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THE CROWNING DAY IN COLONEL CODY'S LIFE.

NEBRASKA'S OVATION TO HER FAMOUS SON AT THE GREAT OMAHA TRANS-MISSISSIPPI EXPOSITION.

In 1883, the year of its organization and upon a much less comprehensive and colossal scale than it has since attained, Colonel Cody presented his now world-famous "Wild West" at Omaha. Fifteen years later, on the 31st day of August, 1898, and on the same spot previously occupied by his arena, he again appeared, and this time as the invited and honored guest of the State of Nebraska and of the great Trans-Mississippi Exposition. There were gathered to enthusiastically and proudly welcome him some thirty thousand people, including the most prominent officials and political leaders of Nebraska and her representative pioneers and business men. Although within the period of a decade and a half his name had grown to be a household word in every land, he had become the most widely known and lionized man of his generation, had met with continuous ovations from applauding millions in both Europe and America, in which the mightiest of rulers, the most renowned of soldiers, the most distinguished of statesmen and diplomats, the first of savants, and the beauty, wealth, power and culture of the world had participated, yet him "Cody Day" was infinitely and inexpressibly the most gloriously gratifying triumph of his memorable life, involving the highest compliment ever paid by any sovereign, state, community or association to a private citizen.

At eleven o'clock on the morning of that red-letter day, Colonel Cody, leading his "Congress of Rough Riders of the World," and accompanied by the reception committee and guests of honor in carriages, reached the main entrance to the Exposition, where he was received by General Manager Clarkson and a delegation of one hundred and fifty mounted chiefs and warriors from the Indian encampment. As the brilliant cavalcade filed into the open space before the grand stand where the official reception was to be held it was greeted with prolonged and vociferous cheers from the vast assemblage overflowing the plaza and every adjacent vantage point of view. When Colonel Cody dismounted and ascended the platform there was a mighty roar of welcome, at the conclusion of which General Manager Clarkson addressed him as follows:

"Mr. Cody, it is a source of great regret to the President of this Exposition that official duties prevent his presence here this morning, and in his behalf he has asked me to give you a most cordial welcome to these Exposition ground. It is extremely fitting, sir, that you should have such a tesimonial as this, here, at the very starting point of your earliest career, and as a man who has presented to all parts of American and to foreign countries the customs of the West, and given it a place beside the great Congress of all nations, we bid you a most cordial welcome here, sire, and assure you that your success in life throughout your career is merited and deserved. (Applause.) I will now introduce Governor Holcomb of the State of Nebraska, who will give you a welcome."

A CAREER WATCHED WITH PERSONAL INTEREST.

In the course of an eloquent tribute, the Governor said; "The large numbers that have gathered here testify to the interest that we of Nebraska feel in you and in the great enterprise which you have carried on so successfully and so creditably throughout the entire world. We have watched with personal interest your career and your movements, and it is a source, I know, of personal pleasure to a large number of citizens, return again and make a triumphal entry into the metropolitan city of the State and into this great Exposition that has sprung up here in the last few months. It is fitting, it seems to me, that you should come here at this time, represented as you are by these people from all countries. This entertainment and exhibition which you give, which has been denominated and known as a Wild West show, is an entertainment started and having its inception on Nebraska soil many years ago, begun by a Nebraskan who, in his early manhood, came into the State in its earlier years. when it was indeed a wild and western State, and few persons, perhaps, were in this entire western country, this magnificent domain that has developed as no other country under the sun has developed in the last quarter of a century. In your earlier days, Colonel Cody throughout this western country, you knew what the Wild West was, and yet you have seen it gradually subdued by the civilizing influence of mankind, until we have to-day a civilization, not as you give it, showing what which existed a quarter of century ago, but a civilization embracing all that is best for mankind. I daresay we witness here to-day what, perhaps, we will never again witness in the State of Nebraska, or in the western part of our grand United States. We see here representatives of so many people of so many different countries; we may never again see so many different peoples assembled together as we witness here to-day-the representatives of the original aboriginal tribes of these Unites States, two dozen or more of those who, in years gone by, inhabited these broad prairies, chased the buffalo and the deer undisturbed, who have been going further and further toward the setting sun, until to-day we see them here under such circumstances as we now witness. It is an inspiring, an instructive, an educational scene, and we draw lessons from it and appreciate the cause of it. There is a constant change and evolution in the progress of human society, and it more firmly impresses itself upon our minds when we witness this gathering. I extend to you, Colonel Cody, on behalf of the people of the State of Nebraska, your own State, a most cordial welcome on your return to our borders." (Great applause.)

In introducing the next speaker, General Clarkson said: "Here is

THE FATHER OF THEM ALL.

Alexander Majors, connected with the very earliest history of Nebraska, and the business father of Colonel Cody."

Mr. Majors was given a reception only second in enthusiasm to that which was accorded the hero of the day as he grasped Colonel Cody's hand and turned to speak of the man from the intimate acquaintance of a life-time. He said:

"Gentlemen and my boy, Colonel Cody (laughter)-Can I say a few words of welcome? Friend Creighton and I came down here together to-day and he thought I was not equal to the occasion at this time, but I am going to do the best for you that I can. Give me your hand, Colonel. Gentlemen, forty-four years ago this day this fine-looking physical specimen of manhood was brought to me by his mother- a little boy nine years old-and little did I think at that time that the little boy that was standing before me, asking for employment of some kind by which I could afford to pay his mother a little money for his services, was going to be a boy of such destiny as he has turned out to be. (Applause.) In this country we have great men; we have great men at Washington; we have men who are famous as politicians in this country; we have great statesmen; we have had Jackson and Clay, and we had a Lincoln. We have men great in agriculture and in stock growing, and in the manufacturing business, who have made great names for themselves, who have stood high in the nation, We had a Barnum in the show business. Next, and even greater and higher, we have a Cody. (Tremendous applause.) He, gentlemen, stands not at the head of the showmen of the United States of American, but of the world. (Great applause,) Little did I think this, gentlemen, at the time this little boy came to me, standing straight as an arrow; and he came to me and looked me in the face, you know, and I said to me partner, 'We will take this little boy-Mr. Russell was standing by my side - and we will pay him a man's wages because he can ride a pony just as well as a man can.' He was lighter and could do just the same service, just as good service of that kind, when he was a little boy, just nine years old. I remember when we paid him $25 for his first month's work; he was paid