The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-03-25
THE REAL BUFFALO
BILL LL---SHOWMAN
INTERESTING STORIES ABOUT
FAMOUS SCOUT.
Man of Character.
Killed His First Indian When Eleven
Years Old and Was Best Rifle
Shot in the Northwest.

Buffalo Bill killed his first IndiaI
when he was eleven years old, be-
came pioneer, cowboy, pony-express
rider, army scout, peacemaker, anc
finally, one of the worlds greatest
showmen. His career was as wildly
picturesque as the red-fannel Jockey
suit he wore on the day of a race that
might have been historic had not the
Indians been attracted by Bills en-
blazonry and interrupted. There
was one thing however, that this
modern Hercules was afraid of-a
little baby. He did not know how to
handle babies and was always afraid
of squashing them. At least he did
= not know how to handle the first that
: came to bless his little gray home in
the west. Perhaps when the last one
came he had learned something by
experience, and was as proficient in
ambulating with child as he was
in plugging a hole in coin in the air.
Cody had the weakness common to
hero and un-anointed alike. When
he met Miss Louisa Frederici in
Frenchtown, st. Louis, he promptly
fell in love, and she, in her "Memor-
les of Buffalo Bill' Cd. Appleton &
& Coz, confesses that she had warning
symptoms of that cardiac affection
which comes to all women soon or
late. A strange incident was connect
ed with the first meeting of these
two, for she slapped him full in the
mouth before anyone had even so
much as said permit me to present, !"
etc. But the fault was with her cous-
in, William Mcdonald, rollicking
young fellow who was as fond of
practical joke as of a woman's smile.
She was cuddled, half asleep, in her
chair, awaiting the new beau who
was to be presented to her when the
cousin and Buffalo Bill entered. Nc
Donald took advantage of his cousin
ly connection, and pulled the chair
from under Miss Frederici. She
swung wide with her right, and land
ed-on Buffalo Bills mouth. Later
doubtless the unintentional cruelty
was cured by the best of treatments.
OF course, the convent-bred girl-she
had but recently left convent walls
when she met Mr.. Cody-played a
proper game of coy hesitation until
she knew that this tall, straight, and
strong young man, with jet black
hair, finely nodded features, and
clear, steady eyes, was such one as
any young woman would give her
heart for. She never had occasion to
reverse that judgment. Bill Cody
was a true lover, fond and consider
ate husband, and gentleman. And
Mrs. Cody proved herself a fitting
mate for this son of nature. 1t took
q brave woman to leave the comfort
and surety of warm fireside to go
out into the uncertainty of the plains,
to live where there was constant
danger from the Indians, to make a
home where men were rough and
rude, quicker with a revolver than
with a kind word, and where often the
members of her own sex who had
strayed into the wilderness were be-
yond the pale. But Mrs. Cody did it.
She learned to ride and shoot with
almost her husbands skill, and by
her woman's wizardry she fashioned
and kept-a home. Here is
glimpse of Bill coming home to find
the first addition to his family. He
was far away on the plains when the
message was sent him by telegraph
as far as the wires would carry it, by
pony the rest of the way:
Days passed. Then came the
sound of hurrying feet, the booming
Of big voice, and 1 was in my hus-
bands arms. His eyes were glisten-
ing.
"Boy or girl?" he beloved with
that big voice Of his.
ga girl, WILL" I answered.
"What are we going to name it,"
He had taken the covering from the
baby's face and was jabbing a tre-
mendous finger toward her eyes, caus-
ing me to believe every moment that
he would make a slip and ruin her
features forever.
"What'll we name herr"
ssWhy, haven't you thought of
name?" asked.
ssMe?" he started wide-eyed.
"Gosh, I'm lost there. The only
thing 1 ever named was horse, and
none of those names'd do, would
they?"
Hardly. I've thought of the name
Ar&o