Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-12
RAzzLE.DAzzLINa rHE FRENCH.
lie Figaro's Impression of the Wild
West Show.

lie FtRarO's impression Oh the Wuu
West Show.
lie Figaro, probably the best known of Paris
newspapers outside of France, in its issue of
April l6, just received by TuE BEE, devoted,
something like a column and half of solid
type to notice of Buffalo Bill aud his
Far West show, which is to be a fea-
ture of the great Paris exposition IL was
from the pen of Paul Bernier, one OF the
most brilliant of Partisan feuilletonists. As
an extraordinary departure from Figaro's
rule of rigid contraction of space, and paucity
of complimentary expression, the article de-
serves some notice, on this side of the water,
despite the familiarity of Americans with its
subject. After an Introductory reference
and personal description of Colonel Will
am Cody, parts of which follow, hereafter,
the writer says:
"Two incidents the life of this man will
suffice to give an idea of his character.
"At eleven years he traversed, for the first
time. in company with band of pioneers, the
broad prairies. On the journey the wagon
train was attacked by the Indians. The child
fought like lion, killing one Of the red skins
and wounding several Others On that day
the young Billie received the name OF The
Indian Slayer"
The other incident of which Figaro makes
mention happened on the return trip wherein
"le futur heros du Far Vest Is described as
DClUp one Ol ii party UtSlcRbu ny lnulluS,
protected by rampat, formed of the living
bodies OF their mules, arranged in triangle.
| The hardy pioneers drove off the almost
| overwhelming force of their bioodthrsty
enemies and barely escaping being destroyed
| by the prairie fire kindled by the Indians,
| joined the rest of their party.
Continulng.the biography, Figaro says:
'It was in 1867 that Colonel Cody received
| the other name of Buffalo Bill In the course
| of that year he killed no less than 4, 800 buf-
! falo--as has been officially pubhshed-an
since then he has kept up his record
During the war of secession, Colonel
| Cody accepted from General Hazen the per-
| ilous mission of carrying dispatches; and in
| this duty, it is said of him that he per
formed the characteristic feat Of himself
making 355 miles in fifty eight hours"
| Presenting him as sort of Robin
son Crusoe of the new world, having the
| grandeur of one of the legendary heroes,
| with the inestimable advantage of being vet
| in flesh and blood, adventurous to excess,
| aud brave almost to reckessness," it gives
| that as description Of this man who has
| the strength and the beauty of the F'arnese
Hercules; and who, coming Of one Of tho
| most arstocratic families, is seen illustrat-
ing on the prairies of tho far west, the ro-
| nance of Eenimore Cooper"
And SO on for half a column of glow
ing description and warmest eulogy,
| when the writer arrives at Buffalo Bills OBJ
| iect in visiting Paris at this time, and gives
| fair outline of the camp and performance
| OF the troupe O1 more UTIu uUTec nunQTSu
| Indians, Sioux, Comanches, trappers and
| Canadian voyageurs, on the So, 600 metres
| about fourteen acres) of ground, "grac-
iously conceded by General Sausier, military
| governor of Paris
| One thing strikes the Partisan forcibly
| and that is that not in all this exhibition Is
| to be found single clown or acrobat, nor
| yet single traditional feature of the ordi-
nary circus or hippodrome, "but that the
| spectators will assist at presentation,
| real as well as dramatic, of the shock be-
| tween civilization and the rude forces and
| The savages of the far west" The horse
| manship of the savage chiefs Red Shirt Qa
| Chemse rouge) and Rocky Bear 0' Ours des
| Roches) ard their followers is extolled in the
| highest degree and their intractable animals
| come in for extended notice "If the success
| of Buffalo Bill in Paris" predicts M. Paul
| Bernier, ''does not equal that which
| he achieved in London, it will not be because
of his not having with him, a troupe more
| numerous and magnificent. The queen of
| England, who is not in the habit Of visiting
such shows, went many times TO applaud the
| colonel, and the Prince and Princess of
Wales were frequent spectators of the per-
formance. 1t is said of the Grand-duke
| Michael, of Russia, who is now actually with
| us, that he was so filled with enthusiasm
that he went ono day into the ring and took
part in the performance in the disguise of q
| cowboy"
go ahead-comme dissent les Amercains, Vi
! concludes M. Bernier, land good success to
Buffalo Bill, who, while he may become in
some sort q Parisian Is thoroughly repre-
| entativa American