The William F. Cody Archive: Documenting the life and times of Buffalo Bill

ON Tuesday, I witnessed a comical attempt on the part of two errand boys to imitate one of the deeds of derring-do of Buffalo Bill. They were in Wellington Street, near St. Vincent Street, practising the art of throwing the lasso, each and taking in turn the part of the lasso thrower. Their implement was a bit of rope with a long running noose on it. The smaller of the two boys was about to launder the rope at the other, when a private "one hoss shay" drove past. An impulse of devilment seized the young hero of the prairies, and quick as thought he changed the direction of his effort and attempted to lasso the horse. The rope, however, slid harmlessly off the animal's nose but the horse reared with the start it got. The driver was taken unawares and before he could reach for his whip the young rascal was a hundred yards off and rapidly increasing the distance. The incident was very laughable. But if our street boys take to acting the romance of the prairies to any great extent it may become a bit of nuisance. Imagine for instance some fourteen years old "Charging Thunder" laying peaceable citizens low with a club!