The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-29
WILL NOT STOP BULL FIGHTS
Richard Harding Davis Denial as 70
SPANS Young King.

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Richard Harding Davis Denial as to,
SPANS Young King.
A number Of reports have come from
Madrid to the effect that the young King.
Alfonso Kill, means to put stop to bull
fighting in Spain. According to Richard
Harding Davis, however, there is no truth
in the reports. Mr.. Davis gained the
personal friendship Of the boy-ruler while
in Madrid during Corona tion-Week. In
an article in Golfers Weekly, describing
the event, the famous correspondent
says:
The great event of the Coronaton-Wee
was the royal bull-fght Both to the
people of Madrid and to the foreigners 1t
promised to be the function of the great
est, the most thrilling interest. And it
kept It's promise Among many SPLEEN
did NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., receptions, BAN
DUETS and fetes-in the Palace gardens, 1t
was unique national and magnificent,
Every country can hold a review and any.
king can give banquet and any cat
can go to kings garden party and look
at him, but there Is only one King-the
King of Spain-who can give a royal
bul-fght.
There were several reasons why, long
before the event, those Spaniards who
were wise in their general ton, began to
struggle for a place at the royal bull
fight. as Englishmen are struggling now
for a seat in Westminster Abbey For
one reason, in many years 1t was the hfst
recognition by the King and Queen OF
the national sport; secondly. three young
officers of the most noble and most an
cient families of Spain were to descend
into the arena and place themselves IN
comparison with ths professional quiz
fighters; and, thirdly, the Palace Guarn
had claimed their ancient privilege u
protecting the King from inside the rins,
and the King, quite as jealous as t1les
of his prerogatives, ana III case LIE
might be any doubt in their minus on lne
subject had ordered them to 90 50. WIZ WIZ
this fact became known there was not q
h,,lI-r;ne enthusiast In Madrid, nor. for
4b,t matter, any one else. who dld not
aacl,ra that he would have seat 1or
tb.t particular bull-fight even II ne hdu
ito sit on barrel
Won must picture, under an open wv
.kv. a roofless wall OF huiha,, ". ~
rising in compact rows to the hcisN -
., six-story building. the men ~ ~,
eeous uniforms, the women Will "
iant flowers under their White 1l1antila a.,
yn,arine each tier OF boxes. drapea WIZ,
+ha oldast and finest Of Flemish ana
cnan;sh tapestries, with velvet ana Sot''
t,nt,roideries, with family coats OF atii.a.
against the skyline a gorgeous ialnoo"
Of fluttering flags and III the Ii!ls W
low men in costumes, r3lo WIZ 81
ace. who waved blood-red NANTES ana
IN nd
I'D for safety over the barrier, Ilas1eo
;il,o great goldfish in the sun. Imagine,
rverv two minutes, the people VINO
formed this circular wall, six stories hlgh
snrinr;nr toS their feet and shrieklne.
cheering. expostuating, entreatine' al
of them quite mad, all of them CULVER
ING WITH excitement, shaken by tne
sieht Of real har-breadth escapes, OF
| real risks Of human and brute Nte' ~
! the sight of squirting blood ana slaush.
| tered animals It was return 70 i.ts'
principles, it was medieval; prim'tlve,
harbaric. Ths whole sixteen Thousand
neop,c. proud princesses, amiable am
bassadors, generals and adlnirais' CIV
ilians and blase patrons OF tne p,1s.-
ring were MET on a common footlhs.
had returned TO the days OF PAID siduiA
! tors and the Christian martyrs.
There were nine bulls Killed. anu ~
one cares to think how many horses: -
as many minutes one pun hilieu t, ~.
| until the ring looked and smeited mi
| 4 shambles, Bat in an instant. VIII
! a ereat ianel;nr of bells, the carcasse5
| Ind been dragged from sight,Athe arenf
| lad been resn,s,,t, the blood hidden W.T.
| white sand and the boy Machaault9
| famous over all Spain hat in one hanp
| and sword and cloak iii the othei. WIS
| shouting IN at the King with grandiiY-
| ouant. impa ssorled gestures, dedicati1s
| to His Majesty the death OF tne W.
| Sometimes the matadors bunsiea. II
! retreated amid jeers. bowlng 1or
don; sometimes one "ou1u ~ w. W.
sword so true that the great pun piut f.:
dead at his feat and then the wallsIof
/ neople shc1,S and> swayed, and the f3as
stood uDand raised his field n1arshfLs
lat to 4he bul-fighter and tossed pm
a box OF jewels ~, tn,
/ The three amateurs tried to leave lie
4 ring. thorsa nds of voices comma saed
them to return and receive their reeEa,d.
And, together they rode once arouhf me
arena, salloping abreast, LOOKING Hae
the Three Musketeers, IKE plc,ul 4 ny
4 Velasauez while spanish sIlllus S a..a
4 princesses Young girls and great kaes,
i German fisld-marsllals and EIEish.
4 French r min Japanese and Rsaian
generals stood on their chairs and Found
!. ed their gloyed hands together ana Eaout-
! ed at them in every language the
civilized world.
4 shcrt-1, had as much money z, you
4 have / wouldn't be 50 blamedE fingy
LII, ,nns i -. dear boy, that is III very
reason you will never navel nave IL go
News. II