The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-02-06
BOIL RING ANTICS
Mexican "Sport" as Viewed
Through American SpectacIes.
TACTICS OF THE ToRERos.
They Were Better Runners Than
Fighters and Displayed More Cow.
ardiee Than ersvery-Mirth That
the Natives Couldn't Appreciate.

!
the Natives Couldn't Appreciate.
THANK you. AguIrTe. but I hardly
think ] want to see one of your buli.
lights. have heard enough about
them to make me sick Of the thought"
had seen every other kind Of fight.
from messenger boys up to bull moose
and buffalo. and Aguirre felt that I
would forever regret 1t IL ] left Mexico
without at least once witnessing the
national sport.
! reluctantly consented to accompany
Z him. ard after our dinner, instead OF
taking the II uai slesta. we went TO
the ring. d often read the stories
OF such fights, and after the series of
J three had beer finished / wondered II
any writer had ever taken the trouble
to describe the ridiculous and funny
stunts that crop out during the course
Of the fights.
The first bull that was released went
through the ordinary course OF sprouts.
first goring a broken down race horse
which had seen service on many OF the
tracks In the States and VAS used In
the bull ring only because he was a
thoroughbred. Finally the bull was
put to death by a stab between the
shoulders. which paralyzed his spine.
The second entrant was little black
fellow full of fire. which had been
especially raised on the big ranch of
Governor Ttrazzos. Between the toril
tpenj and the ring there was a short
alley. just wide enough to allow the
bulls to get through without rubbing
the hair from their fanks. Leaning
over the boards which formed the
sides OF the passageway was Mexi-
can negro. who. when the little bull
was showed out of the toril, jabbed a
fishhook 'barbo" into his left shoul-
der. which maddened the animal to
such an extent that he hardly knew
which way to turn, so eager was he to
locate his enemy.
The crowd at this time was going
mad and from all sides could be heard
frantic cries of "Cobardo. podrido,
putrefaccion" Coward, rotten, rotten
ness,. and "El torO cs muerto' lthe bull
Is deadl. On the contrary, he was
very much alive and showed ir few
moments later. After he was chased
into the toril the torero, whose name
was Albertis. appeared before the
presidents box. as Is the custom when
a failure is made. to explain himself
and ask for another chance before he
was condemned. The opportunity was
given. and the result was only repe
ttion of the former attempt. except
that the bull was prevented from
catching him by helpers who were arm |
ed with long pixies and prevented the /
beast from scaling the fence.
Springing ten or dozen yards |
toward the center of the ring, the |
frenzied creature stopped short, spread J
his front feet out as far as he could ,
and madly paved the ground. In his
shoulder the wicked barb still stuck,
and to 1t were fastened big yellow
rosette and half dozen red stream
ers trailing the ground.
Presently volunteer novice torero
tbullfighter on foob jumped over the
fence or the north SIDE of the ring and
advanced few feet toward the defiant
bull. One fiaunt OF the torero's red
bandera (banner) and the bull became
a demon. With head down he rushed
at the novice. who meanwhile had
lost his Serve. for he stood quaking
with fear when he should hive been
to meet the onrushing ami
NAL. When the latter was only twenty
yards away the volunteer dropped the
bandera ands espada tsworD and put
for the fence as fast as he could 60.
The fence was about four feet high,
and the t0rerO cleared 1t in a straight
way dive.
The poor bull was not SO fortunate
although ne was game enough to at
tempt the fence in his mad effort to
catch his tormentoE He landed on
top of the boards and stuck there.
with his hind legs In the air. until
he was released by some attendants
who 'ventured from the other side of
the ring.
I took heap Of fun out Of the antics
Or my little hero, the ball. and was
having good laugh all to myself while
the mob was going wild with disgust
W thC Wv VI aiDcTtlS xIltu | ,
Aguirre advised me to suppress my
mirth or there would be trouble for
both OF us.
When order was restored the little
black bunch OF muscle, Drawn and grit
vas brought Into the inclosure for the
hird time, but 1t took the efforts of I
.wo tOreadOrs (bullfighters on horse \
,ackj and a professional foot fighter to 9
'eat hlm. and his defeat was then due ,
'nly to the fact that he was exhausted
Aguirre told me that II was bad
orm In Mexico to laugh at anything y
n Il bullflght but the death of the bull,
tut remarked to him that IN all
america he would not find a gringo
yho would not instantly grasp the D
unny side of that particular bullfight +,
nd carry 1t home so that others might 7,
lueh too, Denver Republican. -
Taa Mueh