Imagination could finish the story, but the old, old Beadle Dime Novel of the Scout, the Girl and the Redskins--capture, threatened death, beautiful Indian maidens, villain, hero, heroine and rescue, "You set fire to the girl and I'll take care of the house"--excellently executed in dialogue and verse, briefly represent the whole thing. The cast of characters in the first night's production, February 16, 1893, which was widely reviewed and complimented by the critics in next day's Chicago dailies, was as follows: CAST OF CHARACTERS. Arthur Cambridge, known as Captain Deadshot Tom Karl Professor Andover, a philanthropist H. C. Barnabee War Cloud, chief of the Ogallallas W. H. McDonald Cardenas, a Mexican bandit Eugene Cowles Mississinewa, medicine man of Ogallallas George Frothingham Wickliffe } { Peter Lang Buckskin Joe } Scouts { Clem Herschel Commander United States forces W. A. Howland Edith, niece and ward of Professor Andover Camille D'Arville Minnetoa, an Indian girl Flora Finlayson Miss Hepzibah Small, Edith's governess Josephine Bartlett Kate, friend of Edith Lillian Hawthorne Cosita, a Mexican girl Lola Hawthorne Laura, friend of Edith Georgie Newel "Bill" MacDonald, the big baritone, as "War Cloud," seized the opportunity of his life. He almost ran away with the piece and anyone ever after, who would say "Ogallallas" could get a conversation out of him that would wind up with "that was the greatest stuff ever written." When costumed and wearing the Chief's head-dress (old-timers may recall having observed it hanging in Harry Ballard's city room of the _Chicago Inter-Ocean_, at Madison and Dearborn) MacDonald boomed out the War Song of the Ogallallas, he scored the big hit of the opera. WAR SONG OF THE OGALLALLAS. Great is the warrior of the Ogallallas, Fearless his heart is and great is his glory. Lighted my war-fires and hill-tops flaming Red to the skies, arouse all my braves. In the air the swelling war-cry-- In the air that swelling cry-- Wildest sound to combat calling, Swift the onset in the lust of war. Shrill is the cry of the wolf As he howls in the moonlight, Shrill is the sound of the war-cry-- Ogallalla! Ogallalla! Lo! where the warriors, trailing their lances, Sweep o'er the plain upon resistless steeds! There, on the trail, vengeance is launching Swift as the arrow upon the hated foe. In their hearts the whispered war-cry-- In their hearts that wailing cry. Low the sound of vengeance breathing. Ride they boldly in the thrill of war.