I made a desperate effort, and a few words escaped me, but what they were I could not for the life of me tell, nor could any one else in the house.

My utterances were inaudible even to the leader of the orchestra, Mr.Dean, who was sitting only a few feet in front of me.
Bowing to the audience, I beat a hasty retreat into one of the canons of the stage.

I never felt more relieved in my life than when I got out of the view of that immense crowd.

That evening Mr.Freleigh offered to give me five hundred dollars a week to play the part of "Buffalo Bill" myself.

I thought that he was certainly joking, especially as he had witnessed my awkward performance; but when he assured me that he was in earnest, I told him that it would be useless for me to attempt anything of the kind, for I never could talk to a crowd of people like that, even if it was to save my neck, and that he might as well try to make an actor out of a government mule.