Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-08-13
At 4 SPANISH BULL FIGHT.

lFrom the story of Lolita" Ia Lippincoa Magazine
for Augusta
In the afternoon Of Easter Sunday Lolita
and her aunt with all the world of Seville,
went to the opening bull fight of the season.
They arrived rather late. The great circle
was already alive with twelve thousand faces
in many coored mosaic, soldiers and the
people sitting in the sun, the gentry and all
who could pay well on the shady side The
procession Of performers had made their en-
trance and exit, the band had ceased playing
the key OF the toril had been delivered to the
black-vested officer who had ambled across
the arena on his black Andalusian mare to re-
ceive it, and the picadores were at their posts,
set at distance from one another in front of
the barrier.
Lolita gave swift glance around after hav-
ing taken her seat and perceived both of her
lovers not far away. But neither of them was
looking for her they we're gazing where all
eyes were turned, at the gate behind which
the bull was waiting to enter. profound
and electric silence reigned over the multi
tude. Then trumpet sounded, the gate was
opened, the black front of the beast present.
ed itself, and he trotted lightly forward into
the arena.
The gate closed behind him forever.
AT the same instant strange, half-human
shrek was heard and the horse of the plea
dor next the right side of the gate fell back on
his launches, crying out and trembling with
terror. The bandage bad not been we'll ad
Justed over his eyes, and he had seen the
arena and his adversary. Fortunately, the
bull had directed himself to the left. and
took no notice OF the frightened animal
which was hurried out and replaced by an.
mother. Neither did he take any notice Of
the picadores beside his path, nor of any,
thing in the arena nor of the bright nantes
HANGING in haaNc he 30 - IL l.
nor OF the chulos, or runners, at the other
side, ready at breath TO bound over and
catch those nantes and become butterflies.
The vast living circle above had caught the
creatures first glance, and he made the whole
round of the plaza in a light, elastic trot.
gazing with lifted head and wide eyes at the
strange spectacle. What might be the mean
ing Of this gigantic ring serpent with it's tail
in its mouth and its every scale a human face,
scintilating' too, with quivering motion,
and vocal with thousands Of vivas
For the frank, bold action of the creature
pleased the crowd. bull which had the
strength to carry his own ponderous weight
so lightly would be good fighter He was
black, we'll made, and glossy, and his front
was like q tower.
Reaching the place from whence he had
started, his glance fell on the arena. His
pace had sackened he accelerated it a little
at sight OF the picadores, swerved aside aud
lowered his head on reaching the first. flew
onward, with scarcely pause, to the second,
another swerve and dip, with a swift, cunning,
horizontal movement of the head and two
horses lay disemboweled.
Attendants flew over the barrier to pull the
riders up, and the chulos came to the rescue
with their mAntles. For the bull had treated
the spears of the picadores as though they
were not and seemed to know nothing of the
wounds in his neck, from which few drops
OF blood we're trickling down.
The third horseman Jared better than the
other two for the chulos, skimming about as
light as swallows, glittering in their silver
wrought costumes of pink, blue or green
drew of and broke the fret charge, and CON
fused the second, which was made too high.
so that the bull was held at bay by the spear
of the rider firmly planted in his neck. He
drew back and made an angry rush at the
fourth picIdor, with a mind to charge low
enough now and put an end to this trivial
business of few horsemen pretending to en-.
ter the space where he ran at large. He
charg, d too low this time, fretted and blinded
by the waving nantes, and went quite under
the horse, and stuck there, horse and rider on
his back. There was a momentary pause and
suspense then the bull pushed forward, with
the horses fore-legs slipping along his spine,
and came out on the other side, feeling some
what foolish, one may imagine, after his fias-
co. astonished too, and quoted for time.
The horses fore feet dropped to the sand, and
the rider kept his saddle well.
Bravo pioador! The audience applauded.
The bull walked of to the opposite barrier,
faced about, and began to study the situation.
His carriage had been naughty and disdain-
full, like that OF creature which had always
had its own will. He had expected, appar-
emily, to brush these men and horses away
like flies. Now be had the surprised and half
increduous air of one who begins to think
that there is something serious in what is be.
falling him.
On their side the toreros and the public had
learned the bulls character. He was blood
thirsty, buoyant, bold and daring, with sus-
picion of cunning intelligence in reserve.
He stood moment gazing steadily, as II
measuring the distance between himself and
the nearest rider, then rushed forward, only
to be lost in a cloud of nantes and turned
aside by q lance which he did not see. The
end of his course left him alone in the middle
of the arena. He faced about, looked right
and left, and waited to digest what had hap
pened and plan q new attack. The chulos
waved their colors in vain. He shook his
head at them as they passed before him, but
did not stir. They leased and tantalized him,
waving their nantes In his very face but he
would not stir till at length, swift as an ar
row, he charged and this time it was viva
toro
The horse was gored and overset, his rider
falling against the barrier, and gored again
and emptied while the pioador was pulled out
of harms way. Then the bull, proud and
elate, trotted lightly around the whole arena,
giving q swift glance and thrust at the other
two horses lying motionless on the sand, to
make sure that they were dead. Turning
then, Unexpectedly, he rushed at the fourth
picador, and killed his horse in an instant.
All the amphitheatre was astir. Fans wav-
ed, and hats, and handkerchief and parasols
from the sunny side, and there was a clamor
of voices like high wind in the tree-tops
A trumpet sounded, and the bandileros en-
tered There were four, aud they carried in
each hand a barbed dart of an arms length,
with gay little streamers at the end These
barbs they must plant at either side of the
bulls neck, running up before him, just evad-
ing his charge, and striking the instant he is
about TO pass.
The creature exhausted himself with these
futile charges, rushing hither and thither in
the vain effort TO catch and toss those spark
ling, swift runners, who seemed TO have
winga on their feet, and were as difficult to
catch as q flower OF thistledown on the sum
mer air He rushed madly about now after
one, now after the other. As one fled from
his right eye, another danced up 10 his left,
and ever and anon barb few singing into
his wounded neck. These darts stood out at
either side tapping up aud down and about
as he ran. The streamer were visible to him