The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1911-11-04

battle when thousands OF men
ing. But he killed more than thirty in per-
sonal encounters. He killed ten in one fight
single handed. That was when he wiped out
the McCandlass gang at Rock Springs. Kan,
In 1861 and 1t was the most heroic single
handed fight in all the history OF the frontier.
Imagination has not colored or enlarged his
record 1t is a sure-enough record OF men
killed In fair, stand-up fights II one cares to
search one can find their graves with their
names neatly carved on little headstones scat
tered from the Missouri river to the foothills
Of the Rockies"
Col William F. Cody. better known all over
the world as Buffalo Bill, was in reminiscent
mood He paid this tribute to the prowess OF
his dead comrade OF early days on the plains.
He was intimately associated with Wild Bill.
He fought by his side In the Civil war. he
secuted with him In the Indian campaigns, he
shared the same blanket beside many lonely
camp fire. For years there was bed and
chair and the table for Wild Bill at the ranch
of Buffalo Bills mother near Fort Leavenworth.
and to the very end OF his stormy and wander
ing career Wild Bill thought of this spot as
home
Buffalo Bill is himself one OF the most pic
turesque characters OF the old west left to
these piping. prosaic times. Though the pub
lie knows him chiefly as a Snowman. he is the
last of the great scouts. His life has not been
OF his spectacular career an exponent OF
wild west drama is frontier life OF daring.
hardship and danger. He is an old man now.
only a few years on the sunny side OF three
score and ten. His sweeping mustaches and
imperial and his long hair that falls upon his
shoulders in the waving abundance of early
years are as white snow. But his tall figure
Is still staiwart and as straight as young
pine on the mountains, his step is elastic and
hto hri0 md he Ell
sombrero tilted at jaunty angle on the side
of his head as in the brave days Of his youth.
II was eleven years old when first met
Wild Bill in 1857" said Buffalo Bill. Il was
making my first expedition across the plains.
IL was the expedition led by General Albert
Sydney Johnston, afterwards killed at Shiloh,
against Brigham Young and the Mormons in
Utah. was connected with the supply train
as the driver of the extra cattle. big bully
in my mess seemed to think | was meant to
be his servant and ordered me around at every
opportunity. | grew sulky and resentful under
his badgering but was mere Kid and was
helpless. One evening as we were eating sup
per he ordered me to get him another cup OF
coffee. Get your own coffee l said. He
reached over from where he sat and slapped
me over. rolled into the ashes at the edge
of the camp fire and narrowly escaped getting
badly burned. l ran to the big coffee kettle.
caught It up, and stepping up behind the bully.
doused the scalding coffee over him from head
to foot. He roared with pain. Then he rushed
for me. young man stepped between us.
! knew him casually as Jim Hickok. The men
OF the wagon train called him Jimmy
Say he said facing the bully squarely.
you leave that kid alone.
my unexpected champion was about twenty
years old, TALL slender, bronzed and athletic
looking The powerful brute he confronted
would have made two Of him. The bully stopped
in surprise. He sized up the stripping with
glance. The inventory doubtless convinced him
he had nothing to fear.
what have you got to do with thisr he
beloved and he charged at the youth like a
mad bull.
The men of the outfit expected to see
Hickok beaten to Jelly or killed. He gave
us the surprise of our lives. He proved to be
the quickest man ever saw. A. catamount
could not have been quicker. He stepped into
the bully fearlessly. He was all over his man.
I He rocked his head with terrific blows. He
ripped punches into his midsection He closed
his eyes, bloodied his lips, knocked the teeth
down his throat He ended by dropping the
bully to his knees and making him blubber out.
i've got enough and beg for mercy After the
fight my ancient enemy was the worst battered
ND man I ever saw. Hickok didn't show a
mark. He walked away and sat down on a
wagon tongue and smoked pipe serenely.
That was my introduction to the man after
ward known all over the west as Wild Bill.
and from that day we were fast friends.
II enlisted In the Union army In 1858 and
was sent to Tennessee I was employed as q
scout and spy was peculiarly fitted to play
the part Of SPY in Confederate camps. Most
Of the people with whom i had been thrown
AL my life on the plains were from Missouri.
Kentucky or Tennessee. Il was second nature
for me to talk in the drawing lingo Of the
south. az q & ss ~
"On one Of my excursions - spy was
disguised q . renneseee farmer boy with
: raggsd hat. homespun shirt and pants OF
Z buttsrnut jeans. I vas riding along road
when came 20 farm house. Hltohed - the
palings o. the fsnce was me horse. added.
Through : Wlndow I cav man - TIE uniform
81 Z Confoderate onoer sitting q y tab1e eat-
Ing eouaeth>ns about he face Iooked familiar.
i diamounted and stepped 20 the doof q ne
house and asked for . drink = vo1er. -