Susan Frisbie, age 12, of Eugene, ore., for her question:

Was Billy the Kid a real person?

Oh, yes, he was a real character, though Billy was not his real name. Like many no goodnicks, Billy the Kid was cunning enough to supply himself with several different aliases. But none of them saved him. At the age of 22, after 21 murders, he was shot by the sheriff while sitting, they say, in a barber's chair.

The story of a real hero always gives us a starry eyed feeling of warm pride, especially when he belongs to the history of our times. But not every famous character is a hero, and young people are never fooled by phonies. Billy the Kid was a real character and a famous one. He is part of our history, but he was no hero. He was one of those phony no goods who fool themselves and try to fool everyone e1se.

The story of his robberies and desperate murders took place in what is now the state of New Mexico, when the west was young and restless. Billy was born in New York City, in 1859, and the youngster's real name was Henry McCarty, when he was 14 he went with his family to Silver City, New Mexico and took the name of his stepfather and became Henry Antrim.

The restless west brought out the worst in Henry's shoddy character. He was mean and quarrelsome and at 15 shot a man and ran from the law. As a fugitive he found ranch work during the cattle wars of New Mexico. Billy went all the way bad when a rancher friend was killed. This was the excuse he wanted to start his vengeful career against society.

As a cattle thief he rode throughout Lincoln County, N.M., killing anyone who got in his way. At 21, Billy the desperado bragged of 19. Killings, 19 useless and cruel murders. He was cunning enough to change his name, hoping to throw off the law. He then called himself  William H. Bonney.

While Billy bragged of his desperate doings, Lincoln County got a new sheriff. He was Pat Garrett, a real hero. Sheriff Pat went after the kid and caught him. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang. However, Billy killed two deputies and escaped but not for long. It took Sheriff Garrett only two months to find him. Billy was 22, and many people say that he was sitting in a barber's chair when the lawman shot him down.

Billy the Kid was a real character, and we are sorry that he played this desperate role in our history. There are photographs of him, and he looked just like a shoddy, no good, which is not surprising. He slouched in sloppy clothes and seemed to need his guns to prop him up. He wore a cocky expression and a silly grin, for, let's face it, Billy the Kid was not very bright in the head.