The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1898-08-03


of the boxes. 'Ne
Dona Lolita. in spite of tina. suoo.
shy occurrences of hers, has noted ar
effect of her costume on la EspnpoI..
she rejoices within herself owe,
though she is beginning TO tremh,a
wee bit, and wishes that il were n.y..
yet time for her husband 70 kin an
bull. She again measures the Az
lance between herself and the ground.
il is seven feet-quien sabe!
She is trembling from her daiptr
head down to her tiny, pink-boweJ
Spanish slippers all the time that "FI
Largo" is torturing the furious p,,,
ing bull with his sharp banderiIlas
She clasps her hands tightly togetbor
as, finally firing of the banderilIa
work-which, in fact, has been soma.
what long drawn out ION account q,
the matador, 'El Chatto's, sudden
sickness and faintness"-the public of
the sunny side began to clamor for
"El matador! Mate Ell toro! One
venga ell matador! FL matador,"
The gate swings open al last, and "El
Largo" still leases the bull as "rI
Chatto" moves forward slowly. and
bows first to the president and then
to the public. In spite of his magnia.
cent silver and violet costume. the gold
lace, the red bullion trimming with
capa of gold brocade, he looks deathly
ill-his face is white and drawn. and
under his eyes great black rings show
that extend almost halfway down his
face. Everyone remarks it. and for.
eigner who has looked keenly at the
bull-fghter, says, sharply: THAT fell
low ought to drop out and go home;
he's in no condition to fight"
But "El Chatto" is game. if he is sick
perhaps the presence of his wife in.
spires him with fresh courage, for he
unsheathes his bright, keen sword,
mods briefly to "El Largo" who gets
out of his way, smiles once at Lolita.
who is, beneath her mantilla, far
whittier than he; then makes tan
talizing movement at the bull
That animal-one of the huge fiery
Andalusians that are the very terror
of Mexican -fghters-comes on
with roar of fury, head swinging
low to the ground. and the angry foam
flying. "El Chatto" lodges, and places
himself nearer the wall to meet the
bulls return rush. On he comes again.
with an angry below. and "El Chatto"
shakes his sword playfully in the
brute's face, as is the Spanish custom,
six or seven fancy passes, and then
the kill!
After all, no enc can fight bull as
does the Spanish matador. At least,
during "El Chatto's" splendid work of
the next seven minutes. that is what
the people think. All of them are on
their feet, shrieking, some breathless
with delight! Silver dollars, and hats,
and flowers rain down into the ring,
but "El Chatto" has not time to bow
his thanks; he is too busy parrying
the plunges of the Andalusian; "furi-
ouser and furiouser." as Alice in Won
derland might say, the beast is making
il quick work for the matador.
On her feet, as is everybody else,
for that matter, Lolita is watching
every motion, her heart beating in
great leaps. and so excited and
wrought up now that she has forgotten
TO feel afraid.
Bull and matador are just I'M
derneath her, and twice her husband
has glanced at her significantly; she
is watching with her heart in her eyes
One pass of the sword before the bulls
eyes; one leap over his back; one pass
of the sword backward over the shout
der-now then, Dios help-a-h-h!
In the twinkling of an eye there
goes up from the thousands of people
loud groan of horror, pity, terror
they are all on their feet, watching.
For all in a second it happens; the
matador, suddenly reeling. after a
fancy pass at the bull, has cast one
agonized look up at his wife, and fallen
prone on the ground. The bull does
not see, for the furious impetus of his
last charge has taken him several
feet beyond the matador. At the lat
ter's side, on the ground, is the bright
sword, that now will not save him. The
man was sick, unable to fight.
But before the people have we'll seen
that, however, there is a quick leap
and fash; slight childish figure is
in the ring, her mantilla is east back.
the pink rose has fallen into the dust;
her tiny, white hands have caught III
the sword. AS the bull swings madly
forward. she meets him. He is an
enormous beast, and to be on linz
hn, oh n
on tiptoe. She does it. Her face Is
white and calm as the brute rushes at
her, lowering his head. She springs
forward and upward; the sword sink:
out of sight in the bleeding shoulder
no fancy passes for her!-and the bull
topples over on his knees, the blood
gushing out in torrents. He is dying
dead!
The mantilla is trampled into the
dust the pink rose is now faded, red
dened scrap, but the woman, her hands
blood-stained and her face white as
death, knows nothing about that On
her knees, sobbing like baby, from
oyerwrought passion and nervous
ness, she is holding her husbands I'M
conscious head in her trembling arms
As for the populace, they have
passed from horror-stricken silence
and terror into hysterical shouts
screams, applause and even tears
Every woman in the audience is weep
ing copiously, every man is shriekine
and stamping and applauding at the
top of his voice lin his heart enN!lns
the matador) as the girl, who has III
some mysterious way revived her hus'
band, rises to her feet, and the two
stand together for a moment, bowing
Then comes the exciting part OF IT,
Out come purses and dollars, and even
jewels from the rich ladies present
and masses of flowers. Amid shouts
of "bravo!" down it all pours into thf
ring. AS for the great banker, FRAN
quillo, who is so excited that he can
hardly move-down goes his footman
with a message 10 La Espanola.