1874 Buffalo Bill Combination News

AMUSEMENTS. Hill's Opera House. Wednesday & Thursday, APRIL 22 and 23. ON THE TRAIL! Astounding Attractions! THE ORIGINALS. LIVING HEROES. Link between Civilization and Savagery. BUFFALO BILL, (HON. W. F. CODY.) TEXAS JACK, (J. B. OMOHUNDRO.) Will appear on the above named evenings in their New Sensational Play, entitled Scouts of the Plains! Supported by a full and powerful Dramatic Company, and the Peerless Danseuse and Pantomimic Actress M'LLE MORLACCHI, Including the popular Actor FRANK MORDAUNT. The performance will commence with the Peerless Morlacchi in a Comedetta, Three Beautiful Dances, and will sing Cavatina, from the Opera of Ernani. To conclude with THE SCOUTS OF THE PLAINS! Reserved Seats for sale at Day, [Egbert?] & [Fidlar's?]. Prices as usual HARRY MINER, Business Manager.

THE SCOUTS OF THE PLAINS.

For rolllicking, pure, unadulterated enjoyment, for the stirring up of old memories, for the glimpses into the far off, when we took our six penny worth of gallery at the Sarrey, the "Vic," the Pavilion and Marybone, and on winter evenings sat breathless over Cooper's leather stocking novels, we have never equaled last night, at Hill's Opera House. The good old farce of "Thrice Married," was the curtain lifter, and we thought, what must the play of the evening be if the company can afford to commence with one of the uproaringist trifles in the stock dramatic repertoire. We have seen Vestris at seventy sing "The Dashing White Sergeant," and dance like twenty; we know that her ultimate husband- Charles Mathews, still plays "juvenile business" with the same spirit he did forty years ago, and last night we saw the fascinating Morlacchi as agile, as graceful, as full of empressment as she was in the palmy and Palmer days of the "Black Crook." Her dancing is the poetry of motion, and her naturally broken English gives added piquancy to her pretty face and part.

But what shall we say of the "Scouts?" By what critical canon shall we analyze its construction? By none; like the plains on which it plays, the characters it portrays, it has no likeness to anything else, it is unique, sui generis, and "naught but itself can be its parallel." The wonderful melodramas of old times are eclipsed by it- where they had one death, this has twenty; where they used their popping iron in the cause of crime, this fires a whole volley in the interests of virtue. Take Tam burlaine the Tartar, Tom Thumb the Great, Rignum Funnidos, Chrononontonthologus, Bombaster Furioso, Titus Adronicus, Maworm in the Hypocrite, and Nat. Lee's mad tragedy in sixteen acts and some odd scenes, and still this

its construction! By none; like the plains on which it plays, the characters it portrays, it has no likeness to anything else, it is unique, sui generis, and "naught but itself can be its parallel." The wonderful melodramas of old times are eclipsed by it- where they had one death, this has twenty; where they used their popping iron in the cause of crime, this fires a whole volley in the interests of virtue. Take Tam burlaine the Tartar, Tom Thumb the Great, Rignum Funnidos, Chrononontonthologus, Bombaster Furioso, Titus Adronicus, Maworm in the Hypocrite, and Nat. Lee's mad tragedy in sixteen acts and some odd scenes, and still this wonderful melange whips them all. It is among plays what Buffalo Bill is among warriors, and that is saying enough. Death, war dances, fires and defiance, war-whoops and death songs lie round promiscuous; and the entire company must have been killed three times over. We tallied till the slain got up to thirty-seven, and then gave it up, dead beat. Every one engaged in the piece did his and her duty. Buffalo Bill is handsome as an Adonis, and plays as he fights, with all the finished nonchalance of a western gentlemen scout. Texas Jack is only second to him. Morlacchi is charming. Mordant, an old favorite of ours in Philadelphia, is a "villain double-dyed," of great power. Walter Fletcher is a low comedian of great merit. Alfred Johnson, as Longlank, has the true nasal twang, and plays his part to perfection, and finally, outrageous as the whole thing is, we would not have missed it for a ten dollar bill, and recommend all of our friends to be on hand to-night. Ladies need not fear to go; the proprieties are never outraged, and many a fashionable play has more immorality in a line than could be educed from the whole performance.

A full house greeted the " Scouts of the Plains" again last evening, and Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack added many new friends and fastened firmer the admiration evinced for them on their first appearance. They possess all the elements of success in representing on mimic stage the characters they have so nobly sustained on the stage of life. Possessed of fine figures, and histrionic talent of no main degree, they must succeed beyond their most sanguine expectations in their new rendering of their old roles. The troupe performs in Peoria to night and to-morrow evening, and at Rock Island Monday evening.

Rouse's Opera House, Friday and Saturday, APRIL 24 & 25, '74

Astounding Attractions: The Originals! Living Heroes! Links between Civilization and Savagery! Buffalo Bill, (Hon. W. F. Cody), Texas Jack, (J. B. Omohundro), The Peerless Danscuse and Pantomime Actress, MILE MORLACCHI, And a Powerful Dramatic Company, in their New Sensational Play, entitled SCOUTS of the PLAINS. The performance will commence with the Peerless Morlacchi in a Comedicita, THREE BEAUTIFUL DANCES, and will sing Cavatina, from the Opera of Brnani.

Reserved seats for sale at Strickler's book and music store. Prices as usual. HARRY MINER, apr20,22,24,25 Business Manager.