The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-26
BUFFALO BILLS WILD WEST,
Intense Realism Of This Most Wonder
fuI of Outdoor Shows.

A curious and novel characteristic of the
"WIld West" viewing it as "a public en-
tertanment, says the Boston Herald, is
that IL derives its..extraordinary attractive
ness from the intense realism in all its
component parts. Nobody-white, brown
or red-does anything he has learned TO
do for show purposes. Each, with simple
naturalness does the things that have, In
private life. enabled him 10 earn live
lihood, or amuse himself, or defend him.
self against an enemy, or put "A stop 10
the enemy's pernicious activity. And
there is even "a restraint upon introduc-
ing what might be regarded as legiti-
mately permissible sensational effects.
For instance. the Indians give interesting
illustrations Of how they travel, make
camp. dance. ride and do battle. IL would
be very easy to extend their program so
as to show-merely by employing bald
man ana trick wig-how they take scalps,
and with the aid of "a steam pipe and col
ored lights, deftly managed, highly real
istic burning at the stake might be pre-
sented. But such devices would give
theatrical tone TO the whole exhibition,
and are therefore ruled out.
The people of all races and nations are
as reprcsented-each soldier being able TO
show his furlough. discharge or wise.
The cavalry men this year are from the
Col. Summers celebrated sixth United
States Regiment, new at Fort Meyer,
athletic equestrian exercises have never
been seen elsewhere. Ii will be very In
structive To the general public as well AS
state militia men to SEQ the methods now
In vogue to perfect the horse-soldier In
case OF emergency.
The artillery are likewise furlou ghed
men from Fort Hamilton, and are from
Captain Thorpe's renowned company ID,
Fifth United States Artillery, and Will
be novel as we'll ms instructive addition.
The error Is entertained by some un-
thinking persons that there is an clement
of unreality in the "broncho breaking
part of the program; that the horses have
been trained To do the diabolical and dan
gerous things by which they distinguish
themselves Nothing could be further
from the fact. Each of these horses, mus
tnngs (the smallest and worst) and
bronchos has an evil reputation as an
"outlaw, and brute that cannot be
broken. and they have been picked up for
use IN this exhibition at various points
from southern Texas to northern Wyom-
ing. The handling they get only makes
them more and more intractable cunning
and malicious for every time one OF them
stops-when exhausted and out of breath
and the cowboy Jumps off him, the beast
imagines himself victor in tho contest,
and Is encouraged to make more desper-
ate fight when again tackled.
Ever now and then ono Of them Kills
himself by blindly dashlng INTO some oD-
stacle, or throwing himself backward-to
crush his ridnr-with such -Xiolcnce as 10
crack his skull, and certainly horses can
not be trained TO do that. SO far is the
bronco-nreaking from being bit OF
"show- work, - that the mon who engage
in it are never able 20 continue more than
two or three seasons, and seldom last over
one in good condition OF over 800
| "broncho- breaking buck riders who have
hoen employed in the wild West" since
il started out hardly one has escaped
broken bones severe contusions and per
manent Internal injuries in the course of
his Public work In the arena.
An eyiconcc of good faith on the part
of the cowboys, " who do this dangerous
work, Is their double challenge which
stands open 20 the world, tbat no horse
can be produced that they cannot ride,
and no man-not "a cow boy-can be pro
duced who can ride their "bucking bron-
chOs ~