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HOWARD ATHENEUM. Buffalo Bill furnishes in his border drama, "The Prairie Waif," a play which literally packed last evening with an audience which, if it did not weep with oppressed virtue, shrieked for joy when it rose triumphant above the schemes of villainy, as, to do the drama justice, it constantly did. It is this tribute of natural feeling, unrestrained by the principles of severe and critical taste, that most powerfully appeals to the susceptibilities of an actor. There is no restricted art in this play; the wells of pure emotion bubble up from a fount from whose brim the grasses and flowers of nature have not yet been trimmed by the keen edge of education, and all the impressions of the hour spring direct from the emotions. Buffalo Bill, however, respresents something of value in his portrayal of the wild life of the plains, and introduces us to a type of manhood which will always have its fascinations for impetuous youth. The thrill of suspense when the hero is menaced by the arrows of scalp-decked savages or covered by the guns of depraved Mormons, is anon succeeded lay the welcome relief of feeling when he leaps unharmed from a window, or empties his rapid revolvers into the forces of the astonished foe, and although the critical mind is prone to inquire how it happens that all the bowstrins are constantly powerless and the hostile guns persistently refuse to go off, it is apt to conclude that the adventures and escapes of the scout are really not more remarkable than those of the Homeric heroes, which the whole world admires. Indeed, the critical mind is somewhat out of place here, but any one who has cause to dislike Indians or Mormons is likely to find his strongest craving for vengeance satisfied. The carnage among these unhappy beings is prodigious, and they are slaughtered right and left in a peculiarly merciless and agreeable way. The machinations of the evil constantly react upon their own heads and however severe the oppressions of the good and the just, one can depend upon their being properly rescued at the end of every act by the miraculous and unexpected interposition of Buffalo Bill. Thus the play constantly inculcates deep lessons of morality and spreads abroad a benign influence whereever it is enacted. It will continue to instruct and entertain the patrons of the Howard during the remainder of the week.
GAIETY THEATRE

---HOWARD ATHENAEUM.--William F. Cody, known as Buffalo Bill, always draws large houses in Boston, and his appearance at the Howard Athenaeum last evening was no exception to the general rule, the theatre being packed from pit to dome. The upper gallery was filled with youthful admirers of Buffalo Bill, and they were among his most enthusiastic auditors. They followed the thrilling scenes which were being enacted on the stage with all the interest that an excited imagination and longing desire to be a "free trapper," roving over boundless praries, could generate. The signs of approval were not shown in the fallery alone, the really fine acting of Mr. Cody, and his splendid support, bringing out rounds of applause all over the house, "The Prairie Waif" is an exciting drama, abounding in fine hits of humor, and full of thrilling adeventure. Mr. Cody fills the position of the hero with his accustomed ease and grace, and was several times called before the curtain. Miss Lizzie Fletcher, as Oneta, is both beautiful and attractive, and was at once made a favorite. Miss Connie Thompson, as Sadie, was all that could be wished. The company supporting Mr. Cody is well adapted to the several parts, and by their unity and promptness of action make the piece the success that it has proved. One of the features of the evening was the introduction of a band of genuine Cheyenne Indian chiefs, who gave an exhibition of their foruner savage life by going through their scalp and war dances, assisted by C. A. Burgess, the Indian interpreter. During the evening, Mr. Cody gave an exhibition of fancy shooting with the rifle.

LOW'S OPERA HOUSE.--The new play of Buffalo Bill, "The Prairie Waif," is designed, as have been all the plays of this noted scout and actor, to illustrate life on the plains and in the backwoods, but the illustration now given is not quite so extravagent as those heretofore presented. It is more consistent, and the situations admit of a possibility in the minds or people accustomed to quiet lives, that they paint actual occurrences. To those who have never known life in the West, never seen cow-boys and their lik, it is impossible for them to realize that such noise, hubbub and confusion can occur as is represented by the dramas that Mr. Cody has brought before the public, and "The Prairie Waif" is better calculated to find favor with the public, from the fact that it is a little tame compared to actual occurrences. The company, as a whole, is a very good one. The "Oneta" of Lizzie Fletcher, and the "Sadie" of Connie Thompson are particularly good, and Mr. Alstead's "Hans," is true to nature, and he makes as fine a little Dutchman as one could wish to see. If anything Buffalo Bill has improved as an actor--as a marksman there was and is no opportunity for improvement. There was a large audience present who, by their frequent applause, testified their unqualified aproval of the performance. There is to be a matinee performance in the evening for the last time.

BUFFALO BILL AT THE HOWARD.
At the Howard Buffalo Bill came back with all his wildwood grace, and though he is still an illustration of nature unadorned rather than of the art which conceals art, he now treads the stage with more ease than formerly. He brought with him a new peice called The Prairie Waif, but it does not differ from his other dramas enough to call for detailed notice. Like them it has plenty of hair breadth escapes and like them it is a glorification of trapper life. The familiar real live Indian, who does not perform as well before the footlights as the imitation one, was seen in some of his characteristic songs and dances, and the Hon. William F. Cody made himself a man of mark by a display of his skill with a rifle.

