Off To See The Wild West Show Part 1, Chapter 8 (4/5) By Frank Beill 1886: Hull, Yorkshire

(1/5), (2/5), (3/5), (4/5), (5/5). Part 1 Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Part 2 Prologue, Chapter 1, 2, 3.

Surely Buffalo Bill and his Wild West Show couldn't be far behind. I fixed my gaze on the station buildings and strained my ears for the hissing sound that would tell me a steam engine was arriving. 'Where are they?' My cold feet shuffled and stamped with impatience at the absence of my hero and his clan. 'They arrived last night.' It was Mr Jason's voice interrupting my agitation. He was standing behind us. 'Well, the first train did. The next ones arrived in the early hours of the morning.

The Red Indians and cowboys are staying in the Emigrant Shed.' I turned in amazement, surprised by the teacher's fund of knowledge. 'I spoke to one of the men from the station yard.' He nodded sagely. 'Colonel Cody and some of the others stayed in hotels in the town centre last night.'

Buffalo Bill had been in Hull for several hours and no one had told me but before I could explode I was distracted. 'Here comes Colonel Cody now!' Mr Jason shouted, pointing away from the station and back towards the town. Two coal black steeds snorting loudly were drawing an open carriage. The breath from their noses rose into the cold morning air like steam released by a locomotive. Well, this is how I remember it. Buffalo Bill was standing up. He was smiling and waving his Stetson hat to the crowd.

Long hair flowed down onto the shoulders of his tan buckskin jacket. I couldn't see his face. The large beige hat was blocking my view. The hat dropped to his waist and I saw the handsome features that a goatee beard could only enhance and not disguise.

He was everything I imagined he would be ... and more ... and he was real. 'He's just like you said he was, Sammy!' Sal was jumping up and down, nearly as excited as myself. 'He is an' all!' George's bottom jaw hung open in disbelief. The carriage drew to a halt alongside the dignitaries and in one bound my hero leapt to the ground, still waving his hat at the cheering crowd. The Mayor of Hull stepped forward in black silk top hat. His gold chain of office strung across his frock coat gleamed in the sunlight.

He shook hands with our famous visitor, surely the most famous man in the world. I didn't notice any other passengers alight from the carriage before it disappeared empty back in the direction of the town. My eyes were transfixed on one person.

Everything became a dream. Buffalo Bill was floating on air. A cowboy in an enormous Stetson hat and hairy chaps led out a horse I swear was so pure in colour it shone silver in the sunlight. The centre of attention was up and into the saddle in one easy movement to the tumultuous applause of everyone around. 'You all right!' George's hand grabbed my shoulder. I turned and looked into his eyes. Sal's arm tugged around my waist. Momentarily, I was back in reality. 'Aye!' I shook my head in an attempt to clear it. 'Thought you was gonna faint,' Sal shouted above the noise of the crowd.

'He's real, Sal! He's real!' My words were a squeal and I could feel tears in my eyes.

Continued... Next Page

Articles - I Would Have Hated London By Anna Zenonos

	I have something to share about Hull or Ull! My experience was generally good although a bit sad. I come from Greece and in 2001 I arrived in Hull to start studies at Lincoln University which at the time was called The University of Lincolnshire and Humberside. Read more...

Articles - Out an About in Hull By Aaron

	When you are out and about in the centre of Hull, take time out to look up at the buildings. There is some lovely architecture about, not to mention the numerous statues for example above and behind all those modern shop fronts there are some very Read more...

Articles - Some Call it Godcore (Keeping God on Message) By Jim Higo

	Breakfast with Frost is compulsive viewing in our house on a Sunday morning, although for all the wrong reasons. It started a couple of years ago when Frosty began to look decidedly frail and weak and was absent from his sofa Read more...

Articles - The Golden Age of Education By Mark Pollard

	Anyone who regularly reads the letters pages of The Hull Daily Mail is probably aware of a serial contributor by the name of Lionel F. Cerny. I think he's probably a retired teacher, because one of his major, recurring letter-writing themes is Read more...

Articles - An Obituary to Edwin (Ted) Tarling By Christopher Ketchell (Local History Unit, Hull College)

	Ted Tarling, musician, artist and publisher, formerly of Hull, has died in Cambridge after a prolonged period of illness. Ted was born and brought up in Stoneferry in East Hull. He attended Hull Grammar School and later Hull Art College. Read more...

Articles - Winter in Canada

	Let me tell you something about Montreal in the winter: It's cold, it is very, very cold indeed. Cold and I do not get along, I have tried to see things his way but it's just not happening. I have to laugh when I call my family and hear of the Read more...

Articles - Stop Me and Buy One By Joe Hakim

	So I'm heading home after a night out. It's cold and raining, but I decide to walk anyway. I need the time alone. I'm walking past Yello and I notice a fight happening on the opposite corner of the street outside what used to be Buzz Bar. Two young lads, completely pissed out of their Read more...

Articles - A Wandering Minstrel...Aye! By Trevor Edge

	'Ull. The place I was born. The place I have lived 90% of my life. The place I had my first kiss, my first drunken fumblings, my first...well that's another article. I love 'Ull. I love the way it has been portrayed as: a dead end, the a**e of England, the worst city in the UK, the most Read more...

Articles - Unfinished Theories Part 2 By Andrea Longstaff

	Hasn't anyone noticed how the beautiful word banana has been hijacked? Not only has it been hijacked but it has also been cleverly changed by the little known boffins at the surreptitiously titled banana brigade. Was no one looking as this other word was cunningly planted into our lovely language? Read more...

Articles - Writing Life By Darren Sant

	It's strange and sometimes lonely being a writer. Friends look at you with bewilderment. Your partner smiles at you encouragingly but doesn't quite understand how the one she loves can at times appear to be a complete lunatic. This is how it is when you are a writer. Inspiration is like an exotic disease it can strike you down without warning Read more...

Articles - Post-Organic Thrill: Cotton On, and Preserve the World By Steve Rudd

	A great many people profess to preferring the idea of buying organic, but - I wonder - how many of those people actually do go out of their way to ensure that they do buy organic in order to make that difference to both the physical world's wealth and the people who live in the world's health. The main organic Read more...

Articles - Hull's Beauty By DJ Chris Plant

	I decided to take a look at Hull's brand new Beauty Clinic and Hair Salon, BeautyMed and A Cut Above (having heard very good things about them both). I needed the makeover too. BeautyMed is a new clinic situated at Suite 2, 173 Ferensway, Hull (Opposite the railway station). Read more...

Articles - Rock and Roll Tales (Elvis and Me) By Denis Price

	'Go on!'urged Jim, 'Tell him where you saw Elvis'. Wednesday was quiz night at the Corner House and by the time Pete the landlord called for the intermission our team was well .. er .. stimulated and to prove it was well involved with our rivals in a discussion centring on Elvis Read more...