Young Folks.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 42, 13 January 1894, Page 10

Young Folks.

BUFFALO BILL’S SHOW.

(By W, H. Mathieson.) I had the pleasure while in Chicago of seeing Buffalo Bill’s “ Wild West Show and Congress of Rough Riders of the World,” as his entertainment is called. We will suppose, my youngfriends, that you live in the country. Well, find a paddock of about 20 acres in extent, and imagine that all round close by the fence is a grandstand, for such it practically was —seats tier upon tier, stretching 60 or 70 feet high—crowded with an immense multitude. It was open in the centre. The roofing over of such a large enclosure must cost a g-reat deal of money. The ground was perfectly bare —not a blade of grass to be seen. Right in the middle was a sentry-box where the herald or master of ceremonies took his stand and shouted out the various items of the programme. I enquired from one of the men employed liow many persons the place would hold, and was informed eighteen thousand—about three times the population of Invercargill. Two performances were given each day. I was told that fully 17,000 persons were present then. The place, as far as my eye could reach right round, was crowded. It was lighted by electricity. The prices for admission x-anged from half -a - dollar to five dollars each for px-ivate boxes ; but we will sa3 r that each person paid one dollar —that is a very low average — as Amexacans think as little of a dollar as we do of 2s. I found this out to my cost while livixxg in America. Well, we will put it in figures, and the value of that house at one dollar each comes in our money to £3541 13 4d, and say the afternoon performance realised £2500 more, we liave an income of £6OOO a day. I think I hear some one say —“ Well, it is a big lot, but you have to take into consideration the great number of persons employed.” I tried several times to count the performers, but failed. I should say there are over one thousand, as at the grand review at the opening there were fully that number in the enclosure at one time —not speaking of the small army of grooms, attendants, and door-keepers. To give 3’ou a description of the performance would take up four times the space that the editor can spare, and I will content myself by saying that you could gain more knowledge of the manners and customs of the Indians and the struggles of the early settlers in a three hours peii'ormance than yon could by reading books on the subject for a year. I mean that no book, however good, can hope to excel a real representation of everyday life. We had every phase of life on the px-ari.es presented in succession —the emigrant train, attacks by Indians, exhibitions of skill in shooting, riding, Ac., and the hundred and one items that, go to make up one of the most interesting and realistic entertainments it has ever been my lot to witness.