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THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF BUFFALO BILL
CHAPTER XVIII
SCOUTING IN A SWALLOW-TAIL OUTFIT
General Ord, commanding the Department of the Platte at the time, and
who had been out on the Alexis hunt, had some business to attend to
at Fort McPherson, and I accepted his invitation to ride over to the
post with him in an ambulance. On the way thither he asked me how I
would like to have an officer's commission in the regular army. He
said that General Sheridan and himself had had some conversation
about the matter, and if I wanted a commission, one could easily be
procured for me. I thanked General Ord for his kindness, and said
that although an officer's commission in the regular army was a
tempting prize, yet I preferred to remain in the position I was then
holding. He concluded by stating that if at any time I should wish a
commission, all that I would have to do to secure it would be to
inform him of my desire.
Having determined to visit New York, I acted upon General
Sheridan's suggestion and wrote to General Stager, from whom in a few
days I received my railroad passes. Obtaining thirty days' leave of
absence from the department, I struck out for the East. On arriving
in Chicago, in February, 1872, I was met at the depot by Colonel M.
V. Sheridan, who said that his brother, the General, had not yet
returned, but had sent word that I was to be his and the Colonel's
guest, at their house, while I renained in Chicago.
I spent two or three days very pleasantly in the great city of the
West, meeting several gentlemen who had been out on the Sheridan hunt
in September: General Stager, Colonel Wilson, editor of the Journal;
Mr. Sam Johnson, General Rucker and others, by all of whom I was most
cordially received and well entertained. I was introduced to quite a
number of the best people of the city, and was invited to several
"swell" dinners. I also accompanied General Sheridan &emdash;who
meantime had returned to the city &emdash;to a ball at Riverside, an
aristocratic suburb. On this occasion I became so embarrassed that it
was more difficult for me to face the throng of beautiful ladies,
than it would have been to confront a hundred hostile Indians. This
was my first trip to the East, and I had not yet become accustomed to
being stared at. And besides this, the hundreds of questions which I
was called upon to answer further embarrassed and perplexed me.
According to the route laid out for me by General Stager, I was to
stop at Niagara Falls, Buffalo and Rochester on my way to New York,
and he provided me with all the necessary railroad passes. Just as I
was about to leave Chicago I met Professor Henry A. Ward, of
Rochester, for whom during the previous year or two I had collected a
large number of specimens of wild animals. He was on his way to
Rochester, and kindly volunteered to act as my guide until we reached
that point. We spent one day in viewing the wonders of Niagara, and I
stopped one day at Rochester and was shown the beauties of that
handsome city by Professor Ward, and I had the honor of receiving an
invitation to dine with the Mayor.
A GUEST OF THE UNION CLUB
On arriving at New York I was met at the depot by Mr. J. G. Hecksher,
who had been appointed as "a committee of one" to escort me to the
Union Club, where James Gordon Bennett, Leonard W. Jerome and others
were to give me an informal reception, and where I was to make my
headquarters during my visit to the great metropolis. I had an
elegant dinner at the club rooms, with the gentlemen who had been out
on the September hunt, and other members of the club.
After dinner, in company with Mr. Hecksher &emdash;who acted as my
guide &emdash;I started out on the trail of my friend, Ned Buntline,
whom we found at the Brevoort Place Hotel. He was delighted to see
me, and insisted on my becoming his guest. He would listen to no
excuses, and on introducing me to Messrs. Overton & Blair,
proprietors of the Brevoort, they also gave me a pressing invitation
to make my home at their house. I finally compromised the matter by
agreeing to divide my time between the Union Club, the Brevoort
House, and Ned Buntline's headquarters.
The next few days I spent in viewing the sights of New York,
everything being new and startling, convincing me that as yet I had
seen but a small portion of the world. I received numerous dinner
invitations, as well as invitations to visit different places of
amusement and interest; but as they came In so thick and fast, I soon
became badly demoralized and confused. I found I had accepted
invitations to dine at half adozen or more houses on the same day and
at the same hour. James Gordon Bennett had prepared a dinner for me,
at which quite a large number of his friends were to be present, but
owing to my confusion, arising from the many other invitations I had
received, I forgot all about it and dined elsewhere. This was "a bad
break," but did not learn of my mistake until next day, when at the
Union Club House several gentlemen, among them Lawrence Jerome,
inquired "where in the world I had been," and why I had not put in an
appearance at Bennett's dinner. They said that Bennett had taken
great pains to give me a splendid reception, that the party had
waited till nine o'clock for me and that my non-arrival caused
considerable disappointment. I apologized as well as I could by
saying that I had been out on a scout and had got lost and had
forgotten all about the dinner, and expressed my regret for the
disappointment I had created by my forgetfulness. August Belmont, the
banker, being near, said: "Never mind, gentlemen, I'll give Cody a
dinner at my house."
"Thank you, sir," said I; "I see you are determined that I shall
not run short of rations while I am in the city. I'll be there,
sure." Both Mr. Jerome and Mr. Hecksher told me that I must not
disappoint Mr. Belmont, for his dinners were splendid affairs. I made
a note of the date, and at the appointed time I was promptly at Mr.
