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| "Buffalo Bill" Cody. |
BUFFALO BILL IN ROME.
The Contest about the Bucking Horses.
(From the
London Truth.)
The Duke
of Sarmoneta defied Buffalo Bill and his cowboys to ride some of his horses
which were left to run wild on his estate at Cisterna, as they had been found quite
untamable. Cody replied that if driven into his arena the horses should be caught,
saddled, and ridden within a given number of minutes. And they were.
But this
was only the beginning of a series of challenges, which led to a good deal of
ill-feeling and not pretty behavior on the side of the Italians. The Roman herdsmen
and their masters and patrons were very angry at the cowboys having been able
to ride horses which they had been obliged to give up as a bad job, the more so
as Col. Cody had said he would give one of his buckers, with its saddle and bridle,
to anyone who could sit it for five minutes and ride it away from the ground.
At the same
time an American gentleman named Creelman offered to bet anyone $100 that no
one could fulfill the above conditions, and placed his stakes in the hands of
Cody's manager. But there was no betting on the part of Bill himself, nor in
the American camp. Col. Cody would not allow it. Then came a challenge from the
Buttari (herdsmen) by the mouths of their masters. I am not now alluding to the
Duke of Sarmoneta, who, as a gentleman, doubtless kept the conditions of the first
challenge, whatever they were, and made an end of it.
The
Buttari, selected on several estates from among the strongest and most daring
horsemen of the Campagna offered: if they were allowed to bring their own
saddles and lassoes, to catch and ride Bill's horses under the same conditions
as those given to the cowboys, and within a given number of minutes. Now as the
herdsmen understood no English, and Bill and his boys no Italian, it is clear
that the gentlemen who knew both languages must have settled the terms of the
challenge with each.
But the
upshot was that when the Buttari had failed to do what they had undertaken (only
one of them, after more than half an hour's trial, having managed to sit a
bucker for about two minutes), and when Cody rode forward and took away a horse
that they had been boggling with for three-quarters of an hour, he was hissed
and hooted, and the Romans declared that they had not had fair chance, and that
no limit had been stated as to time.
Cody
again rode forward and said: "Ladies and gentlemen, I allowed 10
minutes?" "Fifty," was called out by some Americans, who had
their watches in their hands. But the hissing and hooting went on, and not one
of the Italian gentlemen interfered to explain anything or to say a word on
behalf of the Americans.
Now if we
acquit either side of deliberate deception, it is clear that there was a
misunderstanding. Why did no one come forward to clear it up? Then the press, which,
for reasons best not inquired into, had been from the first inimical to Cody and
his show, took up the ball, and disingenuously mixing up Mr. Creelman's wager
with Bill's challenge, declared that Col. Cody was a buffoon, a cheat, and a swindler,
and ran away without paying his debts of honor.
I can't
help having a certain feeling of indulgence toward a set of men who have
afforded me so much genuine amusement as the Roman newspaper writers, but truth
compels me to admit that many of their statements concerning Col. Cody were
both libelous and scurrilous.
HERE AND THERE.
The
Normals beat the Syracuse University club last Friday, by a score of 13 to 8.
Henry A.
Dickinson was elected Second Lieutenant of the 45th Separate Company, last
week.
H. M.
Doran has purchased Charles Mann's stock of tobacco and cigars in the Squires
block.
Time will
tell, says an exchange,
but he will have to hustle if he beats the average woman in disseminating the
news.
The
Cortland Cyclist Club are to have a tournament May 20th. There will be bicycle
races, foot races and a ball game.
Mr. James
Conway, who was badly hurt when the elevator fell in Wickwire's shop, was able
to return to his work this week.
The
subject of the evening sermon in the Universalist church, next Sunday, will be,
"The labor problem." Seats free. All are invited.
The
Cortland Beef Company are building an arrangement for hoisting tierces and other
heavy packages from the basement of their establishment. About 250 calves are
being slaughtered daily.
The
traction engine road damage bill has become a law. It provides that towns shall
not be held responsible for damages by the breaking of bridges by traction
engines above a weight fixed by the act.
The
regular meeting of Co. B., Loyal Temperance Legion, will be held at the W. C.
T. U. rooms (over Collins' store), Friday, May 2d, at 3 P. M. Let every member
be present and bring a friend.
Henry
Howes, the assignee of E. D. Jencks, sold the entire stock of goods in his
store in Union Valley on the 21st ult., to a Mr. Brooks, of McGrawville, for
$706. There were only two other bidders in the field, it
looks as if Mr. Jenck's creditors would realize about forty cents on the dollar.—DeRuyter Gleaner.
A dispatch says: "The noted jumping and
running horse, 'Slim,' was sold at New Germantown.,
N. J., April 15th, to Duke Borthwick, of Cortland, for $4,250. He is but seven
years old and was raised about four miles south of Ithaca on the Keats farm.
Mr. Borthwick has refused an offer of $15,000 for him since his purchase, and will
bring him to Cortland soon."
Mr. H. T. Bushnell's class in the M. E. Sabbath
school made him a surprise at his residence on Arthur Ave., last Wednesday evening,
April 30th. The class presented Mr. Bushnell with a handsome plush Bible stand.
Elegant refreshments were served, and a good social time enjoyed. The young
ladies returned to their homes feeling they had been very pleasantly entertained.
