CHAPTER XXVIII.
AN ACTOR.
During the summer and fall of 1872, I received numerous letters from Ned Buntline, urging me to come East and go upon the stage to represent my own character.

"There's money in it," he wrote, "and you will prove a big card, as your character is a novelty on the stage." At times I almost determined to make the venture; but the recollection of that night when I stood on the stage of the Bowery Theatre and was unable to utter a word above a whisper, would cause me to stop and think and become irresolute.

I feared that I would be a total failure, and wrote Buntline to that effect.

But he insisted that I would soon get over all that embarrassment, and become accustomed to the stage, so that I would think no more of appearing before five thousand people than I would before half a dozen.

He proposed to organize a good company, and wished me to meet him in Chicago, where the opening performance would be given.
I remained undecided as to what I ought to do.