Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-06-22

Besides, the people get rid of burden
which they have never been able 10
assume, get $4,000, 600 douceur for it
and then have the fun of watching the
Americans wrestle with the PROPOSE
ton. So they fight the bull, dance the
bolero and fandango and make merry,
for tomorrow you may be in purgatory.
The Andalusians soon recover from
blows to the national honor and cred
it. Seville has never ceased from en-
joying herself one moment because
war was waged. One day of sport is
not enough for the people of the famed
old city in which to express their graf
itude for the return of the day of res
direction. The whole month is barely
sufficient, but one must rest even from
fun. So only with the end of April
did fiestas cease for a time
April2 was the opening day this year
of the continuous performance in Sc
vile. Of course nothing but a bull
fight would do for beginner. He who
mencement would find his public vast
ly critical and the box office receipts
small. SO the affair opened duly with
a grand bull fight with the celebrated
stock of Don Carlos Otaolaurruchi.
The beasts received the thrusts of the
most famous Antonio Fuentes, Emilio
Torres and Antonio Monies in turn.
What better or more auspicious be-
ginning could be had for a month of
revelry?
The next day Carmen ruled supreme.
The cigarette girls and their SWANS
held sway. 1t was their fete for two
days. They have many factories in
Seville, where the small tubes are
turned out, and what more fitting on
this occasion than that the operatives
should make holiday? So for two days
the streets rang with laughter cafes
were filled with gayly dressed dancers
and caballeros paid assiduous court to
maidens fair with fingers smirched
with the tobacco Of Havana. That is.
it was formerly Of Havana, but los
Americanos are in Havana now and
the tobacco comes not. But on with
the dance.
Go-as-you-please on the river fol-
lowed. Then came the cycle races,
and here Spain may we'll be called up
to date. Then the Eslava theater
was used for a grand concert. Who
played in this? Why, the children of
the college for mutes, the deaf, the
blind. Spain loves music, none bet
ter. So what should be more appro-
pirate than that massed bands should
give concerts while don and donna
passed in review? The delectable
park of Maria Luisa was used for these
concerts and all the bands in the city
were impressed.
This was followed by an open air
ARRAY with bulls. This is a sort of
free-for-all, with the bulls as a mark
for everybody. But, of course, ell
toro gets the worst of it, for the
guardia civil would be unable to pro-
tect the people who naturally throng
to the place of excitement if toreadores
were not present in numbers to head
off the bulls.
Then followed another grand bull
fight. Over in Spain they fight bulls
and little else. When the stock of
two horned, four-footed enemies plays
out they quit fighting and talk about
it. SO after batting a few big brutes
on the plaza, or whatever they call the
suburb district where they have
room enough for this strictly Andlu-
sian sport, they arrange another con-
test where the matador has it all his
own way, provided he is quick and
active.
The Sd of the month over, the people
devote themselves to their duties. A
mass is said in the open air in the eX-
tensiVe lawn at San Sebastian. Here
as strong a contrast as could be found
anywhere is presented. Yesterday the
people were mad with fun. They
yelled and shrieked as the bull tossed
some tOreador in the air. They
howled their appreciation when the
huge beast sank under his death
wound. Today with bent brows and
bent knees they assemble in throngs
on the wide plaza and lift up their
voices in worship. The supreme rite
of their church is observed with as
much decorum as yesterday was alb
solute freedom. Still all is joy with
out shadow Of grief
Spain may have lost all but honor
She may have repudiated her national
debt. She may be reduced to the
peninsula in territory, but she is not
weeping. Let America get busy over
the problems she could not solve, she
sees bull fights, has a good time and
says let the world go weep, we will
have a bull fight.