The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-07-26
PARIS LETTER.
Our Correspondent witnesses IA Ball Fight
In a TheateF.
PARIS, FRANCE. July 9, 1900.

at one of the foremost variety thea
tiers in Paris, the Folie Bergere. The
program which began well with Il
most beautiful ballet soon fell back
into the regular succession of acroba-
tic performances, clowns, soubrettes,
and one act specialties so familiar to
the audiences of the larger cities of
the United States. The climax of
the performance everyone felt was to
lie in the bull fight announced well
down toward the end of the program.
When at length this number was
reached, the excitement of the au-
dience became palpable. The Or
chestra played the shivery tremulous
'Lizzy crossing the ice'' music, so
known from Uncle Toms Cabin days.
The curtain was raised and the stage
brought in with great deal of labor,
heavy iron posts and planted them
firmly across the front of the stage
Onto these as supports, there were
clamped tier on tier of lateral bars
men working from the inside and
outside of the fence. This enormous
iron barricade was bolted firmly to-
gether and reinforced by stays from
the side of the audience. The COM
pleted structure was fifteen feet in
height, and there was some excite
ment when the last workman left Oh
the outside clambered over the fence
to regain the stage. Meanwhile upon
the stage a semi circle of detachable
board fencing was arranged and
above this balcony where presently
small audience of gaily dressed peo-
pie took their places. Soon the ma
tadors, one or two mounted, all gaily
dressed, marched into the ring, and
after solemn procession, threw off
their extra garments tossing their
capes and gloves to their favorite
sweetharts in the balcony. They
then with the audience waited with
bated breath and painful suspenses
for the impending conflict Present
ly there was pushed through door
waysonto the stage a quaint young
believing calf. This poor innocent,
with delicate pink horns just peep
ing from under the red hair of his
forehead, made violent efforts to
escape back into its stall, but present
ly it was in the ring and the gate was
barred behind it.
Then a half dozen hurley Spaniards
took their lives in their hands," so
to speak, anG began to prod this calf
around the ring. The anxiety of the
animal was always and only to es-
cape. At one time it would run to
the gate, at another trembling with
fright, it would pass back and forth
along the iron barricade fit to be
compared with the Paris monument
tai gateway at the Exposition, and
strong enough to hold back all the
wild bulls in the swamps of the Qua
dalquivir; and this little calf would
w iiAo PluSC us ChouSii ~ uNi-
NIT both of its little horns at once,
believing all the while for the mercy
of a Partisan audience, in which
there was sprinkling of Americans.
Whenever this unfortunate made a
quick move, all the brave Spaniards
would vault the rear fence into the
passageway between it and the bal
cony where the Spanish maideDs
were supposed to be urging them on
with shouts and the waving of shawls
and fans. When danger was passed,
they sprang CALAMITY back and
stuck a few BRAIDED spears decked
with ribbons into the shoulders of
the calf.
Finally, since calves are too ex-
pensive to kill for sport every night
in Paris, the doors of the stable were
opened and with a parting below of
delight, with tail in the air and
scampering hoofs, the calf disappear
ed, his tortures over until 10 p. III.
the following evening.
But Paris and the French author
tiles have this year again consented
to place themselves on the lowest
level in the amusement world by per
uniting and patronizing real bull
fights in the neighborhood of this
city. A few days since, a most dis
graceful series of proceedings took
place at Deuil. The attractive pro
gram spread before the audience
there included the slaughter of six
bulls, in the killing of only one OF
which there was reported to be any
skill. There was an attempt to assas-
sinate one of the matadors before the
sport began; there were a number OF
horses disemboweled; there was q
free fight in the audience between a
man and a woman.
While the last bull was being killed,
seventeen ladies tainted and had to
be carried out. One wonders why
these delicately organized persons
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