Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-04-16

brief as might be supposed, for from
early boyhood he has been familiar with
the function, or exhibition.
The first public performance in which
he figured as primer espGdG or matador,
as the man who kills the bull is called,
was given only twelve years ago.
His brilliant and daring featS brought
him into immediate fame. He has had
many hair-breadth escapes from death
and several serious wounds, but he seems
destined to almost rival the fame of the
great Pedro Romero, the father of popu-
lar bull-fighting and the greatest hero of
it's annals. 1t was he who established
the code which governs the arena of to-
day.
Previous to his day the sport had been
confined to the aristocracy. II was the
royal sport in a double sense, for not
Fonly were the royalty and the nobility
its chief patrons but it's principal parti-
cipants
The sport is supposed to have origi-
mated Immediately after the Moorish In
vasion of Spain.
The principal monarchs who were he
roes of the arena are Charles V. and
Philip ~. If history correctly repre-
sents them, they were quite as fond of
the eXcitements Of the ring as they were
of the intrigues of court.
The list of mobiles, as given by Camp
bell, who took part in the bloody pas
time includes the Dukes of Media, Sido-
MIA, Zarate, Blanc, Sastagato; Counts
Buelma, Villamediana, Tendilla, and La
Nena. There were also many distin-
guished knights, most prominent among
whom was the great Fernando de Pizarro.
who later found a more profitable field
for the display of his daring, by leading
the great conquest of Peru.
But when the Bourbons assembled the
Spanish throne the royal interest in bull
lighting was persistently discouraged
only to become the favorite sport of the
people.
After Pedro Romero perfected his
code, bull-fghting became science, in
stead Of butchery-as it had been
under the royal regime. From that time
to this there have been training schools
for the cultivation Of skill in this brutal
art Each stage of service in which the
pupil must become proficient before he
can pass to the next higher is clearly de-
fined, and the rules of the ring are very
eXacting.
The bulls are carefully reared from
choice blooded stock, and have for con-
slant companions, both at the breeding
establishments and in the pens Of the
arena, trained oxen, called cGbestros
which perform the same services towards
their ferocious kinsmen that tame ele-
plants do towards their wild brethren.
They are monitors. II fighting bull
breaks his pen, posse of the cdbestros
voluntarily follow him and usher him
back into confinement again before he
has opportunity to exercise his fighting
qualities upon those unfortunate enough
to fall in his way. In case bull repeat
eddy yanquishes his assailants in the
arena, his valor is rewarded by exemption
from further contests, and the only way
in which he can be brought back to
his stall is to loose band OF cabestros,
or police oxen, into the arena. They
never fail to accomplish their mission.
The movement or program Of bull
fight is, briefly, as follows:
First: The grand entry OF matadors,
banderillerOs and the mounted picadors,
decked In the most brilliant costumes.
They maecR to the bands loudest
music, halt before the Presidents stand
and salute The President signals for
the performance to begin.
The gate is opened and in plunges the
bull.
Then the picadors begin their work
of torture by riding their blind-folded
horses usually old fades fattened and
groomed for the occasion alongside the
bull, plnnging q sharp goad into his
sides.