Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-12

spangles, supposed to be decoration for
| the bull In other boxes, and scattered
| through the crowds of male spectators.
| were women of every class and color, and
| little girls and boys. 1t was an occasion for
| fine dressing and many pretty toilets were
| displayed. All through the bloody perform
ance these black-eyed beauties looked on
| langudly through their lorgnettes, chat
| ted with their friends couuetted behind
| their fans. just as they would have done at
! the opera.
| The DISTINGUISHED Performers.
There were six bulls that day, three cele-
| brated natadores, five picadors and six
| banderillos, besides little band of attend
ants. who have not yet risen to the dis
| tinction of wearing a gilt-trimmed jacket
| and Haunting red cloak at bull. Before
the bull fight a company OF the captain
generals guards marched into the ring and
gave exhibition drill, executing many
fancy movements at the sound of the buSle
and winning great applause.
Then came the ceremony of opening the
bull fight An attendant approached the
| president" and obtained from him the key
of the bull pen. Then bugler, stationed
by the president, sounded call. The band
stationed opposite the captain general
struck up a march, one of the gates was
opened and into the ring marched the
matadores. the picadors and bandcrilios
in the picturesque costume of the bull ring
short jacket, adorned with gold or silver,
sash, knee brooches and the peculiar three
cornered block hats
The pioador is mounted. He is supposed
to fight the bull from the saddle. Unlike
the matadOre. he wears long trousers.
which are padded and stifened with armor,
so the bull, when he charges, can Go his
limbs little damage He is armed with
lance. or pole, about ten feet long, having
a sharp iron point at the end. He wears a
low-crowned, broad-brimmed hat like that
of Spanish vaquero. and at the back OF
his head, as a part of his head dress, Is a
Heel anI- fhe MIR n
which is made manifest when a picador
is toppled over backward and strikes the
ground with the back of his head. The bull
does not wear any armor or pads, nor is
the picadors horse given any protection
of this kind The piCador'S horse is the
comical thing of the show, or would be IL
II were not in pitiable plight. Inc
horses supplied for this purpose are the
that Havana can furnish out of it's vast
array of broken down and foundered
beasts. The picador himself, with his
jaunty rig, and his lance at rest, makes
quite a brave appearance. which. however.
is rendered ludicrous by his sorry mount
The horse is blindfolded, that 1t cannot
see the bull.
'.Thc Bull! The Bull!'
The band stops playing, the bull fighters
toss their hats to attendants on the safe
side of the fence, the mounted picadors
take position around the ring, the others
take up the "capotaS' or long red capeS
used in worrying the bull. the bugle
sounds again, and there is moment of
breathless silence. Then there are shouts
The bull! the bullv The door of the bull
pen has opened, and presently out of the
dark pen into the light of the arena PUSHES
a splendid black Spanish bull, already wor-
RED into a rage. To the very center of the
ring the animal goes, pauses for an in
slant, then turns partly around and makes
a charge upon matadore, who is Haunting
his red cloak at him. The matadore deity
springs aside; another one is in 'front.' or
the bull. playing with him in the same
way. leaping aside just as the bull seems
about to impale him. The bull fighters
thus play with the enraged brute, winning
applause by the daring they show and the
skill with which they avoid the bull Some
times the bull carries the red cloak away
on his horns. Meanwhile the bull Is wor-
ried into a grand rage: the crowd shouts
vociferously and the excitement increases
every minute.
The Carnival of Blood.
Next the bull charges a picador, or.
rather. the picador's horse, and the carni-
val Of blood Is fairly opened. With low
cred head the bull rushes at the horse and
makes vicious lunge with his horns into
the flank of the poor, trembling beast. Over
go horse and rider, the horse with a
great wound gashed into its side. The pic
ador is sprawled on the ground and quite
helpless because of the armor he wears.
At the instant he goes down the matadores
come at the bull again and decoy him
away. The picador is helped up. and so
is his horse.
The picador is mounted again on the
bleeding animal and makes q pretense of
charging at the bull. 1T is a sorry pre-
tense. The poor horse will not move. Some
boys employed for the purpose come run
ming out from behind the fence and try
to urge on the wounded animal by beating
1T with sticks. These boys are ready to
fly in case the bull turns toward them
and to scramble for safety over the fence. |
At last the horse is induced to move a
little toward his enemy. and the latter
makes another charge. The horse and
rider go down this time. the horse never to
rise again. The fight goes on until two
been taken away almost completely dis
The BanderillOs.
The bugle sounds again. This IS signal
for the banderillos. The spectators by this |
time are wild with excitement and are |
shouting vociferousy. The banderillo's |
business is to take two darts, each about |
a yard in length and trimmed with colored |
paper, and implant them in the bulls |
shoulders. Each banderillo takes one or |
two turns at this sport He gracefully |
poses before the bull with a dart in each !
hand and invites the animals attack. |
When the bull rushes upon him he thrusts |
the banderillas or darts at the animal and !
leaps aside. Sometimes he attaches only |
one dart to the bulls flesh. When his
work is perfect one banderilla is attached |
to the bull on each side of his neck The
darts make painful wounds. from which
the blood flows down over the bulls Shout
der. Before the banderillos finish several
Of these banderillas will be hanging to the
bulls flesh and swaying about the ami
NAL charges about.
The Espnda.
The bugle sounds again. This Is the sig
nal for the final scene of the tragedy. 1t
Is the call for the espada or swordsman
who is to slay the bull. In an instant he
8 in the ring. bearing long. straight
sword and a cloak of vivid red. He first
the box in which is seated his
especial patron. makes a bow and little
speech that no one can hear, Dragging how
ne is going to kill the fierce bull. Then he
,oes forth to encounter the painting animal.
The other bull fighters make way for the
'wordsman, arranging themselves about
he ring, so as to be ready to decoy the ami
nal away If necessary. The espadas purpose
s to get In front of the bull and make
he animal lower his head so that he can
thrust the sword down behind his shoulder
nto the heart. 1t takes a powerful thrust
md steady hand and cool head to do