Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-04-23
Highest of all in Leavenng Powe-Latest u. S. Govt Report
R3%!a9!!! g! Rsk{Hs RskassE
ABSOLUTELY PURE

stops ana looks ABOUT MIN as III uncef
tain what TO do. He is larger than oul
bulls, and his horns are much longer
As he stands, looking first at the band
erilleros and then at the picadores, hi:
eyes flashing and his tail switching
from side TO side, it is quite clear thai
he is in towering rage. Then all o.
sudden he spies dark red cloak OF
cloth, in the hands of one of the mer
and he starts toward him on the run
The man generally goes over the fence
to escape the infuriated animal, and
the bull quite frequently goes over
after him.
1t seems TO be a part of the program
to kill the horses, for the picador
makes no attempt to keep out of harms
way. On the contrary, he takes pains
TO ride his horse directly in front OF
the bull, and as result both horse and
rider are lifted into the air and the
horse, in the throes Of death, usually
pins the rider to the ground in his fall,
and then, to prevent the bull from gor.
ing the man, red capes are Haunted in
his face TO draw his attention i'm other
directions.
"a Now comes the really interesting
;crature of the performance, the thrust
ing of the banderillos: il is a contest
between skill and brute strength, and
skill is nearly always the victor. A
banderilla is a stick about two feet
long. On the end is a very sharp steel
point, barbed like the tines of a fish
spear, while the stick Is covered the
entire length with paper ribbons of
brilliant colors. The banderillero is
the man who places them in the bulls
shoulder He must stand in front of
the animal. without flag or cloak, and
wait for the attack. The bull. mad
dened at his audacity, starts at him at
full speed. The man steps out of his
way very gracefully and thrusts the
banderillas into his shoulder as he
passes by. AS soon as the animal can
cSeek his speed he turns, now furious
Doth cagSitRply te i9d ans,i ile.sa1de1i1GU
THESE and more are thrtist into his
all banging there, and the
maddened brute rushes from one man
to another believing with rage.
Az this point signal is given, that
the bull has been tormented enough
and must be killed. This is where the
matador distinguishes himself. His
skillful killing Of the bull by a single
thrust of the sword brings enthusiastic
and deafening applause from the spec
tators, but if it takes two or more
thrusts to do the work, then Kisses are
sure to follow. The matador must face
the bull, sword in hand, and await the
attack. A blood red muleta is Haunted
in front of the animal and the bull
makes one more desperate attempt to
get at his tormentor, but the attempt
results in death, for the sword of the
matador is thrust between his should
ers TO the hilt and has pierced the
animal heart.
If the deed is accomplished by the
FIRST blow, then the people are beside
themselves with delight, and often
canes, hats and cigars are thrown into
the ring. The matador bows his ac-
acknowledgements and throws the hats
and canes back TO their owners, who
seem grateful that he should honor
them thus. The band then starts up;
the gates are thrown open and three
gaudily decorated mules, harnessed
abreast, are driven in. A rope is
thrown over the heads OF the dead
bulls and horses and they are dragged
out. The wait between the acts is not
more than minute; the buglc calls,
the doors open and another bull gallops
in. only to meet the same fate as his
predecessor. Altogether from six to
eight bulls are killed, and from eight
to twelve horses meet the same fate at
each fight.
The skill and agility OF the perform
ers is something wonderful, but, as one
OF the party remarked, "they are on
10 their jobs, ;" and know just when to
step aside and let the bulls go by. The
bull always cores with one horn and
from the way he holds his head it is
easy TO determine which way to dodge,
but he often saves his life by flight and
leaping over the convenient fence be-
fore referred to.
1t can not be said that the editorial
party enjoyed the fight. On the con-
trary only about one in ten OF them
witnessed the completion. To us IL
seemed brutal and disgusting in the
extreme. Our sympathies were not
with the bulls or the men, but were
entirely with the horses. 1t was a
horrifying sight to see those poor,
blindfolded horses gored TO their death,
and the excursionists wondered how
the Mexican people could look at such
sights with such apparent unconcern
and indifference, when we were com
PEELED to turn our heads or cover our
faces every time the bull would charge
upon horse. From sympathy for the
horse, a feeling OF hatred would come
over one for the men who were the
cause of this disgusting spectacle.
verify believe that the ladies of the
party, as well as the men, would have
rejoiced to have seen one OF these men
torn TO pieces by the maddened bulls
but this is something that does not
happen often, as the performers al
these bull fights are clever fellows, TO
say the least.
Yes, the Michigan editors saw bull
fight, real Mexican bull fight but not
one OF them could be induced for love
or money, To witness another.