Buffalo Bill.
As will be seen by advertisement elsewhere Buffalo Bill will tread the boards at the Opera House next Tuesday evening, November 4th. Of him and his performance a late number of the Rurlington Hawkeye says:
The melo-drama in which Mr. Cody appeared on Thursday night is properly named, for no one holds a better right to the title "Kight of the Plains" than he does, for he has long been distinguished in the army and on the frontier as the "Prince of Prairiemen."
Though essentially a border play, Col. Prentiss Ingraham, the author, has so interwoven social life with the wild scenes upon the prairie, and intoduced into it the refining element of lovely woman that it is toned down from the "blood and thunder" of the stereotyped frontier drama.
Buffalo Bill as "himself" exhibits a fine bit of acting, and the character he impersonates of English nobleman and detectives are exceedingly natural and good.
"Wild Nellie," the border heroine, and a wild, pasionate outcast of the plains, is strongly taken by Miss Lydia Denier, who also has the advantage of beign a handsome woman as well as a good actress.
Miss Nellie Jones, as "Rose Melton," is simply perfect--the refined, lovely,
high-spirited girl she represents, while Mr. J. J. Louden as the designing villain, sport and outlaw, "Raplph Royston," proves himself a dramatic student who fully grasps the character he has to play.
The other characters are qually well sustained.
BUFFALO BILL AT THE THEATRE.--
Buffalo Bill and his troupe were greeted last night, not only by one of the largest audiences of the season, but. juding form the applause, by a most enthusiastic and heartily sympathetic one. The galleries were crowded, and there was a full attendance in the dress circle and parquet, with a very fair sprinkling of ladies. The performance opened with a roaring farce, after which the exciting and amusing play of the "Knights of the Plains" was presented. The characters were well sustained and the scenes of wild Western life well depicted. The play will be presented again to-night, and, doubtless, to as large an audience as that of last night.
BUFFALO BILL TO-NIGHT.
This evening the famous scout hunter and actor, Hon. W. F. Cody, with a stong support, will entertain our people at the Opera House with the "Knights of the Plains, or, Buffalo Bill's Best Trail," written by Col. Prentiss Ingraham. Speaking of the play and its rendition by Buffalo Bill and his Company, a Nashville paper has this to say: "For the purpose for which it was written, namely, to introduce the famous scout and his specialties, the play is a success. The marksmanship of the latter, int he first act, and a unique barbaric dance in native costume by the copperhead children of the preairies, constitute the best features of the entertainment. An appropriate climax to this scene was the rescue of her lover--the scout--by wild Nellie--(Miss Denier) in a striking tableau which brought down the house, especially the upper portion of it. Buffalo Bill makes his first entrance mounted on a superb charger, whcih mute actor acquitted himself with as much credit as any of the rest of the company. Buffalo Bill has a fine stage presence, and, with the exception of a little of the stiffness and elocutionary deficiencies which mark the amateur, is not a bad actor. The support was fair, and the performance was repeatedly and heartily applauded at the close."
"BUFALO BILL" AT THE ACADEMY, An audience numbering fully 1,100 people. and as enthusiastic as it was large, greeted the "Buffalo Bill Combination" at the Academy of Music last night. The performance opened with the farce of "Put Him Out," not very well done, and giving little promise of the treat to come. The drama, "The Knight of the Plains," an artistic work by Col. Prentiss Ingraham, abounds in sensational situations and exciting climaxes and was much admired and enthusiastically applauded throughout. To say that "Buffalo Bill" and his troupe have greatly improved since their appearance here is to state the matter very tamely. The playing throughout, and by all hands round, was done in good style and without a jar or balk, Mr. Cody was of course the centre of attraction and from his splendid rifle shooting, at a small target, holding his gun in every conceivable position, to his slightest remark, was a subject of admiration and applause. Harry Irving as Buttermilk, who, with his donkey, was a show of himself; L. R. Willard as Moses Moloch, and A. Beverly as Judge Chincapin Shyster, kept the audience in a roar three-fourths of the time and divided the honors as funny men. Miss Nellie Jones, as Rose Melton; Miss Lydia Denier, as Wild Nellie, and J. J. Louden, as Royston, the villain of the play, admirably sustained their parts.
