Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-01
BnffaIO Bills Little Joke.

10 q number OF his lntlmateS lew
evenings ago Mr.. Sam Kayzer of the
Chicago Conservatory unbent so far
to fell one of the oxporien ces of his
recent trip abroad. There's quite u
town over there they call Lunnon," he
began, 'but there was very little En-
glish, you know, about it when | was
there. 1t was very American. From
is royal ighness down to the boot
blacks the tendency of the British in
tellect was toward the formation of
American habits and customs as illus
trated by Buffalo Bill and his wild
westerners.
81 had been in town only over night
when | ran across two Chicago news
paper men-Vance Thompson and the
younger Busby. Together we set out
to see what we could see. We found
the entire population headed fos the
Wild West show. Somebody said is
royal 'ighness would be there on the
the crowd, and Clipped in our few
shillings for the encouragement of
home talent. We managed to worm
ourselves into a conspicuous position
on the very edge of the track just as
the old coach drove up preparatory to
being pursued by a mob of whooping
saVages-at $40 u month and found.
Buffalo Bill rode up alongside and the
Britishers cheered themselves hOarse.
He glanced in our direction, and, rec
ognizing Busby, winked for him to get
into the coach with his friends and
help fire blank cartridges at the pur-
suing redskins. We got in and the
old coach ratified up in front of the
grand stand, where, in the front row,
sat is royal ighness explaining to the
duchess of something OF other that the
Americans were really quite intelligent
as a class and would doubtless get over
some of their rough and bloody ways
as they grew older.
at seems it had been arranged for
is royal 'ighness to ride in the coach
that day, and he came down to get in,
but as he put his foot on the steps he
saw US inside. and so exclusive is he
that it nettled him. He wanted US put
out before he would get in. But Bill
came to our rescue. He had invited
US, so he proposed to stand by us.
You see,' said he familiarity to the
prince, those fellows are half-breeds,
and pretty ugly ones, too. l don't
think it would be wise to stir up any
fuss with 'em. They're bad citizens
when they're riled.'
when everything was ready they
gave US couple of dozen revolvers
loaded with blank cartridges and away
we went, the Indians after US and Bill
with his cowboys after the Indians,
everybody blazing away for dear life
Our ammunition lasted until we got
back to the grand stand, where we
drew up in a cloud of smoke and amid
wild applause. The coach had been
rescued and the Indians dispersed.
Bill then rode up and in stage whis-
per said that one of US must play dead.
Busby said he'd be hanged if he would
do it, and | swore l wouldn't make
such spectacle of myself. Vance
Thompson was just making similar
declaration when a swarm of cowboys
grabbed him by the legs and began
pulling him through the window, feet
first. He was in for it, and might as
well make the best of it. so he let him
self remain limp and played the dead
man very well.
Yes. he's dead said one of the
COWBOYS, quietly sIlpplnS MS myers
into Thompson's watch-pocket. This
was so realistic that Vance was per-
ceptibly thrilled.
Hes goner, said another, turn
ing one of the dead mans trousers
pockets inside out and scooping up
the contents. Vance could do moth
ing. To come to life now ould make
him the laughing-stock of 10000 peo-
pie, if not the whole city.
Another cowboy went for his breast
pocket, where he carried his letters of