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THE SCOUTS - Buffalo, Bill, Texas Jack, Wild Bill, and Morlacchi, are to have a large audience at the theatre tonight, and promise a very pleasing entertainment. The party were enthusiatically received here last winter, and tonight they appear in a far better play, while they rely for acceptance with the public more upon their merit as actors than upon their celebrity. "The Scouts of the Plain," with each of the leading characters, Buffalo Bill, Texas Jack, and Wild Bill, "by himself" as the bills say, is sure to be a pleasing piece, and the "peerless" danscuse is to appear in a face, with several dances and a song. The company repeals their performance tomorrow night.
As General Custard has telegraphed to the scouts that they are needed to head scouting parties against the disaffected Indians at the West, it is likely that this will be their last appearance here.
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THE THEATER OF SENSATION-- There was the wildest enthusiasm at the theatre last evening and "the Scouts" were given such a reception as no other actors ever received here. There was a perfect crowd in orchestra, parquette, circle, and gallery, and each [seat vied?] with the others in the warmth of his applause, the young man "up stairs" excelling, of course. The entertainment commenced with a very amazing farce in which M'lle Morlacchi appeared to fine advantage, in dances and a song. Messrs. A. Johnson and W. Fletcher were both comical as the "Uncles" of the perplexed "artist" who got out of his troubles through the wiles of the graceful Morlacchi. Everybody was in the best of humor before the curtain rolled up for the opening of the play of the evening, but it was hardly to have been expected that the drama or the players would be so successful as they were. Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack were as dashing and easy as ever, and were interrupted with applause at almost every line. The house fairly rung most of the evening. Wild Bill has less to do with the action of the play, and his life on the plains is less known here, but he met with the same favor as the other scouts. The minor parts were many of them unusually well filled, Mr. Johnson's characterization of a "Government Peace Commissioner" being among the best comedy acting of the season. The company are sure of another full house tonight and all who see them are sure to find many pleasing features in the entertainment.
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The Scouts of the Plains.
A larger crowd than that present last evening was never seen in this city. Every seat was occupied for love or money. The gallery was fairly alive and the "gods" held high carnival. It was a gala night for them, and a more enthusiasric crowd never occupied the gallery, and if the roof stood the shouts and applause of the gods without starting, theatre goers never need be afraid of raisning the roof. Every time an Indian was shot or a pack of Indians defies by one of the scouts, the gallery gave forth a peel which would have made "Rome howl" in the days of yore. But we are not living in those days and Worcester submitted meekly.
The evening's entertainment began with the laughable farce of "Thrice Married," which was well presented. Morlacchi appeared to excellent advantage and was heartily applauded. But the audience were impatient, and when the curtain rolled up for the presentation of the "Scouts of the Plains," the audience was satisfied, and their pent-up enthusiasm burst forth in shouts of delight. Such a reception as Buffalo Bill received was necer given any avtor who has visited this city. Texas Jack, too, brought down the house, and Wild BIll, a new comer, was not long in gaining the sympathy of the audience.
The Scouts of the Plains is a new drama, and arranged for the express purpose of showing Buffalo Bill, Texas Jack and Wild Bill in their feats of valor. The plot is similar to that which is found in the Beadle's Dime Novels, except that it is exaggerated to a greater degree. Innumerable thrilling situations are presented, and each of them was received with cheers by the occupants of the upper circle. About ten men are dressed up as Indians, thier principal business being to be shot by the scouts, who are armed with elegant seven shooting rifles and pistols. The Indians are very obliging, too, and come upon the stage at different times during the piece, that those who arrived late may see, how red skins are polished off at wholesale, and that the interest of the occupants of the upper gallery may be kept at its height.
The audience was well pleased, if the applause was an indication of the satisfaction given, and that is what the entertainment is for. This evening the same programme will be repeated.
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THE SCOUTS.
Buffalo Bill, Texas Jack, and Wild Bill.
After the entertainment at the theatre last night, a pleasant party of gentlemen sat down to a complimentary supper given to Hon. William F. Cody - Buffalo Bill - by Mr. Edward Stevens of Clinton. Mr. Stevens was in the cavalry service as an officer in the 5th Cavalry of the regular army at the northwest, and took the opportunity offered by Mr. Cody's visit to Worcester, to renew their old acquaintances in camp and field. It had been intended that Mosura Omohundro and Hickok should join the party, but Wild Bill was unavoidably absent, and the illness of his wife, Morlacchi rendered it impossible for Texas Jack to attend the supper. Mr. John Burke, the general agent of the theatrical company, whose full, rounded form, and wealth of curling hair, have caused him to be generally thought one of the celebrated scouts, during their stay in town, and Mr. Walter Fletcher, the comedian whose playing of the Dutch character Nick Blunder has given him a rank here with the favorites, Gus Williams, and "Fritz" Emmet, were in embers of the party.
