The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-11-23

was drinking took good look at the man.
1t was Wild BIZ. He shot quick glance at
me But l had grown since he last saw me
and in my disguise he did not recognize me.
I 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" l
thought I saw a CLEAN of recognition in his
eyes, but he said simply. No, l don't I'm
Billy Cody, l said. Well, WELL. returned Wild
Bill, are you little Billy Cody?'
Then he gave me n 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 Pm not? | asked.
You in the Union army" he said Maybe l
am I answered. What are you doing in those
clothes, them? he asked. I suspect I'm doing
the same you, l replied. Bill smiled. Get
on your borse,' he said. And We rode together
back into the Union lines. For the remainder
of the war we did much scouting together in
Missouri and the southwest.
When l joined General Sheridan as chief
of scouts in the campaign against the Indians :
of the northwest in 1868 I 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 l and l have always looked
upon him as my superior in everything that
goes to the making of a plainsman. l don't
like to give orders to such man l would
rather serve under him. Make him chief of
scouts
We'll l 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 tt
81 went to Wild Bill and told him how felt
about the situation and what the general had
said"
why, that's all right. Billy. Wild Bill said.
Tn a soldier and I'll take orders from anyone
who has the right to give orders. I'd Just
as lief work under you as anybody l know.
I'll obey you my ranking officer 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 dcta-
ton from no one and obeyed my orders like
the soldier that he was.
Il 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 went with
him as inspector Of horses. Ned Buntline
whom l had known out west. had written
drama of the border named Scouts OF the
Plains He offered me $500 a week to take
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
The drama produced in Nixons ampi-
theater which used to stand near the site of
the modern Hotel Sherman. On the opening
night when l to make my bow before the
foCtlights for the first time the immense the
alter was packed to the walls. General Sheri-
,,fNss, ,Cf+ ~ ,ifAd
boxes in all the glory of fuldress uniforms.
l was worse scared as l stepped 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 bravey as | could. What | didn't
know about acting | made up for by struttng
about the stage, stOrming out my lines and
firing my navy revolvers after every other SEN
tence There was an amazing amount OF gun
powder burned IN that play After it was all
over imagined had scored a triumph. Next
day the Chicago papers said the play was so
bad it was good. But We packed the theater
nightly apd the reserve police had to be called
out to quiet the crowds that fought at the doors
for admission.
The management offered me $1,000 a week
to go to St. Louis, where our success was re-
peated.
Il decided at the opening of the next season
that it would be a moneymaktng scheme to
have Wild Bill as 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
pose around He wrote back that he would
accept my proposition. | wrote him he would
have to agree to stop fighting and killing
while he was 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 to what he must 90
when he reached the city
81 am stopping at the Brevoort hotel /
wrote him, and you will land in New York at
the Forty-second street d. ,ot. To avoid get
ting lost in the big city, take a cab at the
depot and you will be driven to the hotel in