The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-25

would not accept one of the miracles monk was
demonstrating riot broke out. which only ended
after there had been days of plumber and massacre
costing the lives of thousands every Jew who could
be found being murdered. know nothing in Spain
more cruel than that. But in the way of public
shows the Portuguese have higher and more
humane taste than the Spsniards. especially
in the national show of the bull fight.
THE MORALS THE BULL FIGHT
have been twice to bull fight in Spain The first
time went to the men kill the bulls. The
ond time was drawn by the hope that might
the bulls kill the My experiences a bull fight
like those of Lord Byron. The whole spectacle
was SO brutal that could not Looked at as
question OF mere humanity the Spaniard will dem
onstrate that there is no more cruelty in Staying
bull than in Staying foe. He will point out that the
bull has higher mission in Gods kingdom than to
reduce himself to beef and that since that is his des
tiny. why is it more cruel to kill him in way than
another? Englishmen kill foxes and give them to the
hounds. Their sport is cruelty unredeemed The
Spaniard kills bulls and gives them for food. Their
sport is useful and necessary purpose-the
giving of food to the hungry.
CRUELTY IN ADJUSTMENTS.
What revolts you the bull fight is the absence Of
all hope for the bull. That wounds of fair
play. The fox may find hole, the plover may take
sports do not take an undue advantage But
for the bull there is hope. The tragedy always
ends in DEATH Let him fight we'll. his valor
only stimulates the excitement OF the crowd He has
possible hope. he is wary sluggish and will not
fight, the dogs put upon him tirecrackers are
exploded in his skin. II he is fierce and so brave
that tho swordsman cannot do his Office, then
they creep behind and hamstring him and
put him to death in cowardly fashion
The horses killed in wantonness, and the more
horses the bull cores and rents and tears to pieces
the more enthusiasm in the crowd. If the
horse had chance! But his eyes bound He is
generally old and lame that his work is done. He
has served his master in every waypnllng. hauling
starving, submitting to blows-and now. when the
whip and spur have control of his WORKOUT
stitution, he is doomed to the hull goring. The
whole display is the refinement Of cruelty. There
all kind Of inducements held out to the General
to visit the bull fght. But he could not be per-
susded.
PAGEANTRY THE BULL FIGHT.
And yet question if any show is more imposing
than bull fight. The arena is like the old Roman
Coliseum circle of benches and boxes under the
open sky. There is the multitude-ten thousand
sometimes rising tier tiercomprising the wealth.
the beauty the nobility. the poverty Of the town.
Perfect freedom reigns and the aspect of such
laughing. chatting. smiling multitude in high glee is
imposing. The bull fighters have national fame, and
a good swordsman is as much esteemed q great
actor and ss eagerly looked for Mr. Booth on our
tragic stage 1t used to be said in England that every
duke found it necessary to have ballet dancer as
mistress to sustain the dignity of his rank In Spain
they used to that every duchess had bull fighter
for alover You not believe all that is said about
dukes and duchesscs but if you 60 to the gallery you
see that Goya paints famous duchess attending
rendezvous with two bull fighters at the time.
The picture is famous that it is repeated in tapes
try. But this belongs to the when prize fighters
were the companions Of noblemen. and in England
and Spain public taste has changed. At the
time the favorite swordsman if the favorite appears
at the fight. is always welcomed. He in the
rear Of grand procession. Horsemen in pictur-
esque dresses, attendants in orange and crimson
cloaks, the swordsmen in the rear-lithe active men,
all eyes and nerves, in closely fitting. brocaded
clothes Enthusiastically shaped; their hair twisted into
small cue. clean limbed active. their lives at their
swords point for they must in tho end face and
kill the bull As they march around the ring there
arc acclamations. the hveliest CHATTER Of comment
and gossip speculations on the bulls. on the per-
formers ever increasing interest until the tragedy
begins.
MODERN BULL FIGHTS.
The trumpet sounds. All unnecessary people,
musicians and on. depart The arena is cleared.
The horseInen stand at the gate lances in hand.
They are in no danger beyond fall or bruise. for
they in leather and iron armor. The cloak
bearers and swordsmen take their places near the
barriers. to jump in of emergency. The
door opens and out of the dark pen the bull comes
bounding into the light amid the buzz and of
the multitude. If he is good bull he will probably
justify the description in the Moorish ballad the
famous bull fight of Sanxul:-
nar 10 hin eith herr de fle With
doth boil,
And the dun hide CLOVIS as if on fire as he paws to
His eyes Jet and they set in crystal rings of
snow,
But they stare with red glare of brass upon
Upon the forehead Of the bull the horns stand close
From out the broad and wrinkled skull like daggers
they appear.
His neck is MASSEY like the trunk Of old knotted
Wherein the monsters shagged name. like pillows
CURED. ye see.
His legs short. his hams thick his hooks are
Like strong hail he holds his TAIL in nerceness Of
his might
Like something molten out of iron hewn forth
from the rock.
If the bull is sluggish or Indifferent the horsemen
spear him aud put themselves in his way tina. he
may turn and gore the horses The more horses he
kills the more entertainment This scene over and 1t
is cruel and offensive to be described the horses
dragged out the horsemcn retire and the bull en-
counters another enemy. Darts thrown into his
neck-darts with ribbons or decorations. There is
some danger in this. The performer stands in the
middle of the ring with the dart in either hand As
the bull PUSHES toward him and bends his head TO
strike the performer throws the darts into the
shoulder. Tho pain makes the poor beast jump
and turn and seek elsewhere his tormentor.
If he does not turn. IL the darts
should fail. then the performer has an
interesting problem. He must escape the bull.
Sometimes he takes the horns and leaps over him.
Generally he makes for tho barrier and leaps over it,
Occasionally the bull leaps after. the excitement
reaches to fever heat. Tho crowd prod him with
sticks and call him all kind of names The performer
leaps back into the arena. and gate il opened
through which tho bull is compelled to return his
doom.