Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-10-26

was drinking I 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.
] waited till he had finished his meal and
followed him to the road. AS he prepared to
mount his horse | stepped close and said In
a low tone, Bill, don't you remember me" |
thought | saw 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 eoun-
try he said You ought to be in the Union
army How do you know I'm not?' I asked.
You in the Union army?' he said. Maybe |
am, l answered. What are you doing in those
clothes, them he asked. 1 suspect I'm doing
the same as you | replied. Bill smiled. Get
on your horse 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 | joined General Sheridan as chief
of scouts in the campaign against the Indians
of the northwest in 1868 l found Wild Bill with
the command. | went to General Sheridan
and General I 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 as my superior in everything that
goes to the making OF a plainsman. | don't
like to give orders to such a man. | would
rather serve under him. Make him chief OF
scouts
well, 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 it.
Il went to Wild Bill and told him how ! felt
about the situation and what the genera had
said"
why, that's all right, Billy Wild Bill said.
I'm a solAier and I'll take orders from anyone
who has the right to give me orders, I'd just
as lief work under you as 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 | went with
him as inspector of horses. Ned Buntline.
W0OH L uhu huONu Oul west "llLleh q
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. | finally got
Col. Mike Sheridan, his brother, to prefer my
request. 1t was granted readily.
The drama was produced in Nixon's ampi-
theater, which used to stand near the site OF
tho 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 Shert.
dan and all the off GERS Of the post occupied
boxes In all the glory Of full-dress uniforms.
was worse scared as | stepped out Of the
wings and faced that great audience than |
ever was in an Indian fight with bullets and
arrows singing about my ears. But ! carried
It off as bravely as | could. What | didn't
know about acting ] made up for by s~truttins
about the stage, storming out my lines and
firing my navy r%eyolvers after every other sen
tence. There was an amazing amount OF gun.
powder burIsd in that play. After it was all
over | imagined had scored a triumph. Mex
day the Chicago papers said the play was sc
bad it was good. But we packed the theatel
nightly and the reserve police had to be callet
out to quiet the crowds that fought at the doors
for admission.
The management offered me $1,000 a weel
to go to st. Louis, where our success was re
peated.
II decided at the opening Of the next seasol
that it would be a money-making scheme t
have Wild Bill as a member OF our troupe
He was then in Hays City, where he had kille
several people, and / wrote him telling hin
of the money he could make by appearing o.
the stage. You won't have to do much acting
I told him. 'You will only have to shoot an
pose around He sTrote back that he woul
accept my proposition. l wrote him he woul
have to agree to stop fighting and KILN
while he was with the show. He sent me a
agreement to that effect by return mail. The
/ sent him money to come to New York, wher
tho show was to open. In this last letter
gave him instructions as to what lie must d
when he reached the city.
~ am stopping at the Brevoort hotel
wrote him, and you will land in New York
the Forty-second street depot. To avoid ge
ting lost In the big city, take a cab at tn
depot and you will be driven to the hotel