Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-16
AUDIENCE GASPS
As ROBERT KILLS
Continued from paEe one.
ly of them attending their frs

fight.
But they soon hushed.
A blare of trumpet, a sudden move
ment at a side door of the great arena,
and down went the bars.
Out Troop Toreadors
Out trooped the toreadors with Rob-
ert at their head. Clad in the finery of
the ring with their pigtails sticking
out from their heads they marched and
bowed to the. president, and the fight
was on.
Like a flash at the second call of the
trumpet the toreadors swung their
handsome capes from their shoulders
and exchanged them for the blood
stained and bedraggled capes of the
ring.
Like statues they stood, ready and
defiant. staring straight ahead and
waiting.
Then came the third call of the bugle
At the sound a gaudily dressed at
tendant threw himself against the door
of the whtewashed corral to the north
of the arena. For moment he held the
gate while he looked to see if all was
ready:
The Bull
Then there came a rumbling, the
sound of a heavy body dashing madly
against the wooden barrier, the wild
yell of the attendant as he left his post
and dashed for safety. and then the
corral gate dashed outward and with
a mass of dust and an outraged snort,
a splendid wild bull leaped through
the barrier, receiving as it did so the
color thrust, and wild with the first
touch of pain as the tiny barb bearing
the read and blue of Chihuahua pierced
its hide it charged to the center of the
ring, and then. awed by the bright light
and the expectant buzz of the people.
turned and waited.
The bull had never seen so many peo-
pie before. that poor old bull and it
took its time with the sight. The sun
light was the sunlight of it's own wide
ranges. Out over the valley it could see
the brown hiltops. suggestive of cool,
sweet hefbage. and il sighed big sigh
and turned TO the work of slaughter.
Out from behind one Of the guards a
man sprang lightly. For moment he
stood there and then from under his
arm Haunted a cape, a blood red cape,
and il writhed and twirled venomOusly
I'm front of the startled bulls eyes and
the toro could not overlook an insult of
that character.
Charges at Cape
For just a moment the bull waited
and paved the ground carefully.
Then with head lowered until the
needle points Of its horns barely swept
the ground el toro charged. charged at
that spiteful cloak and it's daring holder
But there was quick turn, so quick
that even the bull could not apprecia te
II. and master toro was plunging into
the folds Of the cloak snorting and
stamping while the toreador swept it
aside and retreated.
From the right and the left, from in
front and behind the toreadors closed
and the bull sent charge after charge
at the cloak until il was frothng at
the mouth in its fury.
Then came the call from the matador
and the cloakmen withdrew.
For moment the bull held the CEN
ter of the ring and with head lowered
in Sullen silence it waited for the next
move of his tormentors.
But it did not have to wait long and
Its expectations of excitement were
fully realized
At the order from his chief a clever
little banderillero stepped before the
bull and called.
Sends the Barbs
In each hand he held a long thin stick
pointed with barb. The baubles were
began to wonder why it was to receive
a bouquet.
But it soon found out. It took Just
enough chance with the little man and
charged. There was streak Of dust
as bull and man came together. a
deliciously graceful move by the man
as he leaned over the head of the
charging bull and planted the darts in
the tough hide, and then with a scream
OF rage the bull leaped mady In the
air while the cruel darts dangled from
it's side
And the man, the audience looked in
horror for the daring banderillero, but
he was standing quietly at one side
where he had stepped after receiving
the charge