Beadle's Boy's Library of Sport, Story and Adventure, Vol. I, No. 1. by Prentiss Ingraham

P >> Prentiss Ingraham >> Beadle\'s Boy\'s Library of Sport, Story and Adventure, Vol. I, No. 1.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

As the men were not only willing, but anxious to meet, it was not
difficult for them to do so, and all preliminaries were satisfactorily
arranged to all parties concerned.

The men were to, of course, hunt on horse-back, and to begin at a
certain hour in the morning and keep it up for eight hours, a large herd
having just been found and its locality marked for the day of the sport.

The stakes were made five hundred dollars a side, and there were
numbers, both ladies and gentlemen, out on horseback to see the sport.

The herd having been located early the next morning, the two hunters
left for the field, and the large crowd followed at a distance.

The counters, those chosen to follow each hunter and count his killed,
followed close behind Bill and Comstock, who rode side by side, chatting
in a most friendly way until the herd was sighted.

Buffalo Bill was mounted upon Brigham, a noted buffalo horse, and he was
armed with a breech-loading Springfield rifle, and a weapon which had
sent many a red-skin to the happy hunting-grounds.

Comstock was also splendidly mounted, and carried his favorite buffalo
repeating rifle, and both men felt confident of victory.

Reaching the herd, the two hunters, followed by their counters, well
mounted also, dashed into a herd, and it quickly divided, giving each
one an opportunity to show his skill, as though the buffaloes themselves
sympathized with the match and were willing to do all in their power to
forward it.

In his first run Buffalo Bill killed thirty-eight, while in the same
length of time Billy Comstock dropped twenty-three, which gave the
former the advantage thus far.

A rest was then called for both horses and men, and once more they
started out for the second run, a small herd appearing opportunely in
sight.

In this run Buffalo Bill's tally was eighteen to Comstock's fourteen,
and another halt was made for rest and refreshments.

When called to the scratch for the third run, Buffalo Bill, knowing he
had the best buffalo horse in the country, stripped him of saddle and
bridle and sprung upon his bare back.

A third herd was looked up, and the two killers began their work with a
will, and Buffalo Bill sailed to the front with thirteen, which gave him
a list of sixty-nine to Comstock's forty-six.

The third run closed the match, and Buffalo Bill was proclaimed the
winner and the champion buffalo-killer of the prairies.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

A GAME FOR LIFE AND DEATH.

Having concluded his engagement with the Kansas Pacific Railroad,
Buffalo Bill once more became a Government scout, and it was while
serving on the far border that he won the hatred of a notorious band of
desperadoes whom he had several times thwarted in their intended crimes.

Hearing that they had said they would kill him at sight, he boldly rode
into the town where they had their haunts, and, true to their word, two
of them came out and attacked him.

At the first shot Bill was wounded in the right arm, which destroyed his
aim, and, ere he could draw a revolver with his left hand, his horse
fell dead beneath him, pinning him to the ground.

Instantly his foes rushed upon him to complete their work, when, rising
on his wounded arm, he leveled his revolver with his left hand and shot
them down as they were almost upon him.

An army officer who witnessed the affray was so much pleased with the
nerve of Buffalo Bill that he presented him with a splendid horse, one
of a pair he had just received from the East, and having had his wound
dressed the scout rode back to camp delighted with his present.

But the leader of the desperado band still swore to kill Buffalo Bill,
and to pick a quarrel with him one night in a saloon, boldly dared him
to play him a game of cards.

"Yes, you accursed thief and murderer, I'll play you a game of cards if
you will let me name the stakes," said Buffalo Bill.

"All right, name what you please, so you play," was the answer, and the
crowd gathered eagerly around, confident that there would be trouble.

"I'll name life and death as the stakes," said Buffalo Bill.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that if you win the game I'll stand ten paces away and give you
a shot at me; if I win, you are to give me a shot at you."

The desperado did not like this arrangement, but having challenged
Buffalo Bill to play, and given him the choice of the stakes, he dared
not back down, and said:

"All right, let us begin."

"Mind you, no cheating, for I shall shoot you the moment I catch you at
it."

"Two can play at that game, Buffalo Bill," said the desperado, and
seating themselves at the table the game was begun, each man having his
revolver lying by his side.

