Litchfield enquirer., 1865-05-04

uone. "udt can We doI Not matado
 worth straw within leagues, and sCboco onl,
 nt to lace the yonng bulls and these with tht
 wood on their horns. We shall have to use tlI,
 oemiiune, aud before the captain general, wha
 a disgrace
 began now to understand more clearly tn,
 purport Of this discourse. knew that a cele
 brated matador named Manuel Zagal had beer
 engaged to come over from Seville, the head { quarters of bull fshtiDg. to exhibit his skill ir
 dispatchipg the irfuriated auimas that had
 been previously provoked to fury by tbei, l mounted torinentors the picadors. This man T who was famous for skill and courage stoed sc high in his profession that it had mot been thought needful to hire any other artist in tue same line, and as matadors, like opera singers travel from place to place, as their engagements serve, there was, indeed, ap active toreador whose nickname of Choco was well known. but
 this man. though favorite with the mob, was
 more buffoon than a swordsman and had
 neither the dexterity nor the daring which a
 true matador should possess. When matador
 IS wounded, or some untoward accident pre-
 vents the appearance of one, there is no re-
 source but to end the lives of the bulls by GU:
 ting off their legs or ham -stringing them by
 beans of sharp scythe on the end of pole called demilunc But this barbarous expe- dient seldom fails to irritate the populace. who are displeased not at the cruelty of the act but at the absence of that risk of human life that is essential to the settlements nf-the. bull-ring | In this case could easily divine what had i happened. The talented performer from Se- vile, Senor Manuel Zagal, had met with se. | rlous accident, and the authorities were afraid to announce to the people what had happened aware that violent outbreak of popular wrath would ensue. As for the speakers. by moving forward step could see them. Two were in civil uniform, the alcalde of the city. and a heavy beetlebrowed man. the corregidor ofthe police. The third was supple, deferential parsonage in black, well dressed in the French style. He was the manager of the shows.
 His excellency has arrived. I hear the trumpets ! said the head of the police, grufay l we must go and meet him, or we shall be thought lacking in respect. Pity there is no time to ind substitute; but who, even for l four thousand reals, would face our two best bulls-the black Portuguese and the brindled Mureian, fiercer than
 Make the reward five thousand leals. and I am your man, noble senors, and I, with sud- den resolution, emerging from my hiding-place Had risen, like theatrical spectre, through trap-door, my appearance could not have created greater consternation. The corregidor was the first to recover his equananimity He knit his heavy brows into dark frown, and angrily demanded who might be. rt
 Henry Vest British sebjsct, mate of the ready to be your matadof laW ii you will raise the pay to five thousand reak.'
 An animated discussion then tooAplace. The idea of g sailor, an Englishman. undertaking the difficult and perilous task of bull kiliDg2 for the matador, as is well known, is the only person exposed to real danger-seemed absurd But then, it was shrewdly observed by Don
 Ramon. the alcalde, if chose to get gored to death it was no concern of theirs.,and the eas- astrophe would at least put the people in good humor But the worthy magistfHe was reluc tant to give so much as five thonsasa reals. If would accept three thousand, or :SgeAfonir !? But l was firm. Five thousand M Sshing
 We're terms, and as the mob began to setssSery l noisy and impatient the bargain was akruck.
 An agreement was hastily written and sigred I by the alcalde, and cheque for the money was drawn and entrusted to the master of the show to be handed to me when should have earned it. As traced my signature on the paper, I | felt that was bartering my own life and blood
 to save Alice's father. That five thousand
 reals would be his ransom e@
 But had little time to mediate, for was
 hurried off to another room, and there bidden
 to assume, as quickly as possible, the gay cos.
 tune of matador, and in the meantime the
 magistrates hastened to their places, and the
 master of the shows went on the somewhat
 awk~.rd | errand of explaining to the multitude
 tnat Manuei zagal had broken his leg, and that From the dark little cas.nhe, ;n r.h;ob u,s occupied, clumsily enough, in e-chana;no o mv own clothes for the gaudy Anduaslas, wh;cl, was necessary adjunct of the character whI.a
 had assumed could now and then catch the sound of the managers voice. as in oily accents
 he addressed the enlightened audience of his fpatrons. At first, his speech elicited much
 noisy diaapprobation, but presently laughter and cheers drowned the oration. and when hs } came back he wiped his forehead with an air
 of self-congratulation. The audience had been restored to good humor. They had been testy
 and irritable, the manager told me, as he lent me his practiced aid in dressing, until he re-
 minded them that. dt the worst, they had never
 seen an Euglishman killed, and might look out for novel excitement. told them, St. Mar tin forgive me, that you were the first toreador in all London, and had come to Spain to- chal-
 lange our best buh fighters to contest ofskill,'
 continued the man. and then bade me look at I myself in the glass. did so, but hardly re- cognlzed myself so much was my appearance
 altered by the embroidered jacket, the slashed calzoncillos, the many colored silken sash. the
 scarf heavy with silken fringe, and all the lace
 belLbuttons and frippery of my costume. The
 master of the shows eyed me critically, from the broad leaved sombrero, with it's red plume
 and golden cord, down to the pumps and silk stockings, which are as essential to a matadol
 as to master of the ceremonies, and clapped Il me on the shoulder with good natured word or two of approval. Then he presented me with scarlet cloak and the long straight bladed sword, and rapidly explained to me what strokes were considered 'foul,' and what !. were in accordance with the etiquette of this gory pastime. He was by no means ill-natur , ed, and did his best to encourage me, offering l me Wine and refreshments, and insisting that !, should swallow at least one goblet of strong , Calcuvella. e..''3. -e 2 Cheer up, comrade,', said he j; keep cool avoid the first rush, and you may get of witl unoroSen bones aud whole skin. Throw tE, lcioak we'll ever his horns, and drive in tn, sword thus, turning his wrist in this manner -f ana avoiding the breast bone. Never be in , hurry. or you are lost. I have seen old hand loose their heads at the first roar and dash of t hurt bull; but like you lad, schismatic as yo r- fare, and don't want to see you % ont fee Il foremost. Let me feel your pulses And h yl took my wrist between his fingers, probably t D ascertain if were too much Hurried by tn !nrrrnonh cfI Ion.r, t< A ..n T S@y -