River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-10-26

was drinking took a good look at the man.
1t was Wild Bill. He shot a quick glance at
me. But l had grown since he last saw me
and in my disguise he did not recognize me.
l waited till he had finished his meal and
followed him to the road AS he prepared to
mount his horse l stepped close and said in
a low tone, Bill, don't you remember me" 1
thought | a CLEAN of recognition in his
eyes, but he said simply, No, l don't I'm
Billy Cody said. Well, WE'LL returned Wild
Bill, are you little Billy Cody?
Then he gave me a dressing down. You
haven't any business in this part of the coun-
try, he said You ought to be in the Union
army How do you know I'm not? / asked.
You in the Union army? he said. Maybe l
am answered. What you doing in those
clothes, them? he asked. I suspect I'm doing
the same you,' replied. Bill smiled. Get
on your horse he said. And rode together
back into the Union lines. For the remainder
of the did much scouting together in
Missouri and the southwest.
when | joined General Sheridan as chief
of scouts in the campaign against the Indiansa
of the northwest in 1868 found Wild Bill with
the command / went to General Sheridan
and General / said, Wild Bill is the best
scout the best shot and the bravest man in
the western country He is seven or eight
years older than | and | have always looked
upon him my superior in everything that
goes to the making of plainsman. l don't
like to give orders to such a man. / would
rather serve under him. Make him chief of
scouts
"'WeI, WON'T said General Sheridan You
are chief of scouts of the United States army.
When you get ready to give Wild Bill an or
der, give it.
about the situation and what the general had
said"
"'Why, that's all right, Billy Wild Bill said.
I'm a soldier and I'll take orders from anyone
who has the right to give orders. I'd just
as lief work under you anybody | know.
I'll obey you as my ranking officer as readily
as I'd obey the commanding general of the
United States army.
"And he did, He did fine work under me
through that stirring campaign. He held in
check that turbulent spirit that brooked dicta-
ton from no one and obeyed my orders like
the soldier that he was.
81 first entered the show business in 1872"
Buffalo Bill continued. General Sheridan had
been ordered to Chicago to take command OF
the Department of the Lakes and l went with
him as inspector of horses Ned Buntline,
whom I had known out west, had written a
drama of the border named Scouts of the
Plains He offered me $500 a week to take
the leading role. | hesitated to ask General
Sheridan for permission for fear he would
laugh at me and perhaps refuse. l finally got
Col. Mike Sheridan, his brother, to prefer my
request. 1t was granted readily.
1.-THE drama was produced in Nixon's ampi-
theater which used to stand near the site of
the modern Hotel Sherman On the opening
night when was to make my bow before the
foCtlights for the first time the immense the
alter was packed to the walls. General Sher1-
dan and all the officers of the post occupied
boxes in all the glory of full-dress uniforms.
| was worse scared as l stepped out of the
wings and faced that great audience than |
ever was in Indian fight with bullets and
arrows singing about my ears. But | carried
it off as bravely as l could. What | didn't
know about acting made up for by strutting
about the stage, storming out my lines and
firing my navy revolvers after every other SEN
tence. There amazing amount of gun
powder burned in that play. After it was all
over imagined had scored triumph. Next
day the Chicago papers said the play was so
bad it was good But we packed the theater
nightly and the reserve police had to be called
out to quiet the crowds that fought at the doors
for admission.
1.-THE management offered me $1,000 week
to go to st. Louis, where our success was re-
peated.
81 decided at the opening of the next season
that it would be moneymaking scheme to
have Wild Bill a member of our troupe.
He was then in Hays City, where he had killed
several people, and l wrote him telling him
of the money he could make by appearing on
the stage. You won't have to do much acting,
| told him. You will only have to shoot and
nose around He wrote back that he would
accept my proposition. | wrote him he would
have to agree to stop fighting and killing
while he with the show. He sent me an
agreement to that effect by return mail. Then
sent him money to come to New York, where
the show was to open. In this last letter |
gave him instructions as to what he must do
when he reached the city.
"T am stopping at the Brevoort hotel l
wrote him, and you will land in New York at
the Forty-second street depot. To avoid get
ting lost in the big city, take cab at the
depot and you will be driven to the hotel in