The Mitchell Capital

THE FOURTH AT HOME,

The Day Quietly Observed, With Some Events,

Base Ball, Target Practice and Fireworks.

The Fourth in Mitchell was not marked by any special program of observance but the day was filled with events of more or less interest. Quite a number of citizens attended the celebrations at Sioux Falls, Alexandria and other points, while those who stayed at home put in their time in various ways.

The forenoon was more or less noisy, so far as the small boy and his cracker and torpedo racket was concerned, and the marshal was kept busy driving the boys out of the limits where fire works were prohibited.

THE BASE BALL GAME.

The game of base ball between the business men and the REPUBLICAN force attracted quite a crowd to the fair grounds, where play was begun shortly after 3 o'clock. The contest was interesting for an amateur one and up to the sixth inning was even, the newspaper men being a trifle in the lead. When their opponents went to bat, however, in the seventh, they weakened and went all to pieces, while the sluggers on the other side pounded the ball wherever they chose, and stacked up runs until they had to quit from sheer exhaustion. It was a good natured game throughout and afforded lots of amusement, as well as backache and fatigue generally. Dr. Crane umpired in most satisfactory style, and both sides desire the REPUBLICAN to extend to him their hearty thanks for his impartial work.

The score is as follows:

BUSINESS MEN. REPUBLICAN.

Sutherland, p. R.O.

Francis, l.f. Francis, 1.f.

Miller, c. Quimby, c.

Wheelock, Geo, 1b Watts, P

Wells, 2b Mark, s.s

Peak, 3b Wheelock, R, 1b

Kimball. ss Weil, l.f

Putlitz, r.f. Chase, 2b

Silsby, c.f. Hinkly, 3b

Spangler. r.f. Palmer, c.f.

Total... 21 Total.. 21

The score was not kept down to all the fine points for obvious reasons. While there was some good batting done, the percentage of earned runs was light, and an attempt to print the error column would crowd everything else out of the paper. Balls were muffed and fumbled, wildly thrown and not thrown at all, and take it all in all, it was one of those rough and tumble, catch as catch can, ground and lofty fall over each other struggles, that took the spectators back to the early days of the national game. The players are under obligations to secretary Smith for the use of the fair grounds.

FIREWORKS IN THE EVENING.

Thanks to the enterprise of the liberal citizens who contributed, a magnificent display of fireworks was made from the court house under the direction of Signor Max O'Weil, and Professor George de Silsbino, which lasted two hours and was witnessed by a large crowd of spectators. The special features of the display were two illuminated designs, one "July Fourth" and the other "G. A. R.," several hot air balloons, representing, among other shapes, a portly porker and a ponderous elephant, which sailed up majestically into the moonlit azure, and some as fine sky rockets and whirligigs and thingumbobs as you will see anywhere. There were several private exhibitions about town as well, the whole affording a fitting windup to a pleasant day.

TARGET PRACTICE

The members of Company I turned out for target practice in the forenoon with the following scores on the two sides:

FIRST SQUAD

Total 68

SECOND SQUAD.

Total 55

The lowness of the score is due to the fact that the boys were unaccustomed to the guns.

CRACKERS AND THINGS.

Those who went out to Chamberlain had a big time.

Several young Mitchellites enjoyed themselves at Mt. Vernon, where they report a big time.

The day passed without an accident so far as heard from.

Uncle John Fosdick was the mascot of the REPUBLICAN base ball force. They had good luck up to the end of the sixth inning, when he left the grounds.

The banks, land office, postoffice and all the stores were closed during the day, the two former entirely, the post-office at certain hours and the latter from noon until 6 o'clock.

The gun club had a successful afternoon of sport with glass balls and clay pigeons, in which some fine scores were made. The REPUBLICAN was promised the score, and sent a man after it, but the party who had it was not accessible for some reason.

Tho Bicyclers Abroad.

A few of the members of the bicycle club celebrated the Fourth in a quiet way by taking a pleasant run to Alexandria in the forenoon and returning in the evening. The party consisted of the following riders: Howard Kibbe, Chas. Newcomer, R. N. Kratz, Geo.