96
The Buffalo Bill Combination has come, and conquered, and gone - and the small boy is filled with visions of Indians and life in the Far West. The Opera House, on Monday evening, was crowded to its utmost seating capacity - a $400 audience being present. The drama of the "Prairie Waif" is a miserable jumble of improbabilities, and does not possess a single merit from a critical stand-point. The acting was in perfect harmony with the tone of the play, being poor, trashy, and decidedly tame. There was positively not a single gleam of genius in the play nor a spark of talent in the platers. It was one rapid succession of Indian war-whoops, hair-breath escapes, hand to-hand encounters, with plenty of gun-powder, donkey, and bad acting as sauce. The "Prairie Waif" is no more than a wishy-washy dime novel dramatized and poorly acted. But it serves its purpose admirably: by its glitter, and novelty, and wildness it is a big catch and fills "Buffalo Bill's" pockets with ducats. The street parade, with "Bill," a good band, six Indians, and a bedizened donkey, was quite clever, and decidedly "catchy." "Buffalo's" rifle shooting was really marvelous - and this was the only truly good feature of the show.
97
Buffalo Bill's brass band won universal admiration at the evening performance in front of the Opera House, as was evidenced by the applause of the large crowd at the conclusion of each performance. The cornet solo of Mr. Frank Thompson between the second and third acts has seldom, if ever, been excelled by any cornet player visiting this city, and was heartily applauded. Chris Burger, the organizer of the band and leader of the orchestra, has the happy faculty of bringing more music out of a piece with less instruments, than any composer or arranger we have listened to for a long time. Mr. Cody ought to feel proud of his music.
98
DOLAN'S OPERA HOUSE,
Tuesday, Nov. 29th.
THE NOTED SCOUT.
Hon. Wm. F. CODY. BUFFALO BILL
AND HIS MAMMOTH COMBINATION!
The Beautiful Sioux Indian Princess, HE-BU-KAW, (THE FIRST BORN),
Henry E. Burgess, Boy Chief of the Pawnees, the Youngest Chief of whom any record is given.
FlYING CLOUD, The Old Man Chief of the Sioux Nation.
A Genuine Band of Noted Winnebago Indian Chiefs, Supported by a POWERFUL DRAMATIC COMPANY, Producing Buffalo Bill's New Drama, written expressly for him by John A. Stevens, the author of "Unknown," entitled:
THE PRAIRIE WAIF, A Story of the Far West!
FANCY RIFLE SHOOTING BY BUFFALO BILL who is acknowledged preeminent and alone A Grand Street Parade. Buffalo Bill's Silver Cornet Band and Orchestra.
Admission 50 and 75 cents. Reserved seats 75 cents. for sale at the Journal Store.
WM. F. CODY......... Proprietor and Manager JOSH. E. E. OGDEN...........Business Manager HARRY SELLERS................................Agent
99
The Prairie Waif.
Buffalo Bill in his play of "The Prairie Waif '' appears at the opera house to-night. William has never been slighted with a small house in Logansport in his many comings and goings, and there is no reason to believe that to night will be an exception to the rule. The Council Bluff's Nonpareil says:
"The entertainment afforded at Dohany's last night by the celebrated Buffalo Bill company, appearing in "The Prairie Waif," was witnessed by one of the largest audiences ever assembled in this city. Mr. Cody representing three distinct western characters showed himself to be an actor of considerable merit. His exhibition of marksmanship, shooting slices of potatoes with his gun in all conceivable shapes, was not only interesting but wonderful. Hans, the Dutchman, was personated true to life by Jule Keen, while Miss Jeannie Gilbert, as Onita, and Miss Nellie Lingard, as Sadie, came in for a good share of applause. The trick donkey Jerry, 'took the house by storm,' and the band of genuine Winnebago and Sioux Indian Chiefs, in their wild and weird songs and dances entertained the audience in a novel style."
100
Buffalo Bill and his company appeared last evening to an audience that completely filled the opera house. Bill's shooting is remarkable; Onita by Miss Jennie Gilbert was exceedingly well rendered. Jule Keen as Hans was very funny, and the jackass proved himself and ornament to the company and his species. The play evidently gave great satisfaction.