The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1896-05-22

finally filled up the ranks.
Then we appointed a subcommittee
on costumes, and called in the assist
ance of my sister Blanche and of Toms
mother, who had gift for getting up
all sorts of fancy dresses. gave them
my notes on the subject of bull-fighters'
costumes, and they set al work.
From model which l obtained in
Cheyenne, | composed beautiful an
nouncement of the fight in Spanish. At
the Office of the Cub Greek Daily Boom
er this was converted into a magnificent
and sufficiently startling poster, which
proclaimed the fact that on the 9Th of
October a ''Corrida de Toros" would
be given at the Great Potato Picnic in
Cub Creek. [ threw in all the thrilling
terms about spendid cavaliers and
noble fighting beasts that / could find
IN the Spanish dictionary.
Everything seemed to be going ON
swimming now. One further i'm
portant requirement in a bull-fght
had yet, however, to be met. We must
have some bulls! This was the most
difficult task of the whole enterprise.
But at last we borrowed five handsome
Texas steers belonging to ranchman
ut the head of the creek.
lor our arena, we proposed to have
an inclosure of barbed wire at one side
OF the grounds where the potato picnic
was to be held, in such situation that
the grandstand, put up for other spec
tacles, would command an excellent
view of it. An entrance way from out
side the grounds, through a gate at one
side of the grandstand, and fanked on
one side by that structure and on the
other by an ordinary board fence, WAS
to be constructed.
1t seemed to us that barbed wire in
closure was much better than the
ordinary arena of the Spanish and
Mexican bull-fghts, because it would
enable every one to see plainly what
was going on, at the same time it pro-
vided security for the audience. We
brought the Texas steers to the town,
and put them on short rations to make
them ferocious. We did not intend to
hurt them. Neither did we mean they
should hurt us.
The costumes were to be the principal
part of our Corrida de Toros; we were
to have sort of dress parade around
the corral of handsome boys on hand
some horses and on foot. The steers
were to be driven about actively for
some time, and good deal of dust
kicked up; and finally the attention of
the people was to be diverted by bal
loon ascension. We relied upon the
novelty of the spectacle to please the
people, and we knew that they would
not be pleased by any exhibition Of
cruelty to animals.
We intended to have a full-dress re-
hearsal the day before the opening of
the picnic, but the costumes were not
quite done, and all the workmen IN the
town were so actively engaged in other
great event that our barbed wire fence
had not been put up. We were forced
to wait for the Corrida itself, to make
the acquaintance of our toros in the
ring.
The potato picnic was certainly an
immense success. On one day at least
10000 people were present on the
grounds. Eloquent and stirring
speeches had been made; tons of roast
ed potatoes had been eaten; the bands
were playing, and the enthusiasm ran
high when the time appointed for the
bull fight arrived.
We had been all excitement for hours
Our half-starved steers were in a barn
yard near the grounds. Five minutes
before the time the gate of this inclo-
sure was opened, and the five cattle
were started by the toreadors and plea
dores for the picnic grounds.
BY reason of my intimate study of
the subject, l had been made chief
toreador and master of ceremonies.
was mounted on my fathers black
mare. We had one other toreador-
Tom Norcross-and three picadores;
and our costumes, though made chiefly
of cheap flannel and cambria, were in
gaudiness of color at least a close imi-
tation of those worn by Spanish bull
fighters.
The cattle proved to be Unexpectedly
wild. One or two of them, touched up
by one of the picadores, plunged about,
fiery-eyed and snorting.
After good deal of trouble, they
were driven into the arena, where they
leaped and beloved, and we five boys
went careening madly in after them,
amid intense excitement. The chulos,
banderillos and matadores, on foot of
course, stood on large dry goods box
Just outside the barb wire fence, ex-
actly opposite the entrance. From this
point they could leap over the fence
into the arena.