The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-02

dinner-plate, is just behind the head at
each side of the backbone, and one must
admit that the man VINO, without horse,
or armer, or attendant capadores, can do
this. possess alike skill, courage and au-
dacity.
And now our poor bull, bleeding from
hundred wounds, and weearied with his
long pursuit of flying and shadowy enern-
les. began to show symptoms of exhaus-
ton. bloody foam gathered and dropped
from his muzzle; his believing challenge
OF battle took on a moan Of pain and ter
ror, and his eyes were wearied and blood
snot- He had been tromented TO the last
point OF endurance, and time for the mata-
dor had nc~ arrived, and the people were
loudly calling for him, and the death of
the domeN animal, who, fight he never so
well, must always play his losing game
and die.
Leaping lightly over the barrier. Fras-
cuelo appeared, in one a straight two
edged sword. in the other a little red flag
attached to stick-this Is called the mu-
leta, and serves to divert the attention of
the bull. Moving gracefully to the point
opposit the royal box. the matador e
mission 50 slay the bull in honor Of His
Majesty the King. The Alcade gives he
necessary permission in MS name, All the
matador turns his attention to the bull
who is slowly approaching, paving Il e
ground and uttering low. moaning cries,
half anger, half pain, For moment the
man and beast study each other, the bull
full of logged despair, the man triumph
antly Then the latter, waving the muleta
before the animals eyes, invites fTay;Steps
nimbly aside as the creature seems di-
rectly upon him, turns, and again flaunts
the little banner, until at last the conven-
lent moment arrives and with victorious
cry the heavy sword is planted in the vital
spot at the base of the skull, and with one
tremendous effort is buried to the hilt
A team of gayly decorated mules gallop
in, drawing a hurdle, upon which poor
Taurus is dragged out. his hide TO be
stripped off and his flesh sold to the very
poor, who thus enjoy his death twice over.
How often did think of our great phil
anthropist Henry Bergh, that dismal af-
ternoon, and wish that his noble teachings
might extend to Spain!
The reporters-for this precious home in
stitution of ours has made it's way even
TO far-distant Spain-called later on TO
know my impressions of the grand bull
fight. and I was forced to tell the them
that my sympathies were entirety with the
four-legged, instead of the two-leggcd
brutes.-Mrs. Frank Leslie, in Frank Les
lies Popular Monthly for February.
COST OF LIVING IN PORTO RICO.
EVERYTHING in Puerto Rico is moderately
high-priced, even with the exchange of sill
yer in Americas favor, says William Lin
widdie in his special correspondence TO
HaIpers Weekly from that island. The
American army demands more and buys
UIore than did the Spanish army, and, as
a result, prices have risen, controlled to
sGr,e extent also by the fact thai the
Puerto Rieans have discovered that the
Americans are more prodiglI with their
means, and are yi!lng to pay higher prices.
At the Ingla;crra Hotel in Gan Juan, and
also at the Hotel Francois in Ponce-which
are the leading hostelries Of these two
cities the daily rate. including twelve
O'Clock breakfast, six O'CLOCK dinner, and
s!eeI 'ng-ropm IS s5.75. Coffee, eggs and
b. cad in the cafe IN the early morning are
up to s425 Spanish, or, at the prevailing
rate of exchange, about s2.75 American, per
diem. The service one receives in return
for this would, in the Limited States, be
considered high-prscsd at $50. 1t will be
found difficult to live under $50 per month
anywhere on the island, whether hotels or
private boarding houses are patronized.
General Quitting goods are. somewhat
lower than in the United States. Thin
cloths are very cheap; suits of. good ser
viceable linen and colored stuffs may be
made up at the tailor at prices ranging
from $3.50 to so Spanish money. Fine
dress-goods command more than Ameri-
can prices. Shirts. undercIothes, collars,
and cuffs are as high as in the United
States, and are not nearly so well made
though fabricated from quite as good ma
terials. Good shoes-Puerto Rican hand
be obtained at prices rang
ing from s. to s. Spanish. and fine French
goods are to be had at fifty per cent more,
in the same money, which gives one an ad-
vantage here over America, so far as foot
gear is concerned.
Foods are both dearer and cheaper than
in America, depending upon whether they
are imported or home products Butter Is
a luxury for which you pay 10 cents
tiny pat: cooked eggs are to 10 cents
apiece in the cities; milk can only be had
in the morning, at 10 cents quart; ice, |
in the towns where there are elephants. is
becoming the proper thing, but it comes |
higher. few Zines. than an American |
combine can lift it;cold beer on ice is worth |
30 cents a bottle-a month ago every native |
cafe proprietor insisted that it would break |
the bottle to put in a-cooling, but he has |
been convinced of his error under our ex- /
cellent tuition; coffee is a dream, a ten |
cents cup. and chocolate a nectar indeed
at - cents: pungent cIarets, good withai /
are cheap at 50 cents a quart bottle: Hen
messy three-star brandy at 81 a bottle and
devils own-at two centavos a
drink.
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