After a complimentary discussion of one of landlord Priest's famous game suppers, at the Waverly House, the company adjourned to the hotel parlor, and oassed a number of pleasant houts with segars, stories and jokes. Mr. Fletcher increasing the evening's enjoyment by singing about a dozen of his Dutch songs.
In view of the general interest the scouts have excited during their stay in the city, the Gazetter reporter gathered considerable information, from an informal chat with Buffalo Bill, which may serve to answer some of the questions so frequent in conversations regarding the western celebrities.
Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill grew up as young men together working in the government baggage [trailing?] hauling supplies and freight from the frontier [?], the forts and Indian stations, on the plains. Buffalo Bill's parents lived in Kansas, and his father was a prominent politician in the days of [Lune?], oh n the Free State side. He was killed at a political meeting, and Bill, then a young man returned to his native state. During the "Bleeding Kansas" time, Bill and his friends found a chance to settle old scores with the [rufllans?] of the Missouri border. As Lo expressed it they "made it too hot for them," and incurred to displeasure of the government for the rather summary manner in which they redressed personal and Siate wrongs. Bill, with otheres, was in this partially outlawed position at the breaking out of the war of the rebellion, but the givernment were ready to accept their services as scouts and guides, to the army expedition on the western border.
An official order sent to Leavenworth early in the war, for a man who could manage a brigade of wagons, was answered with a reply that Wild Bill was the only man who could do the work. He was immediately put in charge of the wagons used in the
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guides, to the army expeditions on the western border.
An official order sent to Leavenworth early in the war, for a man who could manage a brigade of wagons, was answered with a reply that Wild Bill was the only man who could do the work. He was immediately put in charge of the wagons used in the transportation to the southwest. His dating character soon led him into the more important and dangerous duties of a spy, and Buffalo Bill said that he had shown some of the coolest bravery of the whole secret service. The value he must have held as a spy, can be seen in the fact that he was for some time supposed by the rebels to be a spy in the service of the confederacy. After the war, both Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill rode pony expressed over the plain, and much of their lives have been spent together.
The two men have been rendered quite well-known to the public, Buffalo Bill's connection with the Duke Alexis buffalo hunt made his name a common one before Ned Buntline's story excited wide-spread interest in his life. Wild Bill's celebrity was firmly established by a long article in Harper's Monthly written just after the close of the war, in which his wonderful achievements in towns and on the plains with his hero "Bess" were graphically discribed.
Texas Jack served through the war in the rebel army, and at its close was one of the first men to manage the driving of large herds of cattle from Texas to the northern government stations. Buffalo Bill met him, while chief of scouts about Fort McPherson. Jack's life as a herdsman hail made him an adept in that most important part of back-woodsmanship, trailing, and he was given an immediate situation as a government scout and guide.
The splendid personal appearance of the men both on the stage and off, has been the subject of general compliment. Buffalo Bill's lithe and graceful motions, Texas Jack's dashing style and handsome face, and the commanding physique of Wild Bill have each been praised. The men are remarkable for their small feel. It may be owing to their life in the saddle, but Wild Bill, though standing six feet and two inches in height has a very [small foot?], while Texas Jack with the solid weight of over 190 pounds, wears a number five boot, and Buffalo Bill has a thin, small foot, excellently shown off by the beaded moccasins he wore on the stage.
Their fund of anecdotes is of course inexhaustible, and scores of gentlemen have listened with pleasure to their stories here. Still not one of the party is in the least abrasive with remarks regarding himself. The members of the theatrical company are extremely entertaining in their tales. One of the best Mr. Barke told here was in regard to the Indians who were with the company last season. The chief Indian, as the story goes, was a natural grumbler, and his propensities were always increased by his potations of "fire water," of which he was of course a lover. At such times he used to assault Mr. Burke with complaints regarding the play, saying "June - no good - Indian killed all time - Indian no kill - no good - why not me kill Buffalo Bill"."