The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-03-14
THE MEXICAN BULL-FIGHT.
The Horror of the Sight to an America
fso, Tbfoa Tiuoas

The Horror of the Sight to an American.
Cor. Chicago Times.
The aged crOne was there, dark in COM
plexion, wrinkled in visage, shriveled
and bent in form, and whitened to the
hue of snow in her dishelved locks. The
maiden was there, of pure Castilian
blood, with cheeks of purest white, eyes
rivaling in blackness midnight's darkest
hour, long glossy hair of the tint of the
ravens wing, resting upon the rounded
and Uniformed shoulders, and then fall.
ing away until they nearly trailed upon
the soil; forms full of life, plump, volup-
tuous and fascinating. The younger
matron was there, still retaining traces
of beauty that is fading, oh! too soon.
Maidens of mixed blood were there, too
deep in color to be termed brunette, and
yet not dark enough to be repulsive;
they, too, had eyes that spoke volumes
as they glanced from beneath their long,
dark lashes nor were their forms less at
tractive than those of their whittier sisters.
Old men were there, seemingly so old
that it might be thought that death had
overlooked them. Young men were
there, dark visaged, scowling jealousy
upon each other, and with their manias
wrapped about their shoulders and their
wide-brimmed hats shading their brOws
and faces. Some were fully clad, while
| the wearing apparel of others consisted
merely of "A trinity of items, hat, sandals
and breech-cloth. Some of this latter
class of men were splendid specimens
of muscular development, 1.-the, active,
self possessed and evidently conscious of
their strength and prOwess. One espec-
| tally drew my attention to him. He was
outside of the arena when | passed on
ward toward it. ] think never saw a
more perfect form than his; it was one
that the sculptor would delight to have
as a model, or the painter would rejoice
| to delineate upon his canvas. He held
| in his arms his first-bOrn, which he han
died with fathers warmest pride, and
placed himself where IcOuld not fail to
notice his infant son. made some
complimentary remark about his boy, at
which his eyes glistened with delight,
| while the mother, who stood near re-
piled in a musical voice with thanks for
the notice of her babe. Back of the
group upon the raised seat rose the
white walls and dark, brown-tile roof of
the church, while far, far away in the
distance the lofty mountain tops glisten-
| ing in the sunshine closed the picture
After taking my seat ] looked down into
the corral, and could but admire my
guide, not only for his powerful and per
feet build, but also for his good humOred
cADTOSSIOh anu CdlIn ScII-DOSSCSSlOu
AS he Ioitered about in the arena there
was selfconsciousness of the victory
he would achieve when his opponent
should he driven into the enclosure.
There was some little delay before the
bull came upon the scene, but when a
large gate in the abode wall was opened
he entered the corral with a rush and
"a bound,
A TERRIBLE PREsENTMENT
of an awful tradgedy seemed to thrill the
entire multitude. For myself, II so
painfully impressed me that if could
have easily left the place / would at
once have done so, although but a mo-
ment before / had been so anxious to
witness the contest. 1t was a splendid
animal, well knit, strong and powerful.
1t seemed to comprehend the situation
at once, for with a loud tone it beloved
forth its defiance to its antagonist, and
then, with head lowered TO the ground,
commenced paving the earth, and Civ
| ing demonstrations of speedily COM
menceing the combat. The attendants
waved their red flags before it, and irri-
tated it still more by prodding it with
their sharp pointed lances. Our hero
closely watched its every movement
with keen and intense interest, evident
~ aware that it might make a sudden
| TuSn al ANY w tlll TOdE Lldl
appeared to shake the very earth, and
that certainly threw a terror into every
heart in the audience, it sprang forward,
lowering its head with the design of
tossing the Mexican into the air; but
the attempt was failure, for he sprang
quickly to one side, and goading with
his staff the now incensed animal into a
state of fury as it passed him, nerved
himself for the more serious part of the
conflict I admitted his fearlessness,
and saw that he was a man of daring
courage that would never falter in any
emergency. Two or three times the
bull renewed the attack with no better
bull renewed the attack with no better
result, and every time he escaped the
lunge of the animal the audience shout
ed and cheered loudly, appearing to
have overcome the presentmcnt of evil
and having full confidence in his ability
to win the victory whenever he chose TO
do so. 1t would hardly be credited that
the countenance of a bull could vary in
its expression, but ii certainly appeared
as if intense rage and demoniacal hate
stood out upon every hair of its face
and the more it was baffied in its at.
tempts TO gore its intended victim. the
deeper and wilder became that expires
sion of vicious propensity. One of the
attendants gave the bull . more severe
thurst than he intended TO do, when II
turned so suddenly upon him that be
fore he could evade the attack the ami
NAL had him upon his horns, and rip-
ping the body open with the exertion,
tossed him high in the air, while his
blood spouted out upon its face. The
man fell with a heavy thud upon the
soil, and in an instant the bull was COR
ing him again and agaiu. In vain the
Others tried to divert tn attention from
the man, or endeaYor 20 rescue their fall
lien companion from his terrible fate.