Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-01-30
nlislellanp.
Wild Bill.

Several months after the ending of the civil
war | visited the city of Springfield in South
west Missouri. Springfield is not burgh of
extensive dimensions, yet it is the largest in
that part of the State. and all roads lead to it
which is one reason Why it was the point d
Uppui, as we'll as the base OF operations for ali
mlftary movements during the war.
On a warm summer day sat watching from
the shadow of broad awning the coming and
going of strange, half-civilized people, who.
from all the country round, make this place
for barter and trade. Men and women dressed
in queer costumes men with coats and trow
made of skin, but SO thickg covered with
dirt and grease as to have de6ed the identity Of
the animal when walking in the flesh. Others
wore hOmespun gear, which oftentmes appear
ed to have seen lengthy service. Many of
those people were mounted on horseback or
mule-back, while others urged forward the un-
willing cattle attached to creaking heavy laded
wagons, their drivers swapping their long
whips with a report like that of pstol-shot.
In front of the shops which lined both sides
OF the main business street, and about the
public square, were groups of men lOlling
against posts, lying apon the wooden side
walks. or sitting in chairs. These men were
temporary or permanent denizens of the city,
and were lazly occupied in doing nothing.
The most marked characteristic of the inhabi-
tsnts seemed 10 be indisposition to move
and their highest ambition to let their hair and
boards grow.
Here and there upon the street the appear
ance cf the army blue betokened the presence
OF returned Union sollier. and the isunty
confident air with which they carried them
selves all the more striking in its contrast
with the Incidence which appeared to belong
TO the place. The only indication OF action
the inevitable revolver which every body,
excepting, perhaps, the women, wore about
their persons When people moved in this
lazy city they did slowly and without meth
cd. No one seemed in haste. A huge hog
wallowed in luxurious ease in nice bed of
mud on the other side of the way, giving vent
to gentle grunts of satisfaction. On the plat
form at my feet lay large wolf-dog literally
asleep with one eye open. He, too seemed
contented to let the world wag idly on
The loose, lozy spirit of the occasion finally
took possession of me, and l sat and gaz.d
and smoked, and it is possible that | might
have fallen into Rip Van Wrinkle sleep to
have been aroused ten wears hence by the cry -.
& Passengers for the flying machine to New
York, all aboard y when | and the browsing
city were reused into life by the clatter and
crash of the hoofs of horse which dashed fu-
rIously across the square and down the street
The rider sat perfectly erect, yet following
with grace Of motion, seen only in the horse
men of the plains, the rise and fall of the gall
opIug steed. There only moment to
observe this, for they halted suddenly, while
the rider springing to the ground approach
ed the party which the noise had gathered
near me.
L" This yere is Wild Bill, Colonel" )" said Cap.
tain Honesty, an army officer addressing me-
He continued
n, who wants ter know yer"
Let me at once describe the nersorai arno.,
suee Of the famous Scout Of the Plains. VIII
liam Hitchcock, called 8 Wild Bill" who
now advanced toward me, fixing his clear
gray eyes on mine in quick. interrogative
way, as if TO take 50 my measure"
The result seemed favorable, for he held forth
small muscular hand in frank open manner
As looked at him l thought his the hand
soonest physique ! had ever seen. In its ex-
quIsIte manly proportions it recalled the an
tque- 1t was figure Ward would deligh. to
model as a companion to his 9. Indian
Bill stood six feet and an inch in his bright
yellow moccasins- A deer-skin shirt, or frock
1t might be called, hurg jauntily over his shoul-
ders, and revealed a chest uhose breadth and
depth we're remarkable. These lungs had had
growth IN some twenty years of the free air oi
The Rocky Mountains. The small, round waist
was glrthed by belt which held two of Colts
navy revolvers. His legs sloped gradually
were
small, and turned inward as he walked. There
was singular grace and dignity of carriage
about tnat hgure, which would have called your
attention. meet it where you would. The head
which crowned it was nov covered by large
somoeTo, underneath which there shone out q
quiet, manly face so gentle is his expression
as ne greets You utterly to belle the history
OF It's owner, yet it is not face to be trihed
With. The lips thin and sensitive, the law
he heel btI
iaent, mass of fine dark hair falls below the
neck to the shoulders. The eyes, now thai
you are n friendly in tercourse are as gentle a.
Womans- In truth the woman nature seem.
prominent throughout and you would not be
heve that you were looking into eyes that have
pointed the way TO death TO hundreds of men
les, Wild Bill with his own hands has killed
hundreds of men. OF that have not doubt
He shoots to KILL" they say on the Dor
der.
In vain did examine the scouts face TO
some evidence of murderous propensity.
gentle face and singular only in th
sharp angle OF the eve, and without any physi
Ognomica reason for the opinion, ! hav
thought his wonderful accuracy of aim was in
dicl'ed by this pacuiaritv. He told me, how
ever. to his own words:
g alters shot we'll but | come ter be per
fsck in the mountains by shooting at dim,
lpf n H0Iks a. DcIs Ol Hdli d OOllar b enOt
And then until the war l never drank liauo
nor smoked be continued with melancLol
expression " war is demoralizing. it is.''
Captain Honesty right. l was very Gu
rious to see Wild Bill the Scout" Who
few days before my arrival in Springfield, in
duel at MONDAY in the public square. at fft
PAGES, had sent one of Colts pistol ball
through the heart of returned Confederat
soldier.
Whenever l had met an officer or soldie
who had served in the Southwest | heard {
Wild Bill and his exploits, until these storie
became so frequent and of such an extraort in
ary character as quite 10 outstrip persona
knowledge Of adventure by camp and field
and the hero Of these strange tales took shap
in my mind as did Jack the giant killer O
Sinbad the sailor in childhood's days. An
then, now had the most implicit faith in tn
existence of the individual but how one ma
could accomplish such prodigies of strengt
and feats OF daring a Continued wonder.
In order to give the reader clearer unde
standing of the condition of this neighbc
mood, which could have permitted the du
mentioned above. and whose history will
hereafter in detail, | will describe the stuatic
at the time OF which am writing, which WI
ate in the summer of 1865. promising th
this section Of the country would not to-day
selected as . model example of modern civlllz
ton.