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

 

THE CALL BOY.

FROM all accounts, the "Floweries" at Earl's Court is by no means wholly innocent of the dyed carnation. But this is not why you [drawing] THE Wilde WEST. sometimes hear it called the Wilde West. Buffalo Bill is there, you know: that's the reason. Yes, Buffalo Bill is up in the saddle again, looking as handsome and as—but let the penning of a poet's name inspire me to poetry:

Again he rideth to the Court of Earl's,
Again he masheth all our English girls—
  Their hearts with love he fills.
Again his pony sits he like a boy,
A thing we cannot but regard with joy,—
  Like most re-seated Bills!

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And can't he ride! If only you and I—

But, hold on there, Miss Muse!

Whither away in such a beastly hurry? Hang it all, woman, let Tennyson wait a moment! I haven't half finished with you yet. As I was about to say—

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O, my beautiful Buffalo Bill,
Should you mention this child in your will,
  Make the Cody-cil, pray,
  In the following way
(That's unless at the time you're too ill)—
"I bequeath to that genius, the C.B.—(And a genius I calculate he be—
  The estate, all complete,
  Of my West country seat;
And he ought to go steady then. B.B.

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Banner image: Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, Wyoming, U.S.A.; Original Buffalo Bill Museum Collection, P.69.118