The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-08-28


blows, urged the unfortunate horse
into a trot. In the meantime the
chulos had directed the attention OF
the enraged bull again to his bleed
ing victim. Again he was gored.
The picador escaped by springing
to the ground as the horse fell to
breathe his last. The bull revelled
in his quivering flesh for a few mo-
ments, and then turned toward the
second picador, whose horse met
with the same fate as that of the
first.
Estefania's eyes shone with a
wondrous lustre, but, in spite Of
tina marvellous beauty of the picture
she presented, there was something
in her expression that was repel-
lent. elbow could lovely woman -
[ asked myself, "delight in witness
ing such scene ?"
81 hope you are amused" said
she, with an ironical smile.
"To leave Madrid without wit
Messing bull-fght," I replied,
"would be as inexcusable as to 60
to Rome without visiting the Vati.
can. For stranger, an hour in
the arena is not less interesting
than instructive; but that does not
prevent my wondering how any
people can get amusement out o.
such butchery.''
"Ah, the old story! You are {
sentimentalist, I see."
"By no means, senorita. Iwoulc
excuse your corridas, if they were
real battles between fairly-matchet
combatants; but to expose defence
less horses to the horns of an infu
rated bull is repugnant to my
aesthetic as well as to my mora
sense. A contest between two
equally strong and equally we'll
armed antagonists may be an inter
esting exhibition Of skill, but th'
slaughtering Of the defenceless is tx
me, under all circumstances, re
pulsive, even if the victim be onl,
| q Rosinante.''
"You are right, senor," said Inez
81 like well enough to see th'
espada, at the risk Of his life, thrus
his sword into the neck of the bull
but the scene with the picadores
have never cared to witness"
This declaration from the lips o
a Spanish woman surprised me, ant
greatly increased the impression
she had already made on me TO
gentleness and kindness Of heart
10 ask q Madrilena to feel no ad
miration for the feats Of the espada
would be too much; these fellow
are more lionized by the Madrit
ladies than are the heroes of til,
opera. :.
When the motley-col butche
appeared on the scene with hi
sharp Toledo blade, Inez's apath,,
quickly disappeared. A very few
minutes elapsed before the shinin,
blade was thrust to the hilt in tn
neck Of the toro. Hot blood fowe,
from the fatally wounded animal
mouth and nostril's. A spasmodi
trembling shook his frame for
moment; he reeled, and fell dea'
to the ground.
Inez was delighted. Estefani;
thought the animal had been dis
patched too quickly. She now be
came 80 absorbed in what was goiny
on in the arena that for me she ha'
only an occasional ironical smile
1t was not till after the fourth fight
and we had left the arena, that sh
again honored me with her CONVEX
sation.
We now turned toward the beau
tiful Prado, the pride Of the Spanisl
capital. The Prado is for Madri'
what the Grande Avenue is fo
Paris, the Cascine for Florence, tn
Villa Nazionale for Naples, and tn
Marcus Plaza for Venice. Tn
Prado is most frequented on Sun
day afternoons. In Paris and mos
other cities it is considered plebeial
to visit the promenades on Sundays
Not SO in Madrid. Here, between
the hours of three and six in tn
afternoon, all classes may be foun'
largely represented on the Prado
the aristocracy as well as the bour
geoisie; consequently, Sunday, of al
days in the week, one can see mos
of Madrid society in a given spac
of time.
Strangely enough, a Spanish lad.
very rarely takes the arm of he
cavalier. While in Paris, for ey
ample, almost everybody goes arm
in-arm, in Madrid scarcely anybod..
does. The reason is, probably
that, were the Madrilena to ]eal
; on the arm of her cavalier, he
graceful figure would be shown t.
less advantage, and, furthermore
she can manipulate her fan NOR
gracefully and effectively when botl
hands are at liberty.
"Here comes the king!" crie'
Inez, suddenly.
We all looked toward the car
rage road.
In an open landau, drawn by tw'
beautiful black horses, sat his ma
|iesty Don Amadeo [. beside hi
|decidedlv stout vet handsome con