Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-23
SUNDAY MAGAZINE for APRIL %, 1905
WITH "B UFFAIO BILL
A sunny Side of the Street Sketch
BY MAR HALL p. WILDER

IN III
IVA lam F. Cody e. Buffalo Bill y
dates back to time when l was boy
at Hartford and he was an actor in Ned
Buntlines play, 1.-The Prairie Wait "
His life had been strenuous in the ex-
IRENE ever since he was thirteen years of
age; but neither hardship nor danger ever
had suppressed his inherent merriment
and his longing to get a joke out of some
thing or on somebody.
Our acquaintance was renewed at
Rochester, where l had for schoolmaster
his only son, Kit Carson Cody, named for
famous scout Of fifty years ago. The
death of this boy was great and lasting
grief to his father, and his memory be-
came more and more link to bind the
Colonel and me together, so in time we
formed a close and permanent friendship.
Whenever we were in the same city we
were together so much that we became
nicknamed The Corsican Brothers. -
When the wild West" company first
went to Paris l was one of Buffalo
Bills" guests for several weeks. The
Paris shopkeepers and theater managers
had heard of the enormous success of
the wild West" in England, and some
of those who feared it might divert money
which otherwise would find its way into
their pockets arranged for a powerful
clacque on the opening day-not to
applaud, but to disturb the performance
and discourage Cody SO that he would
leave the city.
They did not know their man, SO they
had only their expense for their pains.
Besides, even a Paris mob, which is said
to be the meanest in the world, would
think twice before demonstrating
much in the face of an arena full of Indians
and crack shots. The performance went
on with little or no annoyance; but after
it ended great crowd burst into the ring
and almost caused a riot Suddenly
another French peculiarly was manifest
ed: single gendarme worked his way to
the center of the crowd and fired bullet
from his pistol. In an instant the null
titude dispersed. The worst of the
French people respect the majesty of the
law-when it is backed by firearms.
| soon duplicated, as well as l could,
the Colonels scout costume, which he
always wore on the streets as an adj
vertisement. too appeared in buckskin
trousers, fringed 1eggins, pistol belt and
broad sombrero hat. l must have APP
peared like an animated mushroom; but
the Parisians were quick to note the re-
semblance and to dub me "Ie petit
Buffalo Bill" Cody himself generally
called me his "stove-in pard."
One morning the Colonel went out to
be shaved and asked me to accompany
him. As we both were dressed in Wild
West costume, to which the Colonel
had added pair of pistols and knife,
a large crowd followed and fingered
about the shop we entered. A Partisan
shopkeeper generally has his wife with
him, to act as cashier and general man
ager, and the barber to whom we had
gone had a chic and attractive wife,
regarding whom Cody and l exchanged
admiring remarks in English, at the risk
of the barber understanding us and be-
coming disagreeable.
Then Cody seated himself and asked
the barber: do you speak English?"
Non, m'sieuy," with apologize eye
brows and shoulders.
The Colonel thrust his hands into his