Buffalo Bill was calm and smiling, for he had confidence in his
universal good luck to win.

The desperado was pale and stern, and played warily, for he saw the eye
of his foe watching him like a hawk.

Once Bill dropped his hand upon his revolver and his adversary attempted
to do the same; but the scout was too quick for him and merely said:

"Beware, for if I catch you cheating, I will kill you."

"Who's cheating, Buffalo Bill?"

"You were about to make an attempt to do so; but I warn you," was the
calm reply.

Then, in breathless silence the game went on, and Buffalo Bill won.

Instantly the desperado seized his revolver, but he felt against his
head the cold muzzle of a weapon, and heard the stern tones:

"Bent, I guess I'll save Buffalo Bill from killing you, by hanging you
to the nearest tree."

The speaker was Wild Bill, who had stood behind the chair of the
desperado.

All knew him, and that he was an officer of the law, and would keep his
word.

Buffalo Bill said nothing, and the crime-stained wretch was dragged out
of the saloon, a rope put around his neck, and he was hanged for his
many red deeds, thereby escaping death at the hands of the scout.

CHAPTER XXIX.

BILL'S STORY OF HIS BECOMING AN ACTOR.

As Buffalo Bill in the past few years has become known as an actor, and
appears as such with his Dramatic Combination, during the winter months,
when he is not on the plains, it will not be by any means uninteresting
to my readers to learn how he came to go upon the stage, and the story I
give in his own words, in relating his experience to a reporter who had
called upon him for some jottings regarding his life.

He said:

"It was in the fall of '71, that General Sheridan came to the plains
with a party of gentlemen for the purpose of engaging in a buffalo-hunt,
to extend from Fort McPherson, Nebraska, to Fort Hayes, Kansas, on the
Kansas Pacific Railroad, a distance of 228 miles, through the finest
hunting country in the world. In the party were James Gordon Bennett of
the New York _Herald_, Lawrence and Leonard Jerome, Carl Livingstone,
S.G. Heckshire, General Fitzhugh of Pittsburg, General Anson Stager of
the Western Union Telegraph Company, and other noted gentlemen. I guided
the party, and when the hunt was finished, I received an invitation from
them to go to New York and make them a visit, as they wanted to show me
the East, as I had shown them the West. I was then Chief of Scouts in
the Department of the Platte. And in January, 1872, just after the Grand
Duke Alexis's hunt, which, by the way, I organized, I got a leave of
absence, and for the first time in my life found myself east of the
Mississippi river.

"Stopping at Chicago two days, where I was the guest of General
Sheridan, I proceeded to New York, where I was shown the 'elephant.'
During my visit I attended the performance at the Bowery Theater, in
company with Colonel E.Z.C. Judson (Ned Buntline), and witnessed a
dramatization of Judson's story, entitled 'Buffalo Bill, King of Border
Men.' The part of 'Buffalo Bill' was impersonated by J.B. Studley, an
excellent actor, and I must say the fellow looked like me, as his
make-up was a perfect picture of myself. I had not watched myself very
long before the audience discovered that the original Buffalo Bill was
in the private box, and they commenced cheering, which stopped the
performance, and they would not cease until I had shown myself and
spoken a few words.

"At that time I had no idea of going on the stage, such a thought having
never entered my head. But some enterprising managers, believing there
was money in me, offered me as high as $1,000 per week to go on the
stage. I told them I would rather face 1,000 Indians than attempt to
open my mouth before all those people. I returned to my duties as a
scout, and during the summer of 1872 Ned Buntline was constantly writing
to me to come East and go on the stage, offering large inducements. As
scouting business was a little dull, I concluded to try it for awhile,
and started East in company with Texas Jack. Met Buntline in Chicago
with a company ready to support me.

