The sun., 1899-02-12
TWO LrovKssEs AND 4 BULL FIGHT
A Madrid Spectacle Seon by Thousands and
Pronounced Disappointing.

A Madrid Spectacle Seon by Thousands and
Pronounced Disappointing.
MADRID. Jan 23.--To- day all Madrid was eK-
cited and young and old turned out IN thou
sands to witness n sight seldom seen In a civit-
lied town-a fight between bull and two half
tanned lionesscs The eagerly awaited eyene
was to have taken place yesterday tSundayts
but the rain. which came down in torrents
kcpt people indoors. But day. when the sun
was shining brightly, the streets leading TO the
Plaza de Toros were. long before the opeuinG
of tho arena. thronrcd with excited crowds
eagerly discussing the merits OF the COM
batants panderec the bull. was described By
connoisscurs as a beauty a worthy son OF HE
sire. PcrdiSon. who immortalized himself By
goring TO death tho noted toreador, Espartero.
some years ago.
Yesterday. in spite Of the rain. some 10000
people visited pandereto in his stable and q
workingman. who had waEered n bottle OF vino
that he would enter the stable and face the
brute alone. was promptly pitched over the
partition by the fcrocious animal. though he
was lucky enough to get off with a few
scratches There was no fear. therefore. that
the bull would prove coward. On the other
hand Sabina and Ncmea, the two lionesses
who three months ago were dSporting them
selves in the sands OF the Sahara Desert. were
backed by their tnmcr to make a raw steak or
the hui IN less tnan ten minutes, Tue dulNlhih
having been kept without food for two days.
There had been an unprecedented run on the
ticket office, and when the bugle sounded for
| the first act the vast amphitheatre showed one
compact mass OF heads. A young toreador
entered the arena and successfully despatched
! two bulls, but the applause was merely per-
| functory. On sign from the manager the
cage containing the two lionesSes and the box
| with the bull were wheeled into the ring. The
odds rose quickly in favor of the latter, as he.
| Immediately on being released. made a rush
| for Sabina. who. crouching and snarling
! viciously. received him with terrible blow Of
| her fore claws. Pandereto shook himself free.
| and tossed her high in the air. Nemea had
| bounded aside at the bulls approach, but the
| latter quick lightning, wheeled round. and
| in n fraction Of second sent her. too. fly
| ing into space Charging afresh. the bull
! took Nemca up and drove his horns through
| her body against the bars OF her
| cage The public yelled itself hoarse
! with enthusiasm. and 1t was clear that
| the bull was going to carry the day. SabinS
| then was for a few minutes successful in dodg-
| ing the furious onslaughts of her opponent.
but presently. she too was caught on the ter
| ribe horns and fell all in a heap almost on top
! of her wounded sister. The spectators alter.
nately Kissed the lionesses and cheered the
| bull to the echo
The bull. now master of the arena, stood
| snorting defiance, while the lionesses. painting,
| their names on end with fear and blood flow
| ing from their wounds crouched beside each
| other Their tanner. furious at the bad show
| ing his pupils were making, approached cau-
tiously and proddcd them repeatedly with .
| pointed iron to action. until maddened by
| pain. the queens OF the desert rose again as II
| to recommcnce the attack. but scarcely had
| Pandereto seen them move when he rushed
| upon the wrctched beasts pnning them to the
| ground not without receiving severe maulinR
| from Subna who appeared to bo the puckier
| of the two.
| The spectacle was nearing it's end. The pub
| lie howlcd exccrations ut the lionesses and
! their tanner. The latter. who stood to lose a
good deal OF money. was beside himself with
rage. but no amount Of goading with pointed
| sticks. not even pistol shots fired repeatedly
| close to their ears, could make the poor beasts
| move They lay trembling close against each
| other and, famishcd though they Were, pieces
Of raw. dripping flesh temptingly displayed
| failed to arouse them. Nemen. with her limbs
| broken and deep wounds all over her body
| breathcd but family. and Sabna was In .
| scarcely better plight. The bull. contemptu-
ousy turning aside from his fallen cnemiess
| now fixed his attention on the wild beasts OUT
| side the arena who were cheering vocferously.
! and. paving the ground. made sundry move-
| mcuts as If to charge upon the spectators
| The liOncsscs were eventually chained to tho
| bars of their caGc-quite n superfluous precau-
| ton. owing to their exhausted state while the
| bull was enticed To the other side OF the ring.
| whence he was with great trouble led away to
| his stable amid thunderous applause, the blood
| dripping from an ugly wound in his neck and
| badly nccratod about the eyes.
Poor sport after all. was the public verdict.