Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-27
TOREROS.
The Men Who Make Amusenlen for the
Spaniards.
HarDar's Weekly

Aahc -"ch " ho MAKE IOT the
Spaniards.
Harper's Weekly
James Howell, writing from Madrid In
the year 1923 to his very good lord" Col
chester. says:
There was a great slow lately here of
batting Of bulls with mnn. for the enter
tainment of the Prince (of Waies); it is the
chlefest Of all Spanish sports; commonly
there are men killed at it, therefore there
are priests appointed to be there ready to
confess them. 1t has happened often
times that a bull has taken two men upon
his horns with their gnts dangling about
them. The horsemen run with lances and
swords, the foot and cords. AS am told,
the Pope hath sent divers bulls against
this sport of bulling, yet 1t will not be left,
the nation nath taken such an habitual de-
light III 1t.
Yes, nothing can make the Spaniards
give ny builing. | was at Granada The
other year when d great hurricane swept
away the upper part of the bull ring. A
municipal meeting was held shortly after
wards, and the mayor, being man of pro
gress, proposed that some money should
be spent on repairing and improving the
roads, and thereby rendering the city
more agreeable to visitors. "No! no.
First of all, let us rebuild the bull-ring.
cried the Majority La Plaza! la Plaza!'
And the money was voted at once
Never have there been more bull-rings
in Spain than at the present day, never
more toreros, and never has the breeding
of wild bulls, toros braves, been more ex-
tensive and systematic. In Seville, the
great school OF butl-fghting, almost half
the young male population seems to con-
slst of apprentice chulos and picadores.
In Madrid, from early morning until late
at mig hit, the Puerta del Sol is dotted with
lounging groups of young and old bull
fighters, while the cafes are full of anna
tours of the sport, affcionados, whose great
Joy in life is to have the honor of the ac-
Quaintance of Angel Pastor, Mazzantini,
LagartIjo. and other celebrities of the mu-
Ieta, or Of the pike. All this is very hu e,
man and very comprehensive The tore
ros, or bull-hghters, possess the prestige of
men who have no fear of danger or death,
they are, furthermore, public characters
like actors; their existence is purely orna-
mental, they are the living toys, the pets,
the spoiled children of the public; they in
spire respect by their courage, curiosity
by their strange gladiatorial occupation,
admiration by their physique. and sympa-
thy by the simplicity and vanity which
generally characterize their mental condi-
ton. The torero is, as a rule, charming
creature; he is satisfied With himself and
with the world; he is well-to-do and often
rich; he is brave, strong and healthy; he
lives in an atmosphere of applause and
appreciation; he commands the smiles of
ladies of high and low degree; he is tenn
perate in his habits, and consequently of
equabie humor, his suavity, in short, is
unsurpassable. Bull-fghting, indeed, Is
Que of the finest careers of modern SPAIN
Mazzantini, the ''gentleman" torero, an
educated and most intelligent man, who
used to be station-master, and who has
Paris, told the late King Alfonso that he
took to the ring because he became con.
WINGED that in Spain there are but three
quick roads to wealth and popularity,
namely, politics, the highway, and the
bull ring.
When | first saw a group Of bull fighters
loun ging on the corner Of the Puerto del
Sol, beside the dainty brass stand of the
water-seIer, was deeply impressed. The
fat-brimmed gray or black felt hat.
planted jauntily little on one side, with
the pigtai tucked in at the back, leaving
queer little white patch on the occiput
where the upturned hair lie ives the skin
bare, the clean shaver white faces of q
rich paleness like the flesh of Titan s
dudes; the dainty skirts with narrow
band round the neck fastened by elabor-
ate buckle; the discreet diamonds and
jewels in the immaculate shirt front; the
short jacket, sometimes decorated with
tags and brandebourgs, the pockets cut
crosswise and lined with flaming red or
blue; the open waistcoat, the light striped
trou, ers fitting very tightly, the fine shoes;
the general spruceness of aspect; the per
feet self-possession, and the athletic bear
ing If these men pleased me at once. On
the Puerta del Sol, in the Cafe de las
Columns, and in the Cafe Suizo at Seville
| have spent hours and days watching
them, and marveling at their innocen C
and simplicity have been with them to
their cock fights; taken part in suburban
picnics where each majo had his naja. ]
have had the honor of dining with Angel
Pastor in his own house, and of hearing
his daughter play the piano, which, in it,
way, is equivalent to dining with AdeIina
Patti and nearing Nicolini sing song at
dessert. 4 man cannot desire more.
The Spanish torero is something be-
tween an ancient Greek athlete and d
Roman gladiator, a creature to be cele.
brated in Pindaric odes. He is generally
a man of low origin; many toreros begin
as sIaughter-house boys; but, like those
ballet dancers who are born in concierges
hutchees on the genial heights of Mont.
martre, and who become, nevertheless,
living paems of refinement and grace,
thanks to the discipline Of their art, so,
100, the torero acquires varnish Of arts.
tocracy from the exercise of his dangerous
and fascinating profession.