The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-06-23

Every Mexican city has one or two
bull rings, and in at least two cities
there are double rings where two
fights eau be seen at the same time for
one admission fee, on the plan of the
big American circuses. Troupes of
bull fighters travel from one city to
another, just the same as \circuses,
playing engagements of severNl weeks
in each city and receiving stipulated
sum for each Performance.
Bull fights ate held on Sundeks and
feast days. 1t was to the PLAZA de
Toros bull ring that She writer lmade
his way. This ring l. shaped ike an
amphitheatre, open to the skyl The
arena is inclosed by psnk fench four
feet high, with rail a footIwide,
eighteen inches from the ground on
the inside, on which pkrformers step
and vault over the Fl hce when too
hotly pursued by an 3hgry bull, land
ing in narrow allC CNthat separates
the fence from the fiJs row of seats.
The arena is 200 feet diameter, and
the floor is of sat Apacked hard.
Back of the alley tweiF tires of plank
seats rise up. Abovdf these are the
boxes, furnished withA airs, crowded
closely together. Fad Y the arena on
the first tier of seats ia lie private box
of the referee and his kler, and near
by is the band stand. HE amphithe-
atre will seat 100 petkle. The ad-
mission ranges from tw hty-five cents
to 80, seats, on the sunni side of the
ring costing just one-hal, as much as
those in the shade. A blk costs from
SO to 500, and will hold rom four to
ten people.
The fights begin at 3 oNlock and
end at 6, but the crowd fgins to
arrive an hour before the spo Nbegins.
Mexican poems are poor, bueI ione of
them is so poor that he cannot Zig up
money enough at least every othel Sun
day to buy ticket for the bulf light.
They sit so close together on the
sunny side that their broad -brim, high
crown straw hats resemble circles of
toad-stools. The well-to-do and
fashionables occupy the boxes, and
there is always liberal sprinkling Of
foreignersin in the crowd.
Twenty minutes before 3 o'clock
the band arrived and was welcomed
with prolonged cheer from the
bleachers. The leader arose and
bowed his Acknowledgements, and
then the band struck up quickstep.
Then came the referee, and he was
cheered, too. The referee is q Gov
ernment or State official, and has
charge of the performance. 1t is his
duty to see that the bulls have a fair
show, to impose fines if members of
the troupe do not put up a good fight,
and to act as master of ceremonies.
The sport is governed by as stringent
rules as prize fighting. One rule is
that the bull must always be attacked
from the front, never from the rear or
side. To violate this rule means q
fine and an unmerciful scoring from the
bleachers, who are as sharp critics as
those who sit in an opera house gal
lery.
The referee no sooner takes his
seat than an indescribable yell goes
up from the impatient bleachers. The
referee mods to his bugler, who blows
the signal blast. The band strikes
up. The gates opposite the referees
box swing open and the troupe of bull
fighters enters the arena, advancing
to the referees stand and bowling low.
The matador heads the procession.
He is the star performer, who finally
kills the bull, considered the most ex-
citing and perilous feat performed.
He is followed by the capeadors, who
tlaunt gaudily colored capes at the
bull to anger him. Then come the
banderilleros, who, when the bull is
sufficiently stirred up, thrust sharp
barbs on each side of his vertebre
that make him wild with rage. The
picadors follow ON horseback, and the
procession ends up with three white
mules, harnessed abreast, with bright
colored ribbons flying from the harness
and strings of tiny bells jingling. The
mules draw out the dead bull at the end
of each act.
Your first thought is that bull fight
is tame affair. The little procession
is pleasing to the eye, and the feeling
OF horror th-t possesses you when you
sat down has worn away. The men are
picturesquely dressed in knee breeches,
short velvet jackets, trimmed with gold
lace and silver braid, and silk hose.
They might be French playactors, and
they step about and bow in as courtly
manner as prince might. The
bleachers applaud the paraders long
and loudly The horses are gaily ca
parisoned, and the trappings hide the
fact that they are poor, old, wornout
hacks that have been doped and
fed up for the killing. The mules
are driven out, aud the troupe arrange
themselves about the arena.
The mus,c of the band ceases and
hush comes over the 5000 people who
have gathered TO see the sport. The
referee mods to his N gler. Before the
blast has died ava Ahe low gates
opposite the band stand fly open and
the bull enters the arena from the dark
pen where he has been confined for