Low's Opera House.
An excellent audience gathered at Low's Opera House, yesterday evening, to see "Buffalo Bill," the Hon. Wm. F. Cody, in his new drama from the pen of John Stevens, of "Unknown" fame; entitled "The Prairie Waif." Unlike the dramas hitherto brought out by this noted scout, trapper and Indian fighter, "The Prairie Waif" has a fine underlying sentiment, and abounds with interesting situations. Ripples of merriment break out at times, and the audience is spared the wholesale slaying of red-skins, and the choking fumes of burned powder. Mr. Cody has become quite an actor since his last appearance here. He has lost the frigidity and nervousness of the past, and renders his lines in a most acceptable manner. The support was most satisfactory, and the applause bestowed was generous, honest and spontaneous. "Buffalo Bill" rather astonished the natives by his wonderful marksmanship in the second act, handling his rifle beautifully. During the fourth act, a band of Cheyenne Indians treated the audience to a war-dance, accompanying their gyrations with ear-splitting howls and the incessant thumping of a tamborine. One of the features of the evening was Wm. Alstead's Hans, whose low-comedy dialect and specialties were warmly recognized. Miss Connie Thompson's Sadie was a painstaking piece of acting. "The Prairie Waif" will be repeated this afternoon and evening.

The Prairie Waif.
The presentation of "The Prairie Waif" by the Buffalo Bill troupe at Breed hall, last night, was a grand success. Those who procured their tickets early saw the advantage of it. For an hour before and some time after the play commenced it was more than a ticket was worth to work one's way to the office to purchase it. Buffalo Bill fills a hall in Norwich as no other man can. The house was packed. The play passed off pleasantly, and although largely made up of love scenes, had enough of the rash and romantic about it to make it lively and interesting. Anything that smacks of frontier life and the Indians always pleases the boys, and hundreds of them were there. The old folks criticising the play thought there "was too much love and too little Indian" in it, but the blooming youth of both sexes sighed and remarked "It was just lovely." Buffalo Bill is the hero young America doffs its hat to, and if he is pleased who can grumble? The announcement of his coming here is a sure guaranteee of a full house.

BUFFALO BILL.--The noted scout, Buffalo Bill, will appear at Music Hall this evening in "The Prairie Waif," supported by his popular company. In an interview the great scout says, speaking of his first season on the stage:
"Our business was immense all that season, and if we had been managed properly we would have each made a small fortune. As it was I came out $10,000 ahead. In June, 1873, I returned to the plains, came east again in the fall, this time my own manager. I got a company, took the noted Wild Bill with me, but could not do much with him as he was not an easy man to handle, and would insist on shooting the supers in the legs with powder, just to see them jump. He left a few months later and returned to the plains. He was killed in August, 1876, in Deadwood.
"In summer of 1876 I was Chief of the Scouts under Gen. Carr, afterward with Gen. Crook and Gen. Terry.
"On the 17th of July I killed Yellow Hand, a noted Cheyenne chief, and took the first scalp for Custer. I returned to the stage in October, 1876, and during the seasons of 1876 and 1879 I cleared $38,000. I have generally been successful financially on the stage. I am now in the cattle business in Nebraska, to which place I will return as soon as the season is over, providing nothing serious occurs to call me home earlier."

There was a large and enthusiastic audience in the dress circle and gallery of the Opera House, Monday night to witness the performance of Buffalo Bill's "Prairie Waif." Special features of attraction were the orchestra, Buffalo Bill's fancy shots at sliced potatoes, and Hans' performance with the donkey. The play is good, and the several characters were well taken. The audience was delighted.

--The Buffalo Bill company at the Opera house last evening, in point of attendance was immense, the cash receipts being one of the largest of the season. The audience seemed delighted and by the frequent applause, Mr. Cody must be convinced that Bridgeport has voted him a favorite. Some of the scenes potray actual events in his life on the plains. The supporting company is well adapted to their several parts. Mr. Cody is a wonderful man. His show season closes May 1st, and then he goes to Nebraska, where he has a large cattle ranche, sees to affairs there and then spends the summer in hunting and visiting various military stations, where he is a general favorite.

BUFFALO BILL LAST NIGHT
"The Prairie Waif" was presented by the Buffalo Bill combination, last night, to a large audience, and gave very general satisfaction. The plot turns upon the abduction of a young girl (Onita) by the Danites and her rescue by Buffalo Bill, who kills her abductors, restores her to her loving father, marries her-- and they live happily ever afterwards. There is a comic Dutchman who sings and dances, a bright little woman to whom the aforesaid Dutchman makes love, and who sings and dances, also a highly trained donkey, and a company of Indians, who dance and howel and flourish knives and tomahawks in an unpleasantly devilish manner. The Prairie Waif is well played by Miss Lizzie Fletcher looks the part to perfection, and acts with intelligence and vivacity. Nobody could play the part of Buffalo Bill better than Buffalo Bill himself, who makes a very handsome stage picture, and does his love making with the modesty and his fighting with the gallantry and dash of a hero. His rifle shooting feats displayed the extraordinary skill for which he is famous, and the precision of his aim from all sorts of difficult positions elicited the applause of the audience. The entertainment was interesting throughout, and Buffalo Bill and his company added many friends to the long lost of those the handsome scout had already gained for himself in Easton.

Amusements.
Buffalo Bill.-At the Able opera house on next Thursday evening, January 13, the noted scout will apear with his monster combination, when they will produce his new drama entitle the "Prairie Waif," a story of the Far West, written expressly for Mr. Cody and taken from scenes of his past life, embracing as it does many strange and romantic incidents of a life which is more fit to adorn the pages of romantic reality than any fancy of the brain which could suggest any of the heroes of the "Leather Stocking" tales. Born upon the Western prairies, and reared amid wild scenes of tumult, his father murdered in those early days when Kansas with the struggle of a young giant was shaking off the yoke of African slavery, a trained Indian fighter taking his first scalp at the age of twelve, and having served his young state in earliest manhood as a trusted and an honored member of the Legislature, it is probable that William F. Cody is as well acquainted with all that pertains to the West as any other living man. The "Prairie Waif" was first produced at te Windsor theatre, New York city, where it met with great success. Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinatti and Boston audiences have also applauded it to the echo.