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SMYTH'S OPERA HOUSE
ONE EVENING ONLY
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13. A new and powerful Drama. The renowned Government Scout and Guide,
BUFFALO BILL!
(HON. WM. F. CODY.) A Troupe of Cheyenne Indian Chiefs, A Superb Band and Orchestra, and a Star Dramatic Company, making it the largest Comination Traveling this Season, embracing as it does 25 First-Class Artists, who will appear in Buffalo Bill's new Drama by JOHN A. STEVENS, author of Unknown, entitled,
PRAIRIE WAIF,
A STORY OF THE FAR WEST.
In act 4 a Genuine Band of Cheyenne Indian Chiefs will appear in their Scalp and War Dances, assisted by C.A Burgess, Indian Interpretater. Mr. Cody, "BUFFALO BILL," will give an exhibition of Fancy Rifle Shooting. Upon the arrival of the company in town look out for the Grand Street Parade by the Indians on horseback headed by Buffalo Bill's Serenade Band. Popular Prices of admission. Reserved seats 75 cents. To be had of Temple and Farrington. Secure your seats. WM. F. Cody, Prop and Manager. JOSH E. OGDEN, Business Manager.
TWFS
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Buffalo Bill, with a fine brass band and the troupe of Indians, made a good appearance in the street parade this forenoon. Perhaps some one understood that there were three drunks and one lodger at the City Hotel last evening. For the City Hotel in one corner of the City Hall building we always use the lower case. No one ought to suppose that we meant the well-known house called the City Hotel. The 2:10 train from Lawrence was fifty minutes late this afternoon owing to an accident to an engine on the Boston and Main Railroad.
The Prairie Waif.
The "Buffalo Bill" Dramatic Combination, who appear here this evening, are spojen of as follows by the Milwuakee Chronicle: --- "This troupe is one of the most popular traveling, and the play one of the best border dramas ever placed upon the stage. It is different from those presented here before by the same company from the absence of vulgar expressions in it. The plot is simple, yet very instructuve interesting, and laughable. Onita, a pretty little prairie flower, is captured by the redskins and Mormons, and after ten years' time is discovered by Buffalo Bill, rescued and taken back to her father, after thrilling skirmishes and desperate encounters. Buffalo Bill, of course, is the central figure, and deservedly obtained the applause of the large audience present. His sharp-shooting was excellent, and his acting vigorous and natural. Some of the points he made last night were very effective and artistic and it is but just to say that he has wonderfully improved as an actor, and is now the campion frontier character of the stage. Mark Stanley, and also Jim and Jack Hardy were well represented. Hans, Old Dutch personified, " takes the cake." This character is depicted by Jule Keene who is one of the best Dutch comedians in this country, and provoked continual merriment throughout. Onita, the flower of the occasion, was represented by Miss Lizzie Fletcher, who won the respect and admiration of the entire audience, and is a first-class acctress."
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BUFFALO BILL.
A Few Facts Regarding This Noted Indian Fighter.