"We were to open in Chicago in Nixon's Amphitheater on December 16th,
1872. I arrived in Chicago December 12th, 1872. We were driven to the
theater, where I was introduced to Jim Nixon, who said, 'Mr. Buntline,
give me your drama, as I am ready to cast your piece, and we have no
time to lose, if you are to open Monday, and these men who have never
been on the stage will require several rehearsals.' Buntline surprised
us all by saying that he had not written the drama yet, but would do so
at once. Mr. Nixon said, 'No drama! and this is Thursday. Well, I will
cancel your date.' But Buntline was not to be balked in this way, and
asked Nixon what he would rent the theater one week for. 'One thousand
dollars,' said Nixon. 'It's my theater,' said Buntline, making out a
check for the amount. He rushed to the hotel, secured the services of
several clerks to copy the parts, and in four hours had written 'The
Scouts of the Prairie.' He handed Texas Jack and I our parts, told us to
commit them to memory and report next morning for rehearsal. I looked at
Jack's and then at my part. Jack looked at me and said, 'Bill, how long
will it take you to commit your part?' 'About seven years, if I have
good luck.' Buntline said, 'Go to work.' I studied hard, and next
morning recited the lines, cues and all, to Buntline. Buntline said,
'You must not recite cues; they are for you to speak from--the last
words of the persons who speak before you.' I said, 'Cues be d--d; I
never heard of anything but a billiard cue.'

"Well, night came. The house was packed. Up went the curtain. Buntline
appeared as Cale Durg, an old Trapper, and at a certain time Jack
and I were to come on. But we were a little late, and when I made my
appearance, facing 3,000 people, among them General Sheridan and a
number of army officers, it broke me all up and I could not remember
a word. All that saved me was my answer to a question put by Buntline.
He asked, 'What detained you?' I told him I had been on a hunt with
Milligan. You see Milligan was a prominent Chicago gentleman who had
been hunting with me a short time before on the plains, and had been
chased by the Indians, and the papers had been full of his hunt for some
time; Buntline saw that I was 'up a stump,' for I had forgotten my
lines, and he told me to tell him about the hunt. I told the story in
a very funny way, and it took like wild-fire with the audience.

"While I was telling the story, Buntline had whispered to the stage
manager that when I got through with my story to send on the Indians.
Presently Buntline sung out: 'The Indians are upon us.' Now this was
'pie' for Jack and I, and we went at those bogus Indians red hot until
we had killed the last one and the curtain went down amid a most
tremendous applause, while the audience went wild. The other actors
never got a chance to appear in the first act. Buntline said, 'Go ahead
with the second act, it's going splendid.' I think that during the
entire performance, neither Jack nor myself spoke a line of our original
parts. But the next morning the press said it was the best show ever
given in Chicago, as it was so bad it was good, and they could not see
what Buntline was doing all the time if it took him four hours to write
that drama.

"Our business was immense all that season, and if we had been managed
properly we would have each made a small fortune. As it was I came out
$10,000 ahead. In June, 1873, I returned to the plains, came East again
in the fall, this time my own manager. I got a company, took the noted
'Wild Bill' with me, but could not do much with him as he was not an
easy man to handle, and would insist on shooting the supers in the legs
with powder, just to see them jump. He left a few months later and
returned to the plains. He was killed in August, 1876, in Deadwood.

"In the summer of 1876 I was Chief of Scouts under General Carr,
afterward with General Crook and General Terry.

"On the 17th of July I killed Yellow Hand, a noted Cheyenne chief, and
took the first scalp for Custer. I returned to the stage in October,
1876, and during the season of 1876 and 1879 I cleared $38,000. I have
generally been successful financially on the stage. I am now in the
cattle business in Nebraska, to which place I will return as soon as the
season is over, providing nothing serious occurs to call me home
earlier."

CHAPTER XXX.

THE YELLOW HAND DUEL.

As Buffalo Bill, in the foregoing chapter speaks of his killing Yellow
Hand, the celebrated Cheyenne chief, who was greatly feared by his own
people, and a terror to the whites, I will give an account of that
tragic duel between a white man and two Indians, for another chief also
rode down and attacked the noted scout, after his red comrade had
fallen.

When the Indian war of 1876 broke out Buffalo Bill at 01:00 closed his
dramatic season, and started post haste for the West, having received a
telegram from General E.A. Carr asking for his services as scout in the
coming campaign.

He joined the command at Fort D.A. Russell, where the famous Fifth
Cavalry Regiment was then in camp, and arriving received a boisterous
welcome from his old comrades, who felt that, with Buffalo Bill as Chief
of Scouts, they would surely have warm work with the Indians.

