Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-07-19

hats, canes and adobe dollars are
showered into the arena by the excited
admirers OF the matador. He bows
his thanks. The bull totters, falls to
his knees and buries his nose in the
sand. An attendant runs up and
buries the point of dagger deep in
the bulls brain. AS the attendants
hand the hats and canes to the excited
people on the plank seats the bugle
sounds again. The three white mules
are driven in. A rope is fastened
about the horns of the dead bull and
he is drawn out The spectators wait
impatiently for the next.
Six times was this performance re-
peated during the afternoon. When
six bulls are dead the game is over for
the day. There are towards among
bulls as we'll as men. The second bull
that entered promptly jumped the
fence, and could not be induced to
fight The bleachers were disgusted,
and shouted their taunts loudly, hurl-
ing all kinds of epithets at the coward
ly animal. The referee needed their
cries, and ordered the bull returned to
pen. This was accomplished by let
ting in three spotted steers with bells
fastened to their necks. When they
turned to go out the bull meekly fol-
lowed them.
The third bull trotted in with the
majestic air of lion, his tail swung to
one side. He was big black fellow
with magnificent horns and full of
fight. He killed two horses in less
than three minutes, and almost killed
two capeadors. They escaped death
by miracle. When the matador drove
his sword into this bull he missed the
heart, and the point of the blade
emerged from the animals body sew
eral inches, just back of the foreleg.
Catcalls and shouts of derision greeted
the failure of the matador, but he re-
deemed himself. Deity he recovered
his sword, and at the next attempt
drove the blade in to the hilt, piercing
heart. The Mexican bleachers love
blood and skill; they want no false
moves.
The greatest Mexican bull fighter is
Ponciano DiaZ, and he is the most
popular man in Mexico with the masses.
Some of the feats he performs are won
derful. He will stand in the centre of
the arena, sword in hand, and await
the approach of the bull By a deft
movement he places his feet between
the bulls horns, drives his blade into
the bulls heart, and withdraws it so
quickly that there is not stain left on
the silk handkerchief he draws the
blade through. He is the personifca-
ton of all that is great to the people.
There were six bulls and eight horses
killed the afternoon the writer visited
the Plaza de Toris, and his only regret
was that he did not see bull fighter
gored.
If the troupes do not give good per-
formance the referee imposes fine of
from 500 to $3.50, which goes to the
city treasury. The bulls are bred on
purpose for the sport, and the original
stock came from Spain. The matadors
receive large salaries and great deal
of homage. The troupes ride from
their hotel to the bull ring in open car
riages and are saluted all along the
route. A troupe of Spanish bull fight
ers once came to Mexico and received
$3.50, 900 for eighteen exhibitions. Bull
fighting is scientific sport and not a
game. 1t is also very
dangerous work. At Durango, on the
afternoon the writer saw the fight in
the City of Mexico, four performers lost
their lives, two of them being killed by
the same bull. At another fight the
same day a bull tossed man thirty
feet in the air, killing him instantly.
Such accidents are wildly cheered by
the crowd, and the bull gets credit Tor
taking the opportunity.-New York
Sun.