the speakers platform with a
pair OF opera glasses and at 1904 o'clock
he announced. "They are just coming
across the railroad track.
Tell 'em to hurry up" called out
wag In the crowi. and the crowd
roared.
Pretty soon another tmputfvut wey
called out: Are they coming into the
stretch YETI
The sound Of the band was first
heard at 1926 and the murmur rose To a
confused roar as the great mass oi
people turned toward the coming pro-
cession. A great cheer arose from the
few I'm the crowd who could see
Bryan alight from his carriage.
The rest of the great multitude took
the cheering on trust. They couldn
see BRYAN, but they had faith i'm that
which was unseen and they swelled the
volume of cheering. Mayor Harrington
first mounted the speakers stand
William j. Bryan close behind MN
Then the cheering was doubled ana re-
doubled and quadrupled In volume un-
IN the very mountains took up the
sound aud rolled back reverberatins