243

BUFFALO BILL'S BLARNEY.

A SENTINEL SCALPER WITH THE SCOUT
AND HIS BIG INDIANS.

A HAPPY RECOGNITION PRESERVES HIS REMAINING
HAIR - CODY'S OPINION OF THE
ARMY AND THE THIEVING AGENTS - MISUSED
REDSKINS - SITTING BULL AND
CAPT. JACK - ANOTHER INDIAN WAR INEVITABLE.

According to the bills, "Hon. W. F. Cody''
has been playing at the Academy of Music for
two nights and matinee in a grand spectacular
sort of drama, in which "Buffalo Bill'' was
the hero, and which is replete with stage
thunder, red fire, scalp dances and Cheyenne
warriors. Buffalo Bill, being none other than
Mr. Cody himself, is well known as a frontiersman,
scout and Indian slayer, and the idea
suggested itself that perhaps some information
of interest concerning the vexed Indian
problem could be obtained from him. Accordingly,
a bald-headed member of The Sentinel's
staff was detailed to interview him, being
convinced that by reason of his barrenness
he could face the savage warriors with impunity.
At the close of the matinees, yesterday,
the reporter in question waited in the hall-way
for an introduction to the presence of the
great scout of the western wilds, Mr. Cody
was

WASHING OFF HIS WAR PAINT

when the h. h. reporter timidly rapped at the
door of his dressing room. A remarkably
savage warrior pulled the door partially ajar
and in choice Cheyennee inquired: "Well,
now, what's the matter with you?" "A reporter
would like to interview Mr. Cody." Mr.
Cody appeared, slightly disarranged, and
begged a few moments' time to arrange his
toilet. Meantime, the painted savage was
closely scanning the reporter's features, as if
in search of some strawberry mark. At last a
broad smile illuminated his swarthy face, and
he said: "Hallo, old man! I haven't seen
you before since the fire. Come in!" Feeling
that the remnant of his scalp was safe, the
reporter entered, and the wild warrior introduced
him to the scout of the western wilds,
who received him with a cordial greeting, and
at once asked for his friend Capt. Charley
King, late adjutant of the Fifth United States
Cavalry.

The reporter informed Mr. Cody that Capt.
King was now at the State University at Madison,
employed in teaching the young idea
how to shoot according to the practice regulations
of the army.

"I should like to see Charley," said Buffalo
Bill. "He is a brave man and a splendid soldier.
He was present at my killing of Yellow
Hand, the Cheyenne Chief, which we have introduced
in our play. He was

A SPLENDID LITTLE OFFICER

ROCKED BY THIEVING AGENTS,

ever since Grant's administration. I hope for
a change in the Indian policy, with a change
of administration, which I think sure to come.
For a hundred years the government has been
trying to find out what to do with the Indians,
and they don't know now. I never knew a
treaty with them but what was first broken by
the whites. You saw the dispatch this morning
about Capt. Payne? I skirmished with
him for years. He wanted me to go with him
into the Indian Territory, but I thought it was
wrong. We have no right to take their lands
away without pay."

"What is your idea about turning them over
to the War Department?"

"It would do with some. With others it
would not. Those self-sustaining Indians
should be allowed the same privileges as the
whites, and treated as well, so long as they behave
themselves. They should have the same
laws. You can't drive a wild Indian into civilization.
They must be led into it.

THE UTE WAR

was brought on by the whites. The miners
went into their reservations because there was
gold there. Some Indians were killed and
some whites. Then they called for troops and
Thernburg came with his men - and got licked.
They say Indians are treacherous. If they
get away with the white officers I think they
are good soldiers. They never got ahead of
me by jumping out from behind rocks. I
think Capt. Jack the best general in America.
With seventy-five men he kept a whole army
back for forty-seven days.

"Do you think the Utes any more treacherous
than the balance?"

"No, I do not. Nor any more than the
whites. Where is the white man who would
not fight if everything was taken away from
him? I'm dog-goened if I wouldn't. Give
every man a show. They were here first, and
have a better right here than we have."

"Do you know Sitting Bull, Mr. Cody?"

"I know him when I was a boy. Of his
recent movements I know nothing except
through the press. I have not seen him for
many years."

"Is he, as report says, an educated man?"

"No, sir! He can't speak a word of English.
Do you know how he got his name? The
Indians take their names from some transaction
in their lives. Well, one time he shot a
buffalo in the loins, and it fell on its haunches.
He mounted it back, and thus got
THE NAME OF SITTING BULL."

"Is he intelligent?"

"He is a great warrior. He handles his
men well and has a thorough knowledge of
the country."

"What do you think of the future of the
Sioux?"

"I think they will all drift back again."

"Do you think Sitting Bull will ever become
civilized?"

"I can't tell. He says he will never surrender,
but others have said so and still have
given up. Do you know, I think there will be
another general Indian war before this thing

is settled. There are a great many dissatisfied
Indians."

"Do you think the army large enough for
such an emergency?"

"Oh, yes! The standing army might be
larger, but the militia