Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-08-28
A Galaxy at st. Joe.

were the remainder Of the party
=, When we wrote our names on the reg
lister at Plank's tavern, Mr.. Hull
r eagle eye caught the names "Bill Nye
New York" and 81. w. Riley, Indi
{ anapolis," on the sheet little way
. above and called attention to the fact
) Mr.. Hull Immediately demanded tC
, know where the celebrities were, anc
Manager Tanning said they were al
dinner. We bolted into the dining
room and walked its entire length
looking for the inimitable pair of en-
tertainers. We all knew them, but
Mr.. Hull was closer friend thar
any of us, for Mr.. Nye had once Civ
en- him letter of introduction and
} Endorsement which, Mr.. Hull declared
had ever afterward proved an effectu
al hoodoo wherever he had gone
Naturally Mr.. Hull wanted to see
Mr.. Nye and grasp his hand. But
the conviction forced itself upon us
during dinner that the people who
had registered as Nye and Riley were
impostors.
"Tll try and find 'em after dinner" /"
said Mr.. Hull, "and if | do I'll have
fun with EN-"
So after dinner he asked the clerk
to point out Messrs. Nye and Riley.
When he had located them he point
ed out a tall, slim-faced, and smooth
shaven young man and a shorter
blonde young man with slight mus
tache. Mr.. Hull approached the tall
gentleman and said with that ingenu-
business of manner which always cap.
tivates the simon-pure granger and
charms everybody:
This is Mr.. Nye, | believe ?"
The gentleman admitted as much
by nod, and Mr.. Hull having thus
forced him into corner from which
he could not retreat, proceeded in that
hearty tone which is part of his per-
sonality and which in this case was
anything but pleasant to the bogus
Mr.. Nye:
"Well, Mr.. Nye, L am glad to meet
you. My names Cook-Joe Cook OF
Boston-and l want to say that |
think it queer that we've never met
before-both in the lecturing line, you
know"
The gentleman looked at Mr.. Hull
to see if he was being hoaxed, but
there were no signs of it other than
Mr.. Hull was very, very slim young
man, while Mr.. Cook is the exact re-
verse. "Mr. Nye" acknowledged that
it was a little queer and was attempt
ing to getaway when Mr.. Hull nailed
"Mr. Riley" and said;
"Ah, your colleague, believe
Will you introduce me p
Thereupon Mr.. Riley was introduc-
ed to Joe Cook and felicitous remarks
were exchanged. Then Mr.. Hull
called up Mr.. johnson and myself.
"Mr. Nye, l want to introduce you
to Marshal p. Wilder, one of your
contemporaries in the fun-making
field" he said, laying his hand on my
shoulder. With due respect to Mr..
Wilder, | am no more like him than
a saw log is like lead pencil, but /
didn't dare laugh.
"This is Mr.. Cody, better known as
Buffalo Bill" said Mr. Hull, bringing
Mr.. johnson to the front. In turn
we were both presented to Mr.. Riley
also.
By this time the two gentlemen
who had foolishly claimed the names
of Nye and Riley were sure they we're
being chafed, but we didn't say any.
thing that would give them chance
to lay down their pretense and cry for
mercy. On the contrary, Mr.. Hull
chatted away as glibly as a lightning.
rod agent, and in a good, healthful
tone too, so that everybody. near by
could hear him, and whenever oppor-
tunity afforded for calling "Mr. Nye"
or "Mr Riley" by name it was done.
The two pretenders were becoming
extremely uncomfortable when Leigh
Lynch, who piloted the base ball peo-
pie around the world, came out on the
veranda picking his teeth.
"Hullo y said Mr.. Hull, there's
my friend Bob Ingersol," and he
beckoned him to approach When
Mr.. Lynch had joined us Mr.. Hall
presented him to each one of the
group, Mr.. johnson and myself in.
cluded, and mt the mention of the
names of Ingersoll, Bill Nye, Riley,
Buffalo Bill aud Marshal p. Wilder,
The people who were sitting around
within reach of Mr.. Hulls voice,
pricked up their ears and began to
edge nearer. No doubt they thought
here were laughs on tap in the at
which surrounded us.
"Nye" and "Riley" couldn't stand
I any longer. They rushed the quar-
,ette of us off into n little nicbe ON