The Fifth Cavalry was at once ordered to operate in scouting the country
on the South Fork of the Cheyenne and to the foot of the Black Hills,
and it was while driving the Indians before them that the news came of
Custer's fatal fight with Sitting Bull on the Little Big Horn.

General Merritt, who had superseded Carr in command marched at once to
the Big Horn country, and while _en route_ there came news of a
large force of warriors moving down to join Sitting Bull.

Instantly five hundred picked men of the Fifth started back by forced
marches, and Buffalo Bill, splendidly mounted, kept on ahead of the
command a couple of miles.

Discovering the Indians, he at the same time beheld two horsemen whom he
saw to be whites, riding along unconscious of the presence of foes.

He knew that they must be scouts bearing dispatches, and at once
determined to save them for they were riding in a direction down one
valley that would bring them directly upon the red-skins, who had
already seen them, and had sent a force of thirty warriors out to
intercept them.

Instantly Buffalo Bill dashed over the ridge of the hill that concealed
him from the view of the Cheyennes, and rode directly toward the band
going to attack the two white horsemen.

They halted suddenly at sight of him, but, seeing that he was alone,
they started for him with wild yells.

But still he kept on directly toward them, until within range, when he
opened upon them with his matchless Evans rifle, a thirty-four-shot
repeater, and a hot fight began, for they returned the fire.

This was just what Buffalo Bill wanted, for the firing alarmed the
horsemen and placed them on their guard, and he knew that the Indian
volleys would be heard at the command and hasten them forward.

Having dropped a couple of red-skins and several ponies, Buffalo Bill
wheeled to the rightabout, dashed up to the top of a hill, and,
signaling to the two whites to follow him, headed for the command at
full speed.

As he had anticipated, the two men were scouts with important dispatches
for General Merritt, and Bill's bold act had not only saved their lives,
but also the dispatches, and the result of it was that the Fifth Cavalry
went at once into line of battle, while the Cheyennes also formed for
battle, though evidently surprised at being headed off at that point.

But they saw that they were double the force of the whites, and were
determined upon a fight, and their chiefs reconnoitered carefully their
foes' strength and position.

Buffalo Bill also volunteered to go out and get a closer look at them,
to see what they were up to, and General Merritt told him to do so, but
not to venture too near and expose himself.

As he left the line two Indian horsemen also rode out from among their
comrades, and one was some lengths in front of the other.

At a glance Buffalo Bill saw that the two were full chiefs, and they had
not advanced far toward each other when he discovered that he was the
especial object of their attention.

But though one halted, the other came on, and the scout and the chief
came within a hundred yards of each other.

Then the Indian cried out in his own tongue:

"I know Pa-e-has-ka the Great White Hunter and want to fight him."

"Then come on, you red devil, and have it out," shouted back Buffalo
Bill, and forgetting General Merritt's orders not to expose himself, and
to the horror of the regiment, every man of whom saw him, as well as did
the Indians, he dashed at full speed toward the chief, who likewise,
with a wild yell rode toward him.

Together both fired, the chief with his rifle, and Buffalo Bill with his
revolver, and down dropped both horses.

Buffalo Bill nimbly caught on his feet, while the Indian was pinned by
one leg under his horse, and with his war-cry the scout rushed upon him.

As he advanced the chief succeeded in releasing his leg from beneath his
horse and again fired, as did Buffalo Bill, and both of them with
revolvers.

The Indian's bullet cut a slight gash in Bill's arm, while he struck the
red-skin in the leg, and the next instant sprung upon him with his
knife, which both had drawn.

The hand-to-hand fight was hardly five seconds in duration, and Buffalo
Bill had driven his knife into the broad red breast, and then tore from
his head the scalp and feather war-bonnet, and waving it over his head,
shouted in ringing tones:

"_Bravo! the first scalp to avenge Custer!_"

A shout of warning from the cavalry caused him to turn quickly and he
beheld the second chief riding down upon him at full speed.

But Bill turned upon him, and a shot from his revolver got him another
scalp.

But hardly had he stooped to tear it from the skull, when the Indians,
with wildest yells, charged upon him.

