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BUFFALO BILL

That the taste of Fort Wayne amusement patrons is slowly but surely improving, we firmly believe. This belief was materially strengthened when we noticed the comparatively slim audience which assembled last night at the Academy to see Buffalo Bill, in his very queer alleged drama, called for convenience sake, "Prarie Waif." In the past the mere announcement that Buffalo Bill would appear in a drama was sufficient to crowd to the utmost capacity the largest auditorium in the city, and upon the occasion of his last visit here, standing room was at a premium, and many were turned from the door. In happy contrast last night, any number of vacant seats were visible in the Academy, nobody stood up or was turned away, and the house did not represent over $200 or possibly $250. The audience, too, was composed principally of that class who would not pay 25 cents to see Both or Irving in their greatest successes. Or the play and its performance little can be said that would flatter the author or the actor (?) "Prairie Waif" is the result of a distorted imagination of John A. Stevens, and is probably as bad as that exceedingly bad dramatist could make it. There is absolutely nothing to it. The plot is almost entirely forgotten in the weary movements of performers, and what little is left, is lost in the specialties that are unexpectedly fired at the audience. Why it is that "Prairie Waif ever survived the first night we never can nor expect to understand. It is tolerably well mounted, but that is all.

Buffalo Bill, the leading character is just as bad as he probably could be, and we are proud to say, that to his credit, he himself admits that he has some doubts as to his histrionic abilities. His marksmanship with a rifle, which is introduced as a special feature, is anything but remarkable. There is a young man in this city who, at same distance--twenty feet--