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BUFFALO BILL.

HOW THE CHIEF OF SCOUTS BECAME AN ACTOR.

The Story as Furnished by Col. Prentiss Ingraham the Author, an Ex-Confederate Soldier - Some Reminiscences of the late War of Local Interest.

The return of Buffalo Bill (Hon. W. F. Cody) with his attractive play nad combination as elsewhere announced revives of more than oridnary interest the story of how the widely known scout became an actor. It is laid before us by Col. Prentiss Ingraham, a well known writer of fiction and play wright, who has been in the city a few days guest of the Oliver House. Col. Ingraham is an ex-confederate soldier with whom a meeting revives some interesting recollections of the war in which some Toledo soldiers will be interested, The story is thus told in Buffalo Bill's own language:

"It was in the fall of '71," sadi Bill, "that Gen. Sheridan came to the plains with a party of gentleman 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 counrty in the world. In the party were James Gorden Bennett, of the New York Herald, Lawrence and Leonard Jerome, Carl Livingston, S. G. Heckshire, Gen. Fitxhugh, of Pittshurgh, Gen. Anson Stager of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and other noted gentelmen. I guided the party, and when the hutn was finished I received an invitation from them 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' 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 Gen. Sheridan, I proceeded to New York, where I was shown the 'elephant.' During my visit I attended the performance at the Bowery Theatre, in company with Col. 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 Mr. J. B. Studley, an excellent actor, and I must say I thought 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 the 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 on one thousand dollars per week to go on the stage. I told them I would rather face a thousand 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 me to come east and go on the stage, offering large inducements. As scouting business was rather dull, I concluded to try it for a while, 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 Amphitheatre on December 16th, 1872. I arrived in Chicago December 12th, 1872. We were driven to the theatre 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 neber been on the stage will require several rehearsals.' Buntline surprised us all by saying that he had not written the drama, yet, but wuold do so at once Mr. Nixon said, 'No drama!and this is Thursday. Well, I will cancel your date.' But Buntline wwas not to be balked in this way, and asked Nixon what he would rent the theatre one week for. 'One thousand dollars,' said Nixon. 'It's my theatre,' 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 '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 wil it take you to commit your part? 'About seven years, if I ahve 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 three thousand people, among them Gen. 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, 'Waht 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 hunt. I told the story in a very funny was, and it took like wild-fire with the audience.

BUFFALO BILL.

HOW THE CHIEF OF SCOUTS BECAME AN ACTOR.

The Story as Furnished by Col. Prentiss Ingraham the Author, an Ex-Confederate Soldier - Some Reminiscences of the late War of Local Interest.

The return of Buffalo Bill (Hon. W. F. Cody) with his attractive play nad combination as elsewhere announced revives of more than oridnary interest the story of how the widely known scout became an actor. It is laid before us by Col. Prentiss Ingraham, a well known writer of fiction and play wright, who has been in the city a few days guest of the Oliver House. Col. Ingraham is an ex-confederate soldier with whom a meeting revives some interesting recollections of the war in which some Toledo soldiers will be interested, The story is thus told in Buffalo Bill's own language:

"It was in the fall of '71," sadi Bill, "that Gen. Sheridan came to the plains with a party of gentleman 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 counrty in the world. In the party were James Gorden Bennett, of the New York Herald, Lawrence and Leonard Jerome, Carl Livingston, S. G. Heckshire, Gen. Fitxhugh, of Pittshurgh, Gen. Anson Stager of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and other noted gentelmen. I guided the party, and when the hutn was finished I received an invitation from them 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' 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 Gen. Sheridan, I proceeded to New York, where I was shown the 'elephant.' During my visit I attended the performance at the Bowery Theatre, in company with Col. 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 Mr. J. B. Studley, an excellent actor, and I must say I thought 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 the 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 on one thousand dollars per week to go on the stage. I told them I would rather face a thousand 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 me to come east and go on the stage, offering large inducements. As scouting business was rather dull, I concluded to try it for a while, and started east in company with Texas Jack. Met Buntline in Chicago with a company ready to support me.

"We were to open