They were nearer to him than was the regiment, and it looked bad for
Buffalo Bill; but the gallant Fifth charged in splendid style, met the
Indians in a savage fight, and then began to drive them in wild
confusion, and pushed them back into the Agency a sorely whipped body of
Cheyennes, and grieving over heavy losses.

Upon reaching the Agency Buffalo Bill learned that the two Indians he
had killed in the duel were Yellow Hand and Red Knife, and Cut Nose, the
father of the former swore some day to have the scout's scalp.

But Buffalo Bill laughed lightly at this threat, evidently believing the
old adage that "A threatened man is long lived."

CHAPTER XXXI.

CONCLUSION.

Having gone over many of the thrilling scenes in the life of W.F. Cody,
Buffalo Bill, from boyhood to manhood, and shown what indomitable pluck
he possesses, and the pinnacle of fame he has reached unaided, and by
his own exertions and will, I can only now say that much remains to be
told of his riper years, from the time he stepped across the threshold
from youth to man's estate, for since then his life has been one long
series of perilous adventures which, though tinged with romance, and
seeming fiction, will go down to posterity as true border history of
this most remarkable man, the truly called King of Prairiemen.

THE END.

* * * * *

Half-Dime Singer's Library

1 WHOA, EMMA! and 59 other Songs.
2 CAPTAIN CUFF and 57 other Songs.
3 THE GAINSBORO' HAT and 62 other Songs.
4 JOHNNY MORGAN and 60 other Songs.
5 I'LL STRIKE YOU WITH A FEATHER and 62 others,
6 GEORGE THE CHARMER and 56 other Songs.
7 THE BELLE OF ROCKAWAY and 52 other Songs.
8 YOUNG FELLAH, YOU'RE TOO FRESH and 60 others.
9 SHY YOUNG GIRL and 65 other Songs.
10 I'M THE GOVERNOR'S ONLY SON and 58 other Songs.
11 MY FAN and 65 other Songs.
12 COMIN' THRO' THE RYE and 55 other Songs.
13 THE ROLLICKING IRISHMAN and 59 other Songs.
14 OLD DOG TRAY and 62 other Songs.
15 WHOA, CHARLIE and 59 other Songs.
16 IN THIS WHEAT BY AND BY and 62 other Songs.
17 NANCY LEE and 58 other Songs.
18 I'M THE BOY THAT'S BOUND TO BLAZE and 57 others.
19 THE TWO ORPHANS and 59 other Songs.
20 WHAT ARE THE WILD WAVES SAYING, SISTER? and 59 other Songs.
21 INDIGNANT POLLY WOG and 59 other Songs.
22 THE OLD ARM-CHAIR and 58 other Songs.
23 ON CONEY ISLAND BEACH and 58 other Songs.
24 OLD SIMON, THE HOT-CORN MAN and 60 others.
25 I'M IN LOVE and 56 other Songs.
26 PARADE OF THE GUARDS and 56 other Songs.
27 YO, HEAVE, HO! and 60 other Songs.
28 'TWILL NEVER DO TO GIB IT UP SO and 60 others.
29 BLUE BONNETS OVER THE BORDER and 54 others,
30 THE MERRY LAUGHING MAN and 56 other Songs.
31 SWEET FORGET-ME-NOT and 55 other Songs.
32 LEETLE BABY MINE and 53 other Songs.
33 DE BANJO AM DE INSTRUMENT FOR ME and 53 others.
34 TAFFY and 50 other Songs.
35 JUST TO PLEASE THE BOYS and 52 other Songs.
36 SKATING ON ONE IN THE GUTTER and 52 others.
37 KOLORED KRANKS and 59 other Songs.
38 NIL DESPERANDUM and 53 other Songs.
39 THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME and 50 other Songs.
40 'TIS BUT A LITTLE FADED FLOWER and 50 others.
41 PRETTY WHILHELMINA and 60 other Songs.
42 DANCING IN THE BARN and 68 other Songs.
43 H.M.S. PINAFORE. COMPLETE, and 17 other Songs.

Sold everywhere by Newsdealers, at five cents per copy, or sent
_post-paid_, to any address, on receipt of _Six cents_ per number.

BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS,
96 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6