The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-12-21
Ned Buntline's Great Story
The Great Living Scout!
Buffalo Bill.
THE KING OF BORDER MEN
The Widest, Truest Story Ned Buntlin e
ever Wrote.

An oasis of green wood on Kansas
prairie-a bright stream shining like
liquid silver in the moonlight log
house built under the limbs of great
trees-within this humble home happy
group. This is my first picture.
Look we'll on the leading figure in
that group. You will see him but this
once, yet on his sad fate hinges all the
wild and fearful realities which are to
follow, drawn to avery great extent.not
from Imagination, but from life itself.
A noble looking, white-haired man
sits by rough table, reading the BIZ
BILE aloud. On stools by his feet sits
two beaut full little girls, his twin daugh.
tiers, not more than ten years of age,
while noble boy of twelve or thirteen,
stands by the back of the chair where
sits the handsome, yet matroniy looking
mother
It is the hour for family prayer be-
fore retiring for the night, and Mr..
Cody, the Christian. always remembers
it in the heart Of his dear home.
He closes the holy book aud is about
to kneel and ask Heaven to bless and
protect him and his dear ones.
Hark! The sound Of horses galloping
with mad speed toward his house falls
upon his ear.
| is it possible there is another Indian
alarm 2 he says, inquiringly.
| Alas, worse than the red savages are
riding in hot haste toward the door.
'Hal1o-the house = is shouted loud
| ly, as a large cavalcade of horsemen
halt before the door.
What is wanted, and who are yep
asked the good man, as he threw wide
nd ct IA
| hold
You are wanted, you black-hearted
nigger worshipper, and T-Colonel
I iM'Kandlas-have NJ come to fetch you !!
And there's the warrants!
AS the ruffian leader of the band
shouted these words, the pistol already
in his hands was raised, leveled, fred +,
and the father, husband and Christian,
fell dead before his horror stricken fam
lily. rs X
If them gals was little older-but
never mind, boys, this will be lesson
for the sneaks that come upon the Bor-
der lets be off, for there's plenty more
work to do before daylight : continued
the wretch, turning the head of his
horse to ride away.
It was butts single word-spoken, too,
by a boy whose blue eyes shone wildly
in a face as white as new fallen snow
and full as cold-spoken as he stood
erect over the body Of his dead sther,
weaponlcss and alone.
Yet this ruffian, aye, and all Of his
mad, reckless crew, stopped as if a
mighty spell was laid upon them,
you Jake MKandlas, have murdered
my father. You base towards, who
saw him do this dark deed, spoke no
word to restrain him. I am only Little
Bill, his son, but as God in Heaven
hears me now, will kill every fathers
son of you before the beard grows on
my face!' 4@ ...-.....
Hear the little rooster crow. He'll
fight when his spurs grow, if we don't
cut his comb now,' cried the lead er, with
a mocking laugh, and he raised his pis-
tol once more.
Monster, you have robbed me of
husband; you shall not kill my boy
shrieked the mother, as she sprang for
ward and drew her son up to her own
bosom.
Colonel, there's big gang Of men
comm over the prairie. We'd better
git,' cried scout, riding in at this mo-
ment.
In minute, at full speed. the party
dashed away after their leader, and the
wretched family were left alone with
the dead
Frozen with terror and awe, the beau
tiful twins, Lille and Lottie, crept out
to the doorway, where their mother and
brother knelt over the stiffening form of
him who had been SO good and kind
their dear father.
Oh. what picture! Grief was still.
Nor sob, nor tear, not even q moan
arose. They were dumb with agony
paralyzed with sense of utter bereave-
ment.
1t is now 1861. The old log house
has disappeared, but In the same noble
grove a pretty white cottage is seen.