Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-02-22
Wild Bill.

the civil was, | visited the city of
Springfield in Southwest Missouri
Springfield is not burgh of exten-
sive dimensions, yet it is the largest
in that part of the State, and all roads
lead to (which is one reason why
it was the point d appui, as well as
the base OF operations Tor all military
movements, during the war.
On warm summer day | sat watch
ing from the shadow of a broad
awning the coming and going Of a
strange, half-civilized people, who,
from all the country round, make this
a place for barter and trade. Men
and women dressed in queer cos tunes ;
men with coats and trowsers made Of
skin, but so thickly covered with dirt
and grease as to have defed the iden-
tity Of the animal when walking in the
flesh. Others wore hOmespun gear,
which oftentimes appeared to have
seen lengthy service. Many of those
people were mounted on horseback
or mule-haok, while others urged for
ward the unwilling cattle attached to
creaking, heavy laden wagons, their
drivers swapping their long whips
with a report like that Of a pistol
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 upon the wooden sidewalks, or
sitting in chairs. These men were
temporary or permanent denizenS Of
The city. and were lazily occupied in
ioing nothing. The most marked
characteristic Of the Inhabitants seem
d to be an indiopoSition TO move, and
ucir highest ambition to let their hair
tnd boards grow.
Here and there upon the street the
appearance Of the army blue, betoken-
cd the presence of a returned Union
soldier, and the jaunty, confident air
with which they carried themselves
was all the more striking in its con
.rast with the Incidence which appear
ed to belong to the place. The only
indication Of action was the inevitable
revolver which every body excepting,
perhaps, the women, wore about their
persons. When people moved in this
azy city they did so slowly and with
ont method. No one seemed in haste.
! \ huge hog waIIowed in luxurious
ease in a nice bed of mud Oh the 9th
er side Of the way, giving vent to gen
tie grunts OF satisfaction. On the
platform at my feet lay a large wolf
dog literally asleep with one eye open.
He too, seemed conteuto4 10 let the
world wag idly on.
The loose, lazy spirit of the OCCASION
q. finally took possession Of me, and
sat and gazed and smoked, and it is
possible that / might have fallen into
a Rip Van Winkle sleep to have been
aroused ten years hence 10y the cry
.Passcngers for the flying machine to
p New York, all aboard = when AM
the browsing city were aroused into
" life by the clatter and crash OF the
f hools of a horse which dashed furi
ously across the square and down thC
street The rider sat perfectly erect
/. vet following with grace Of motion
seen only in the horsemcn of the plains
r the rise and fall Of the gallOping steed
"a There was only a moment to obscry
E this, for they halted suddenly, Will
lSi The rider springing to the ground az
c. preached the party which the noi8
had gathered near me.
This yere is Wild Bill, Colonel,
said Captain Honesty, an army office
ID addressing me. He continued:
- How are yer, Bill? This yere
Colonel N, who wants ter kno'
or ,er."
W Let me at once describe the pc
ne -oual appearance of the famous Scot
If the Plains, William HitchcOcl
aIled wild Bill, who now advance
&C .oward me, fixing his clear gray eye
p, on mine in a quick, interrogative wa
- IS if to take "my measure ~ I
The result seemed favorable, for |
add forth a small muscuIar/ hand
ro u frank, open manner. A31 100
+ at him | thought his the handsome
eN ohgsigue had ever SEEM In its c
- quisitc manly proportions it recalIc
. The antique. 1t was a figure Wa
II would delight to model as a compa
ion to his ''Indian|
,0d of Bill stood six feet and an inch
5G his bright yellow mocoasins. A dee
skin shirt, or frock it might be calle
hung iauntily over his shoulders, a
revealed al6hest whose breadth a
VEN m depth were remarkable. These lun
in had had growth in some twenty yea
yii iii of the free air of the Rocky Monntal
his The small, round waist was eirth
. bv d belt which held two of Col
navy revolvers. His legs sloI
gradually from the compact thigh
4 the feet. which were small and turn
en- inward as he walked. There was
singular grace and dignity of carrif
about that figure, which would h;
ES' called your attention, meet it VIII
- YOU would. The head which crow
class it was now covered by large 81
. brero. underneath which there sh'
-, out quiet, manly face; so gentle
= 4 IN his expression as he greets you as
soft terly to belle the history OF It's owl
yet it is no face to be trified with
The lips thin and sensitive, the
not too square, the cheek bones sli
ly prominent, a mass OF line d
ING hair falls below the neck to the sh
l. V'ba oNas now +hat Won ar