Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-11-29
STORIES OF BUFFALO BILL
The Bugier Of the Old sFifth Cavalry
Tells Some Anecdotes.
How the Gr3nd Duke Alexis Amused
Himself on the PlainS-General
Sheridan's Encounter " 18th
A Seasoned Turkey.
Philadelphia Times.

Buffalo Bill was Watching half a dozen
rosy-cheeked, bright-eyed. delightful chill
dren roinplng among the sepees OF the
Indians IN the Wild West camp on re-
cent afternoon, when q tail, weIl-bailt
man, with blond ustache, stepped up
to him and said:
Hello, Bill"
"How do you do, SIR Colonel Cody
courteously replied.
you don't seem 10 remember me-" said
the stranger, as modest, half smile stole
over his handsome face.
mo, do not, I am sorry to saw"
Did you ever know the bugier Of the
old Fifth Cavalry?"
why, is this the Bugier Lew Kerehaw?"
"That's who tits"
swell, put it there, old boy" ap6 as
Buffalo Bills right hand shot ont it grasp
ed the hand of an old comrade in the
Western country.
1t was one Of the happiest meetings be-
tween two men. Kershaw was only
seventeen years old when he appeared on
the frontier in the early part of 1853 as
bugler Of General Carr's command. He
was from Chester, in this State, the ma
tive town of Major Brown, of the Fifth
Cavalry. He was tall boy, of slim build,
but was as brove as the bravest trooper.
As bugler he was often with the scouts
during the active campaigns against the
hostile Indians and it was not long be
fore B. falo Bill took him under his wing.
He was great favorite with the famous
scout, and was soon known as "Cody's
Kid" Kershaw endured the hardships
and braved the dangers of the wilds with
Buffalo Bill for four years, and was a
principle with him IN number OF thrill
ing adventures in the Indian country.
Buffalo Bill and his new-found friend
were exchanging hearty greetings when
the signal was given for the opening of
the afternoon performance, and Kershaw
was put in charge Of Major Burke, the
genial manager of the Wild West, with
orders to hold the bugler captive until
after the show. While Arizona John and
his captive were having jolly time in a
tent, Kershawsrecalled many interesting
stories of Buffalo Bill.
HARD LOOKING CASE.
"When L first saw Buffalo, Bill" he
said, che was the hardest looking case l
had ever laid eyes Oh. He had just come
in from three months scouting tour by
himself down toward the Indian Territory.
Southern Kansas When 7 Joined the
regiment Cody was then away, but he was
talked about every night around the
camp fire. Suddenly ore day General
Carr saw solitary horseman coming over
the prairie. It was the lone-lost scout,
whom many Of the boys feared had been
killed or captured by the redskins. As
Cody rode into camp he was given ire
mendous reception.
81 heard the cheers and when I rae out
I saw a man who looked like tramp. He
was on a jaded, bony, starved looking
mule near him. Cody's black hair was
full of briars and burs and his shaggy
beard almost reached to his eyes. One
foot had a moccasin on it held on by rags,
and on the other foot was the top of a
cavalry boot with raw piece of deer
hide tod on for sole. A piece Of faded
red blanket was fastened around the right
leg and the other leg was partly hidden
with tattered gray blanket. He wore
hard looking buck skin shirt and his
halr stuck out of the crown of his hat.
He looked like a man who had been
through series of cyclones.
81 he'd heard SO much of Cody's manly
beauty that I was disguised. But soap,
water, razor and a new outfit made q
wonderful change and Bill looked like a
different man n few hours later. Bill had
brought back important information and
lively campaign was opened against the
Indians that is part of American history,
and in it the Fifth Cavalry did heroic
work.
"We Suffered many hardsn1ps and were
often in danger, but we also had lots of
fun on the frontier. We had a great time
with a badger that Bill captured on a
hunting expedition. We named the bad
ger Flynn In honor of an Irish lord who
was then visiting General Carr. We
watched for emigrants and other strang-
ers end wagered that no dog could take
'tlynn' out of box we had built for his
house. Scores of dogs tried and failed
and the boys won many dollars.
THE BADGER CAME OUT.
some day an old man and his wife came
across the prairie in wagon. They had
mongrel cur with q shaggy head and
body. The boys wagered the old man the
dog coulsn't take the badger out of the
box. He took all the bets offered and
the old woman took big stocking out of
her bosom and put up the cash in Stake
holder Cody's hands. I bet almost
whole months pay and 80 did twenty
other of the boys. We felt as if we we're
robbing the old folks to take back the
money, but the old man insisted on the
dog tackling the badger.
"The whole camp was gathered to see
the fun when the old man showed his cur
into the box. Almost instantly the mongrel
yelped and was about to turn tail and run
when Flynn few at his face. The badg-
er's claws stuck in the hair of the dog and
as the bowling cur dashed out he volun-
tarily dragged the badger with him and
we we're ruined. The old couple drove
of with our cash and their cur. We were
bowling mad and madden still when we
learned Bill Cody had put the job up on
US.
"We had a good time when Grand Duke
Alexis of Russia vas with us, but the Duke
used to make it uncomfortable for me
some times. Alexis, Cody and I would be
lying in tent at night when Alexis would
pick up long fishing rod that he always
kept at his side at night and tickle me in
the ear until I awoke. L vas general
utility man and when Alex would tickle
Bill until he got up I would have to fix
up drinks while Alex led Cody into
game of cards.
FREDERICK'S WIDOW IN ENGLAND.