Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1900-07-26
EXPOSITION LETTER.
(FRoM OUR REGULAR C0RREhPoNDENT)
Paris, France, July 9th, 1900.

A few days ago l spent an evening at
one of the foremost variety theatres i'll
Paris, the Folie Bergere. The program
which began we'll with most beautl-
full ballet soon fell back into the regu-
lar succession of acrobatic performances,
clowns, soubrettes, and one act special
ties 30 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
we'll toward the end Of the program.
When at length this number was
reached, the excitement of the audience
became palpable. The orchestra played
the shivery tremulous "Llzzy crossing
the ice" music, so known from Uncle
Toms Cabin days. The curtain WAS
raised and the stage cleared. A halt
dozen workmen 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 lat
eral bars, men working from the inside
and outside of the fence. This enor-
nous iron barricade was bolted firmly
together and reinforced by stays from
the side of the audience. The COM
pleted structure was fifteen feet in
height, and there was some excitement
when the last workman left on the out
side clambered over the fence to regain
the stage. Meanwhile upon the stage
a semi-circle of detachable board fenc-
ing was arranged and above this bal
cony where presently a small audience
of gaily dressed people took their places.
Soon the matadors, one or two mounted
all gaily dressed, marched into the
ring, and atter a solemn procession,
threw off their extra garments tossing
their capes and gloves to their favorlte
sweethearts in the balcony. They then
with the audience waited with bated
breath and painful suspense for the
impending conflict. Presently there
was pushed through doorway onto the
stage guant young believing calf.
This poor innocent, with delicate pink
horns just peeping from under the red
hair of his forehead. made violent ell
forts to escape back into its stall, but
presently it was in the ring and the
gate WAS barred behind it. Then half
dozen burly SpaniurGs 'took their lives
in their hands" 80 10 speak, and began
to prod this calf around the ring. The
anxiety Of the animal was always and
only to escape At one time it would
run to the gate, at another trembling
with fright, it would pass back and
forth along the iron barricsde fit to be
compared with the Paris monumental
gateway at the Exposition, and strong
enough to hold back all the wild bulls
in the swamps ofthe Guadalqulvir; and
this little calf would try to find a place
big enough to admit both of its little
horns at once, believing all the while
for the mercy Of Partisan audience, in
which there was sprinkling of Amerl.
cans. Whenever this unfortunate made
made a quick move, all the brave Span
iards would vault the rear fence into
the passageway between it and the bal
cony where the Spanish maldens were
supposed to be urging them on with
shouts and the waving Of shawls and
fans. When danger was passed, they
oprang CALAMITY back and stuck few
branded spears decked with ribbons in
to the shoulders of the calf. Finally
since calves are too expensive to Kill
for sport every night in Paris, the doors
of the stable were opened and with q
parting below Of delight, with tail in
the air and scampering hoofs, the call
disappeared, his tortures over until IL
p. m. the following evening.
But Paris and the French authorities
have this year again consented to place
themselves on the lowest level in the
amusement world by permitting and
patronizing real bull fights in the
neighborhood of this city. A few days
since, a most disgraceful series of pro-
ceedings took place at Deuil. The at
tractive program spread before the au-
dience 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 free
fight in the audience between a man
and woman. While the last bull was
being killed, seventeen ladies tainted
and had to be carried out. One Won
ders why these delicately organized
persons were there and why they could
find within themselves no premonition
nj tho brutal character of the Derfor-