The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-28
Some Of the Scenes
on buffdIo's MIDWAY


fact, the title became somewhat sug-
gestive Of the "Danse du Ventre." and
other performances alleged to be simi.
lar in tone. Whether the present
series of attractions which line the
portion of the Pan-American expo
sition known as THE Midway" have
been denuded of all their doubtful at
tributes or whether the American
conscience has become easier and the
American sense of propriety little
dulled since the Worlds fair, is a
problem which must be left to the
judgment of the individual. He will
| probably want to "see the folly him
| SELF at any rate, so advice and warn
ings would have little effect on his
subsequent actions.
| There are those who declare that
the Midway of 1901 has been so CEN
sored and so scourged by the good
people of Buffalo, including the Sleep
| less officials, the vigilant clergy and
| the "Old Subscribers" and "Citizens"
who write letters to the papers CAL
| culated to purify the public morals.
that it is a trife dull. However that
| may be, what it lacks in so-called
spice is made up in an inferno Of
racket kept going by the "ballyhoos"
outside the doors. Now a "ballyhoo"
is an individual who is employed for
lung qualities alone. The test is that
he shall make a bigger noise than the
| man across the way or next door. and
that he shall devise remarks original
enough to beguile the passers inside
his particular bailiwick. The "bally-
hoo" outside Bostock's arena is
gigantic young man with a voice in
proportion. He yells, Twenty five
lions! twenty-five lions. The perfor-
nance begins Immediately. Walk up
and get your tickets and see the whole
thing. You can't afford to miss the
first part" He buttonholes the men
and frightens timid girls half out Of
their wits by his approaches.
The "House Upside Down" has
clown and juggler performance in the
street. Bonner" the trick horse. is
exploited by various attractive feat
ures at the door, while Darkest
Africa" Venice" Hawaii" the
Gypsy Camp" Fair Japan" and
others have natives constantly out
side endeavoring by songs or music
or tricks to interest the throng to the
extent of 10, % or 80 cents worth
The Indian congress has a, unique
"ballyhoo." He is an adjunct Il, the
regular shouter and is a particularly
hideous and fierce looking chief ar
rayed in war paint feathers and much
other paraphernalia. He jabbers
away to the assembled crowd, which
is first attracted by pistol shots fired
by a Withholding parsonage on horse
back. and his remarks are interpreted
by the white man at his side as being
pathetic sort of tale about the white
mans spoila ton of his lands and des-
truction of his tribe and that now the
poor Indian must come out in show
in order to get the means of sus-
tenance, and he urges his listeners
to patronize the show accordingly. OF
course, you who listen feel a secret
consciousness that the ugly old savage
with his menacing gestures is really
telling you that he should exceedingly
enjoy sweetly tomahawking you. and
taking your scalp to his wigwam. but
not being able to go back of the re-
turns. owing to your limited knowl-
edge of Choctaw, or Sioux, or Grow. or
whatever his chiefship may be Grating
in in a series of gutterals you are OBJ
liged to take his word or it and prob
ably end by going into the show and
thoroughly enjoying the performance.
The Indian Congress is. however.
scarcely up to Buffalo Bills Wild
West, although there is really more
OF an Indian show about it,
Whether out of respect to the high
moral tone of Buffalo, or because these
Indians want to appear in
tensely civilized, they wear what
seems to be a superabundance of
clothes. Such an amount of millinery
and drapery causes them all to look
like old women, as they waddle about |
the big inclosure or ride past on their |
little horses. Blue flannel with white |
stripes down the trousers, which drag |
on the ground, heavy blanket and |
a lot of other toegery burden these |
poor children of the forest. Buffalo |
Bilrs Indians, clad almost exclusively |
in their own well-itting skins, whose
profusion of decorative effects in red |
md yellow paint seem to make a
very decent garb, look a deal more |
modest than these enormously big, fat,
lrty objects in their swelterns gar
nents. Speaking of dirt, one has only
10 look into their wigwams to be
with the fact that although
civilization has bestowed trousers and !
cigarettes on the wards of the nation,
hese advantages have by no means
miracle of cleanliness in
he savage breast. Such abodes of
qualor and filth are not often seen
u this country. The physicians and
chemists must be away off in their
deas of sanitation. A more healthy,
turdy lot of people it is hard to
imagine than these greasy, paint
meared, microby- looking noble red
nen.
However they make up in lofty
lineage for their lack of Tubing They
re introduced one by one with great
ourish of trumpets as the son of Sit
Ing Bull, the son of the chief who
illed poor Custer, the chiefs of illus
rious tribes and relatives of big
raves who have made the nation no
nd of trouble. They have one beauti-
ul young woman in their party OF
80. She is "Winona," a famous shot,
Tho rides horse so we'll. l was talk
lg with her the other day. She
peaks the most fascinating English
nd is as we'll bred and composed as
ny society woman.
II vas educated at Carlisle Penn
ylvania,' she said. II was there sew
raj years and have had every advan-
age of the classical and English
ourses."
"What possible good is your educa-
on to you?" | exclaimed.
oh" she replied with a naughty
tile gesture, lit is a great deal OF
ood,"