[_Remainder of remarks hopelessly lost amidst the clank of coupling chains, whistles, snorts and puffs from shunting engine._
_An Old Lady in Audience._ He has such a beautiful clear voice, we _ought_ to hear every word. If _I_ were Buffalo BILL, I should positively insist on the trains keeping quiet while the Orator was speaking!
_Orator_ (_during the Grand Processional Review_). A Troop of Arapahoe Indians!
[_Band strikes up; a party of painted Indians gallop into Arena, uttering little puppy-like barks._
_An Artistic Lady_ (_shuddering_). Look at that creature with a raw pink body, and a pea-green face--it's too _frightful_, and such _crude_ yellows! I _wish_ they could be taught to paint themselves some _decent_ colour!
_Her Sister._ Really, dear, as far as _decency_ is concerned, I don't exactly see what difference the mere _colour_ would make.
_Her Husband._ That isn't quite what EMILY meant. She'd like to enamel 'em all in Art shades and drape Liberty scarves round 'em, like terra-cotta drainpipes or wicker-chairs--eh, EMILY?
_Emily_ (_loftily_). Oh, my dear HENRY, I wasn't speaking to _you_. I know what a contempt you have for all that makes a home beautiful!
_Henry._ Meaning Indians? My love, I respect them and admire them--at a distance; but, plain _or_ coloured, I cannot admit that they would be decorative as furniture--even in _your_ drawing-room!
_Orator._ A party of Women of the Ogallalla Tribe!
[Illustration: "I am perfectly aware of _that_, Euphemia!"]
[_Three mounted Indian ladies in blankets--walk their horses slowly round the Arena, crooning "Aye-eia-ha-ya-hee-hi-ya!" with every sign of enjoying their own performance._
_A Poetical Lady._ What strange wild singing it is, JOHN! There's something so creepy about it, somehow.
_John_ (_a prosaic but frivolous person_). There is, indeed. It explains _one_ thing I never quite understood before, though.
_The Poetical Lady._ I thought it would impress you--but what does it explain?
_John._ The reason why the buffalo in those parts has so entirely died out.
_A Rigid Matron_ (_during the Emigrant Train Scene_). I don't care to see a girl ride in that bold way myself. I'm sure it _must_ be so unsexing for them. And what _is_ she about now, with that man? They're actually having a duel with knives--on _horseback_ too! not at _all_ a nice thing for any young girl to do. There! she's pulled out a pistol and shot him--and galloped off as if nothing had happened! I have always heard that American girls were allowed a good _deal_ of liberty--but I'd really no idea they went as far as this! I should be sorry indeed to see any girl of _mine_ (_here the glances instructively at three dumpy and dough-faced Daughters_) acting in that forward and _most_ unfeminine manner. (_Reassuringly._) But I'm very sure there's no fear of _that_, is there, dears?