There are, no doubt, thousands of people who read the newspaper notices and street advertisements of "Buffalo Bill," who have an honest opinion that Mr. Cody is an Indian fighter and Western guide only when treading the boards of a theater; they have an idea that he is a scout only on paper in the lives of his dramas and they turn from a conteplation of his pictures with the half-smothered exclamation "Humbug!" It is unfortunate that persons who hold this opinion of Mr. Cody cannot become acquainted, or at least have an interview, with "Buffalo Bill." They would find him a courteous, genial gentleman, with an excellent knowledge of human nature in general and of the Western people in particular. Not only this; he is a gifted conversationalist with opinions of his own public matters, especially on the Indian question and othr topics of particular interest to Western men. It is not strange that he should be well informed upon such matters. Born in Iowa he moved to kansas with his family when but a mere lad and resided there for many years. His father, who was what they termed a Free State man, was killed by the border ruffians during the troubles of 1856. At this time Mr. Cody's father was an intimate friend of Governor Jim [word?], and his son can tell many interesting anecdotes regarding this once prominent public character. Since that time Mr. Cody has spent his life in various parts of the Western country. He was a scout with the Union Army in Southwestern Missouri, and has since served as scout and guide with many commands in several States and Territories. When Nebraska was admitted to the Union as a State Mr. Cody was elected to the State Senate, being the youngest member of that body. From this it will be seen that his title of "Hon." is not a mere affectation, as some suppose. As an Indian fighter he has gained an enviable reputation among military men, and were an Indian war to break out to0morrow Mr. Cody would probably find himself under marching orders from Gen. Sheridan and would be ready to pilot a brigade through the Western country at very short notice. In the Sioux war of 1876 mr. Cody took active part and his name frequently occurs in the official reports of that campaign. Mr. Cody's ideas of a successful Indian policy differ radically from any course yet pursued by the United States authorities. He is decidedly of the opinion that the government should furnish Indian agents who have a practical knowledge of the "noble savage," his wants, his peculiarities and his sufferings in the past. Says he: "The men who are in charge of the agencies have no real knowledge of the Indian. They come perhaps from New England and they care, not so much for the Indian, as the money which they are able to make out of their positions. In my opinion the Indians are a long-suffering race and have borne many insults
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the Union army in Southwester Missouri and has since served as scout and guide with many commands in several States and Territories. When Nebraska was admitted to the Union as a State Mr. Cody was elected to the State Senate, being the youngest member of that body. From this it will be seen that his title of "Hon." is not a mere affection, as some suppose. As an Indian fighter he has gained an enviable reputation among military men, and were an Indian war to break out tomorrow Mr. Cody would probably find himself under marching orders from Gen. Sheridan and would be ready to pilot a brigade through the Western country at very short notice. In the Sioux war of 1876 Mr. Cody took active part and his name frequently occurs in the official reports of that campaign. Mr. Cody's ideas of a successful Indian policy differ radically from any course yet pursued by the United States authorities. He is decidedly of the opinion that the government should furnish Indian agents who have a practical knowledge of the "'noble savage," his wants, his peculiarities and his sufferings in the past. Says he:---"The men who are in charge of the agencies have no real knowledge of the Indian. They come perhaps from New England and they care, not so much for the Indian, as the money which they are able to make out their positions. In my opinion the Indians are a long suffering race, and have borne many insults at the hands of the authorities and the settlers. I do not know of a single troaty made with any tribe where the Indians have been the first to break the compact." He has a high opinion of Captain Jack as a General and said he could not but admire the pluck and cunning of the man who with seventy two men hold a large body of troops at bay for weeks. At the time of the Custer massacre Mr. Cody was with Crook's command, thirty-five miles from the scene of that awful slaughter. He is free to say that he things the death of Custer was due to the cowardice of Major Reno and he administers a strong rebuke to the man who would allow his commanding officer to be cut down when he could hear the vollets of musketry a mile and a hald away. But we have already overstepped our space. Suffice it to say that not only is Mr. Cody everything that he pretends to be on the bills, but more. He is a Western capitalist as well as a professional actor, and is owner in an extensive cattle ranch at North Platte Nebraska, where he now has nearly 8000 head of cattle. It is here he passes the summer months at work among his stock, living in the saddle and breathing the air of our Western praries. In conclusion we would say to these who have laughed at Mr. Cody as a humbug that be in no [seek?]. He is a true Western man, and a fine specimen of the [class?].
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AMUSEMENTS.
"Buffalo Bill."
The Toledo Bee says of "Buffalo Bill's" company, which will appear at the opera-house this evening, the following: "The play, without any exception, is the best he has ever had, and his support is excellent, far exceeding his former efforts. The leading role of Buffalo Bill, by Hon. W.F. Cody, was eminently successful. He has much improved as an actor, and some of the points he made would have done credit to the best of the profession. One of the chief attractions of the evening was the fine exhibition of marksmanship by "Buffalo Bill," in which the difficult feats performed drew forth from the audience many marked tokens of appreciation. The war dance of the Indians was given with terrible zest, and was followed by the medicine dance, non the less weird than the other in the distorted attitudes, not forgetting the jackass (Jerry)."