Belmont's mansion, where I spent a very enjoyable evening.
Mr. Bennett, who was among the guests, having forgiven my
carelessness, invited me to accompany him to the Liederkranz masked
ball, which was to take place in a few evenings and would be a grand
spectacle. Together we attended the ball and during the evening I was
well entertained. The dancers kept on their masks until midnight, and
the merry and motley throng presented a brilliant scene, moving
gracefully beneath the bright gas-light to inspiriting music. To me
it was a novel and entertaining sight, and in many respects reminded
me greatly of an Indian war-dance.
Acting upon the suggestion of Mr. Bennett, I had dressed myself in
my buckskin suit, and I naturally attracted considerable attention;
especially when I took part in the dancing and exhibited some of my
backwoods steps, which, although not as graceful as some, were a
great deal more emphatic. But when undertook to do artistic dancing,
I found I was decidedly out of place in that crowd, and I accordingly
withdrew from the floor.
I occasionally passed an evening at Niblo's Garden, viewing the
many beauties of "The Black Crook," which was then having its long
run, under the management of Jarrett & Palmer, whose acquaintance
I had made, and who extended to me the freedom of the theater.
MY ALTER EGO ON THE STAGE
Ned Buntline and Fred Maeder had dramatised one of the stories which
the former had written about me for the New York Weekly. The drama
was called "Buffalo Bill, the King of Border Men." While I was in New
York it was produced at the Bowery Theater; J. B. Studley, an
excellent actor, appearing in the character of "Buffalo Bill," and
Mrs. W. G. Jones, a fine actress, taking the part of my sister, a
leading role. I was curious to see how I would look when represented
by some one else, and of course I was present on the opening night, a
private box having been reserved for me. The theater was packed,
every seat being occupied as well as all standing-room. The drama was
played smoothly and created a great deal of enthusiasm.
The audience, upon learning that the real "Buffalo Bill" was
present, gave several cheers between the acts, and I was called on to
come out on the stage and make a speech. Mr. Freleigh, the manager,
insisted that I should comply with the request, and that I should be
introduced to Mr. Studley. I finally consented, and the next moment I
found myself standing behind the footlights and in front of an
audience for the first time in my life. I looked up, then down, then
on each side, and everywhere I saw a sea of human faces, and
thousands of eyes all staring at me. I confess that I felt very much
embarrassed &emdash;never more so in my life &emdash;and I knew not
what to say. I made a desperate effort, and a few words escaped me,
but what they were I could not for the life of me tell, nor could any
one else in the house. My utterances were inaudible even to the
leader of the orchestra, Mr. Dean, who was sitting only a few feet in
front of me. Bowing to the audience, I beat a hasty retreat into one
of the cañons of the stage. I never felt more relieved in my
life than when I got out of the view of that immense crowd.
MY FIRST APPEARANCE ON THE STAGE
That evening Mr. Freleigh offered to give me five hundred dollars a
week to play the part of "Buffalo Bill" myself. I thought that he was
certainly joking, especially as he had witnessed my awkward
performance; but when he assured me that he was in earnest, I told
him that it would be useless for me to attempt anything of the kind,
for I never could talk to a crowd of people like that, even if it was
to save my neck, and that he might as well try to make an actor out
of a government mule I thanked him for the generous offer, which I
had to decline owing to a lack of confidence in myself; or as some
people might express it, I didn't have the requisite cheek to
undertake a thing of that sort. The play of "Buffalo Bill" had a very
successful run of six or eight weeks, and was afterwards produced in
all the principal cities of the country, everywhere being received
with genuine enthusiasm.
I had been in New York about twenty days when General Sheridan
arrived in the city. I met him soon after he got into town. In answer
to a question how I was enjoying myself, I replied that I had struck
the best camp I had ever seen, and if he didn't have any objections I
would like to have my leave of absence extended about ten days. This
he willingly did, and then informed me that my services would soon be
required at Fort McPherson, as there was to be an expedition sent out
from that point.
At Westchester, Pennsylvania, I had some relatives living whom I
had never seen, and now being so near, I determined to make them a
visit. Upon mentioning the matter to Buntline, he suggested that we
should together take a trip to Philadelphia, and thence run out to
Westchester. Accordingly the next day found us in the "City of
Brotherly Love," and in a few hours we arrived at the home of my
uncle, General Henry R. Guss, the proprietor of the Green Tree Hotel,
who gave us a cordial reception.
Inviting us into the parlor, my uncle brought in the members of
his family, among them an elderly lady, who was my grandmother, as he
informed me. He told me that my Aunt Eliza, his first wife, was dead,
and that he had married a second time; Lizzie Gust, my cousin, I
thought was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. They were all
very anxious to have us remain several days, but as I had some
business to attend to in New York, I was obliged to return that day.
Assuring them, however, that I would visit them again soon, I bade
them adieu, and with Buntline took the train for New York.
The time soon arrived for my departure for the West; so packing up
my traps I started for home, and on the way thither I spent a day
with my Westchester relatives, who did everything in their power to
entertain me during my brief stay with them.
The
Autobiography of Buffalo Bill Continued
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