Mr. I. Dan Lester took charge of the route
of mail carrier Joseph Freer yesterday. Mr. Freer
has made an excellent record and the patrons on his route will be sorry to see
him go, but civil service reform, as interpreted by the party in power, made it
absolutely necessary that his place should be given to a Republican. Mr. Lester
will undoubtedly make a good man for the place.
A retired plumber has recently vouchsafed
the following valuable information to housekeepers: "Just before retiring
at night pour into the clogged waste pipe enough lye to fill the 'trap' or bent
part of the pipe. Be sure that no water runs in it until the next morning.
During the night the lye will convert all the offal into soft soap, and the
first current of water in the morning will wash it away and clear the pipe
clean as new."
J. H. Cummings has been appointed postmaster
at Preble.
Israel Stone, a dealer in clothing in Homer,
has assigned.
The King's Daughters netted about $150 from
the fair held by them last week. [Raising money for Cortland's proposed hospital--CC editor.]
A railing is being built along the south side
of the high walk fronting the Dibble property on North Main street.
To-day being Arbor Day, interesting exercises
appropriate to the day will be held in all the schools of this village.
The old Presbyterian session building has
been sold to the .Methodist society and will be moved on their lot on the
corner of Homer and Maple avenues. Consideration, $400.
Mr. Arnold, who has been conducting a
grocery at 115 Elm street, has sold his stock of goods to Dunning Brothers, and
the goods will be moved to their store on North Main street.
Wednesday morning Mr. Thos. Carty, who drew
$5,000 in the Louisiana Lottery drawing on the 15th of April, received the amount
in full from Robert Bushby, Esq., agent of the United States Express Company in
this village.
Chas. Baker, son of the late Jerome Baker, of
Homer, who has been an inmate of the County House since he was released from
jail, disappeared from that institution last Monday afternoon, and his present whereabouts
are unknown.
Hon. L. J. Fitzgerald is making great
alterations on the old Stillman farm. The interior of the house, also some of
the barns, have been made much more modern and convenient. He is about
to fill in the unsightly ravine and thus reclaim a large area of hitherto waste
land.
Mr. Wm. Esmay was in Morrisville, last week,
to pay to Edom Fish, youngest son of the late Dr. J. G. Fish, the life
insurance money due him from the Royal Templars. Young Fish is an inmate of the
Morrisville jail under indictment for burglary or larceny. He received, after
all expenses were paid, about $600.—Marathon Independent.
Last Saturday Michael Dillon, employed in
the Cortland Wagon shop, lost the tip of the index finger on his right hand
while at work with a buzz saw, and on Monday the same saw took off the end of
the finger next to the one injured on Saturday. Fayette Waters had the index
finger on his left hand taken off at the second joint by a buzz saw in the same
shop. Dr. Hughes dressed the injury. Both accidents happened by the sticks they
were handling catching in the saw.
To
the Public.
On the first of May I moved my stock of
wines, liquors, etc., from Port Watson street to the store No. 102 Van Bergen block,
Cortland, where I shall be pleased to see all my old friends and many new ones.
I have added many new brands of fine old liquors to my stock, and have also just
received a large invoice of California wines. These goods were bought directly from
the manufacturers in California, and I guarantee them to be strictly pure and fine
in quality. I now have without doubt the finest store of the kind in Central
New York.
I extend a cordial invitation to all to give
me a call. Respectfully,
E. DODGE.
Cortland, May 1, 1890.
State
Music Teachers.
The second annual meeting of the New York
State Music Teachers' Association will be held this year at Saratoga on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday, June 24, 25 and 26. This association was organized last
year and held their first convention at Hudson, which proved very successful
and afforded all who attended rare musical instruction as well as pleasure,
many of the leading musicians of the state having taken an active part in the
programs rendered, both vocal and instrumental, including some very valuable
lectures and papers which were given.
The object of the association is the
elevation of the standard of professional work, mutual improvement by
interchange of thought, wider dissemination of musical culture, the furtherance
of professional fraternity and the elevation of musical taste among the general
public. For so noble an object the musicians and music loving people of
this locality should at once enlist themselves for their own benefit as well as
the general good which the association hopes to realize. The interest was so
great last year at the first meeting, that the enrollment of membership was
nearly 1,000, including a number from our county, and it is expected that at
this year's meeting at Saratoga the enrollment list will show a still greater
interest in the grand cause.
This association is a branch of the Music Teachers'
National Association, which was organized a few years ago, and will hold their
convention this year at Detroit, Mich. The
association has a staff of able directors: C. W. Landon of Claverack College Conservatory,
Claverack, N. Y., president; G. F. Green, Troy, N. Y., secretary and treasurer;
with vice-presidents from each county in the State.
A special invitation is extended to those interested
in military, reed and band music as well as those who give their attention to
the piano, organ, voice and violin, as certain benefits only can result from
including all branches of the profession in the ranks of the association. Let
the profession combine and present a solid phalanx before the public.
Misconception will be trampled, opposition vanquished, and our common art
accorded the recognition it rightfully deserves, as the fairest of its sisters.
The reduced rates in hotels and boarding houses,
and on railroads, can be enjoyed only by those that arrange in advance. The
larger the number the lower the rates.
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