The playing of the orchestra was very good and elicited applause.
BUFFALO BILL LAST NIGHT.-- the large audience which attended the Theatre last night showed by their loud and frequent plaudits their appreciation of Buffalo Bill and his good company. His fancy shots with his trusty rifle were really remarkable. Miss Lydia Denier as Wild Nellie did credit to herself in each and every act, following and harassing to the bitter end Ralph Royster, her betrayer. Miss Nellie Jones was greeted with merited applause in sustaining the character of a noble woman. She acted well, especially when showing her contempt for her father, who meditates her sacrifice. It is needless to say that the Knight of the Plains was always on hand to snatch from the hands of his bitterest foe his first and only love.
The play is a presentation of western border life, and several Indians assisted in rendering it. The occupants fo the peanut fallery were wild and enthusiastic during the entire performance, and at times the whole audiene showed their sympathy in the play by loud and frequent applause.
To-night Buffalo Bill will be repeated and it is his last appearance here.
May Cody.
Last night the "Buffalo Bill" Combination presented "May Cody" ath Craddock's Opera House, after having given the Knight of the Plains at the afternoon matinee to the fullest house ever seen in Dallas at a matinee. May Cody is a drama of frontier life, the scnes, save the first one, ebing laid in Mormondom and the drama itself hanging on the Mountain Meadow massacre, for which John D. Lee, the leader of the Mormon Danites, was executed of Mormon iniquity, villainy and crimem, and is worth more by its thrilling portrayal of what Mormonism really is, towards awakening the sentiment of the people against the monstrous practices of these people than editorials or speeches could ever amount to.
We do not propose to go into an extended criticism, but will say in all eanestness that every scene of every act is thrilling and awakens every emotion fo the heart. Buffalo Bill in the different characters he represents sustained himself well and was greeted with immense applause--even his name elicited encores. Miss Lydia Denier in the role of May Cody was the cynosure of all eyes,, and won the hearts of the audience by her genuine feeling in acting her part. Barny McCune, Mr. Charles Wilson, elicited much applause, for he is a true commedian. It has often been asked why Mr. Cody is called Buffalo Bill. it is a ghost story and well worth telling. When the Kansas Pacific railroad was being built it was difficult for the contractors to get fresh meat for their hands and when they reached the buffalo country they employed him at $500 per month to furnish them with buffalo meat. They gave him five horses, a wagon and team and two butchers, and he killed for them every day twenty, thirty or forty buffalo, just as they needed them. The consequences was that the bands, whenever they saw him, said, "there comes that 'Buffalo Bill,' sharpen up your teeth, etc." from that he was given the name. A great amny people want to know if the Indian way dances were genuine. They most assuredly were, for the Indians are of the Pawnee tribe, who cannot speak English, and they dance the genuine, bona fide Indian dances of their tribe. Monday night the company plays at Corsicana, and there, as everywhere, it will draw full houses. Barney McCune and his donkey, in May Cody, was immense, though the Jack did har-ass Barney somewhat.
May Cody.
Buffalo Bill, and his fine combiantion appeared last night in Mr. Cody's favorite play, May Cody. From what was seen the night before everyone expected to see something good and they were not disappointed. The play took better than the one previously put on the boards, but we do not know that it was better performed by the actors. The very sight of Buffalo Bill on the stage enthused the audience and they would give vent to their enthusiasm with hearty cheers.
Mr. Cody's shooting was very fine indeed. He shot and apple from the head of Miss Denier,a nd then taking a mirror he turned his back to the young lady and shot it from her head again. He also knocked the fire from a cigar which was held int he mouth of Mr. James. His shooting and use of the "cor driver" is simply marvellous.
This is a fine combination, and we commend them to the public patronage whereever they may go. It is a troupe of gentlemen and ladies who deserve merit and we cheerfully accord it to them.
