The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-14
THE SPORT OF SPAIN.
How the Young Men Take
Lessons in Bull-Fighting.
TORMENTlNG THE MAD BEAST.
Signor FTascuclo as Great . Popular
Idol as John L. Sullivan Il in Amer
ica-A Madrid Audience.

| lency, the widow of Nillaseca, an en-
| thusiastic patron of bull fights, number
OF dillettants and young professionals
not yet permitted to appear before Mad
rid audience taking lessons in the
| art.
easily gained admittance and I did
not repent having my journey for half a
day to satisfy my curiosity.
On meadow of several square miles,
fenced and ditched. several enormous bulls
| OF the Nillaseca breed were believing and
darting to and fro with their heads held
high.
The spectacle was just beginning.
a number OF horsemen, armed with long
lances with small point, put themselves
in position and began the attack. As soon
as the bull bowed his huge head, rushing
at his adversary to tear open the horses
belly, the rider planted his lance IN the
| bulls neck, wounding him slightly. while
the capeadores tluttered large pieces of red
/ cloth to distract the bulls attention when
he succeeded in making both horse and
rider fall to the ground.
Hold him off merely by the strength
! OF your arm; that is the leading thing for
| the picadores, shouted the teacher.
! Then pointing to one in particular, That
| young fellow over there will make his
mark; he has a steady eye and an iron
arm"
The teacher had attracted my attention
] at the first glance. He was about 40 of
medium height, handsome, suoerbly
formed. though sincwy as an athlete,
elegant of bearing and quick in his move
ments, with dark face and large, proud
eyes.
| Like the rest he wore the peculiar I'M
! dress, consisting OF a zouave jacket with
| gold buttons, white shirt, displayed
/ through the open wastcoat, sash of dark
| crimson and tightly fitting knee breeches.
| 1t was Signor Salvador Sanchez, called
| Frascteio, the pride of the Spanish nation,
| the bravest and most popular bull-hghter
| of this century.
! more lively. signores !" he shouted, and
| seized one Of the capes, approaching the
| bull (who had just wounded a horse),
| dropped it around the horns of the in
! furiated beast, flew from it, making
I several rapid turns, then again approach
ing it and again jumped aside in another
| direction. Then he saved fellow horse
man by distracting the bulls attention by
| waving the cape across his eyes. Loud
applause greeted Frascuelo. Not before
one horse was killed and several others
wounded that part of the days programme
was over.
Now came the banderillos with Their ar
rows ornamented with colored paper. One
after the other approached the bull, raised
| his arm, and shouted; the bull rushed
with lowered head against the man who
provoked him, who in his turn stuck the
arrow into the animals flesh and with a
rapid whirl jumped aside. The bull
leaped and snorted and began following
his tormentors with a terrible fury. Now
| his anger was reused and he was ready to
| take revenge and kill.
A carriage driven by her excellency
| with some guests came upon the scene to
| witness the performance.
| Their presence inspired Frascuelo. He
| stepped behind the bull, pulled his tail,
/ and as the animal turned rushing past
| him. hacking an arrow into his neck then
| running around he suddenly stopped, I'M
| fastened one of the silk ribbons attached
to the main and planted another banderil-
| Ia. At last he took pole, planted it on
| the ground while the bull was running
| and, with the grace of tightrope dancer,
| rapidly took leap for him, and while
| reaching the ground threw the pole be-
His pupils applauded and laughed with
deli ght, admiration and surprise.
| Then came the hand-to-hand encounter.
! A Young espador seized his Inuleta-
| little red flag on a stick.
He leased the animal with the flag until
il dashed with quIyering noStrlls and
| foaming mouth upon him. The young
man put himself on guard, but could not
. make the decisive thrust. His life was in
danger dozen times, but he tried again
and again and could not get the oppor-
tunity to strike the bull in the place on
the forehead which the rules demand.
Another stepped in his place with no
more success. and getting weary and con-
| fused, he made a blow at random, after
which. had he not been torn aside by his
/ comrades. the bulls horns would have
| tossed him in the air.
A third did not aim well, and the mad
dcned bull ran about with the sword stick
ing in his flesh until he succeeded in shak-
! ing il off
"We have to make an end Of this" ex-
! claimed Frascuelo Throwing his hat
{ into the air he stepped with firm steps to
/ the wild bleeding beast, who was stamp
ing the ground furiousiy.
Frascuelo raised his sword, took aim,
I followed by fearful roar, 4 squirt of
/ blood and the bull staggered and fell to
the ground the sword had penetrated to
| the hilt
/ Frascuelo bowed to the compliments
/ show cred on him like ''GOd bless you!'
"Iet me embrace youu' and with smile
! wiped the blood from the sword.
Frascuelo is a man To be enyied. He re-
! ceiyes 10. OdO.f francs year from the gov
! ernment and twice as much from his pu-
| nils. not to speak of the presents made to
/ him. which amount 10 incredible sums.
( Once $500 francs were thrown to him by
| the Duke OF Varegua, who never fails to be
at any bullhght OF note.
| He travels with several servants on
| specia! train or coach, he owns several viii
las near Madrid, any amount OF riding
| horses and carriages.
He enjoys the privileges Of 4 great artist,
| beng feted by the aTistocTaey, who invite
| him 10 their receptions, TO their boxes in
the opera. TO their summer residences, etc.
had al opportunity 10 talk TO him, fol-
loving him to his sumptuous apartments
in the castle of Nillsseca, where lie was q
guest
lie vas extremely reticent in the begin
/ ming. offered me a cigar from box in
which not two were alike. IS he supplies
| himself from those thrown TO him n the
arena.
He had decorated the rooms with pic
lures of other great bullnghters, his COL
leagues. the big Laiartigo Calitano, Cuco
! and Caiderone. In courage, dexte-Ity and
Z vigor he has his equal, but none surpasS
him IN boldnsss and presence Of mind.
"Today's work amounted 70 bot little. q"
lis there a more glorious sight" he
I SAID. with glowing ewes, THAN Madrid
/ audience? Those thousands Of moving
arms. heads. hats. fans and kerchiefs
D .-.rlrssFasTfgs r-1vVT srs-ears