Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-07-16


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. | 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 OF two of them, touched up
by II of the picadores, plunged about,
fiery-eyed and snorting.
After Il 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 a 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
As we rushed in ! saw my father
in the grand stand, looking decidedly
nervous. | doffed my sombrero in a
grand manner to the people in the
stand rs we rode by, and then, coming
to a halt, saluted the crowd with q
%harangue in Spanish, not n word Of
which n Spaniurd could have under
stood, announcing the beginning of the
sport.
Then we began to chase the steers
madly around the ring, with wild
shouts, all in carefully selected Span
ish. The steers, with eyes on fire and
tails aloft, ran magnifcently.
After some ten or a dozen Of these
circuits | gave n signal to the chulos and
banderillos, who, the moment we had
passed them, leapcd over into the ring
and a for the inside dry goods boxes,
where they began to wave in the air
large sheets Of red cambria.
Now came the thrilling moment.
When the steers came around so that
the red sheets confronted them, we *
pectcd them to be furious and to rush
madly at them, whereupon the boys
were to leap on the boxes and over the
fence to n place of safety. This was
to be continued until the steers or the
patience of the audience gave out, or
the balloon went up.
But unfortunately the steers, instead
Of being filled with fury at the sight Of
the sheets, were scared almost to death.
They turned about so swiftly that we
who were on horseback almost rode
upon them; but they lodged us, raced
across the inolosure, huddled together
with their tails to the fence and con-
fronted us with their long horns.
Though | rode my mare toward them
as near as she would go-and she was
disposed to give them q wide berth
they refused TO bulge. This was I'M
expected and Notifying.
The crowd began to laugh and ieer.
send the other boys around in back
of 'em and let 'em punch EN- Quit" some
one shouted.
This was evidently the thing to do.
! ordcred-in plain English, this time
two of the banderillos to go around and
punch the steers from behind, through
the barbed wire. Two OF the plea
dores handed the banderlllos their
lances.
As soon as the steers were assaulted
in the real they sprang forward with
So wild a leap and such frightful below
ing that our five horses turned tail and
ran frantically around the ring. They
were simply uncomfortable. The
steers were believing and running in
every direction. The remaining boys
in the ring, pale with fright, plunged
almost headlong over the fence to a
place OF safety.
Our horses ran, and the cattle ran,
each trying madly to etaway from the
other. The audience shouted with
laughter. | screamed to my men,
and they screamed back rgaln, but the
mad panic continued. There ~ really
danger that a tragedy might follow.
In the midst Of II, | saw one of the
boys rushing on his horse out through
the lane which led to the gate and thus
out of the Enclosure. Some one had
p%rudently opened the gate, and the
brave picador was taking TO flight.
Afterward | learned that my father had
ordered the gate opened.
In less time than 1t takes to tell 1t
every toreador and picador had charged
down that lane and out OF the in
closure; and, as we went out, the whole
herd OF steers came believing after us.
Out into the open space surrounding
the grounds we rushed, with the now
m%addened toros at our heels. We could
hear great shouts Of laughter from
Rows of faces appeared at the
top of the grand stand, grinning AZ us.
| overhauled Tom Norcrosa,
"Tom." said !, gasping, as my horse
plunged was entirely out of breath