Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-06-11
WHERE WOMEN FIGHT BULLS.
Shocking and Retrogressive Spirit
Shown in Spain.

While Spain is bowling against re-
form in Cuba the most disgusting bull
fights go on in her leading cities, es-
pecially in Barcelona, where the Amer
lean Consulate was recently fired ON.
The Barcelona bull fight is quite diff
ferent from the same kind of sport in
other Spanish cities, for it is there that
the woman bull-fghter is born and
bred and makes her Introductory kill
ing before an admitting audience
Some of the aristocracy of the old re-
gime deplOre the existence of the wo-
man bull-fghter, but the middle classes
adore her, and every year makes an in
crease in the ranks Of the feminine
matador.
In the old days the bull-fighter was
a gentleman of the bluest blood, who
rode into the ring on an Arabian
charger, decked with almost his weight
in gold. 1t was a great accomplish
ment in those times, and the young
gentleman who ranked as the clevereSt
bull-fghter was a man of vast social
distinction. He did not fight i'm the
manner of today. He carried a simple
javelin four feet long, and slew the
bull unaided with his own hands. at
the same time putting his spirited
mount through a series of intricate
evolutions, to show off the Faces of
the animal and his own horsemanship.
He was supplanted by the bull-fight-
ers who entered the arena for hire
These men at first took more desperate
chances than the others, and, more
over, rode poor, broken-doWn horses,
which were SO slow and nerveIess that
they could not avoid the cumbersome
charges of the enraged bull.
The next step in the degeneracy of
the bull ring, according to Spanish
authorities, came with the appearance
of the woman fighter From the ranks
of Barcelona mill hands, girls of suit
able physique, handsome in face and
sufficient in courage, are not difficult
to select. AS mill hands they are vir-
tually slaves, earning only enough to
keep body and soul together AS bull
fighters they are the idols of the people
the recipients of showers of adulation,
with fine clothes and plenty of money
to spend. It is almost needless to say
that the most popular OF these ANA
IONS are the prettiest and shapeliest.
They wear the same garb as the men
bull-fighters, and they ride the horse
astride. If they rode with the side
Ia,o
proceeding, for a firm seat is essential
to safety of limb and life. In the ring
at some little distance it is quite i'm
possible to distinguish the sexes. The
girls are as tall as the men, and al
most as heavily built. There is moth
ing feminine about them either when
the fight begins.
On the day set apart for the women
bull-fghters there are only women in
the ring. The picadors ride in on
equine wrecks CARRIED ir the costume Of
the Spanish knight of the middle ages.
| These women look very handsome, and
ride with considerable grace. Follow
/ ing the picadors are the chulos on foot,
who wear wonderful cloaks, and enough
ribbon to stock a small shop. They
/ group themselves so that the swirling
mass of variegated colors will aggra
! vate the bull. After a short pause in
/ comes the matador with a naked sword
/ in her hand. She, of course, is the
queen of the day. The right hand
; holds the sword, and in the left she
carries the muleta-a slender stick