The William F. Cody Archive: Documenting the life and times of Buffalo Bill

THE Buffalo Billeries at West Brompton is just about calculated to rake in more shekels than any other class of show which has dragged out an existence on the triangular piece of ground located in the far west of town during the past few years. "Wild Easts," "Germanias," and "Roman Carnivals" have attempted to emulate the example of the Hon. F. Cody since the initial appearance of that astute American in Jubilee Year, but have signally failed to do so. The excuse offered up to offended dignity has invaribly been that out-door entertainments were played out. The Billeries were alleged to have scooped in all the coin that a B. P. felt inclined to devote to Exhibitionising. The plausibility of the suggestion was sufficient to obtain credit for it, and the promoters of the unsuccessful shows felt compensated to a certain extent for their ill-luck in catering for a phase of the public appetite which had been more than satiated. However, the genial Cody and his jolly lieutenant, Colonel Burke, have returned to the scene of their Jubilee triumphs, and given the lie direct to the people who claimed that the public appetite had undergone a change. The yells of the noble red-man, the excellent shooting of the likewise noble white-man, to say nothing of the girls, has drawn a big crowd all the time since the show opened, and promises to make it one of the favourite resorts during the summer season. The beauty of this exhibition is that a dozen visits fail to adequately disclose all its manifold wonders.