The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1912-03-08
BULL RING ANTICS
Mexican "Sport" as Viewed
Through American Spectacles.
TACTICS OF THE ToRERos.
Thew Were Better Runners Than
Fighters and Displayed More Cow
ardios Than Bravsry-Mirth That
tho Natives Couldn't Appreciate.

| In0y Wer0 oott0T S"
| Fighters and Displayed More Cow
ardios Than Bravery-Mirth That
tho Natives Couldn't Appreciate.
sThank you, Aguirre, but hardly
think want to see one of your bull
fights | 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 l
would forever regret 1t If left Mexico
| without at least once witnessing the
national sport.
reluctantly consented to accompany
him. and after our dinner, instead of
taking the usual siesta, we went to
the ring. had often read the stories
of such fights. and after the series OF
three had been finished l 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 broken down race horse
which had seen service on many of the
tracks in the States and was 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
A~lt Sci - <1vn oh had
especially raised on the big ranch of
Governor Tirazzos. Between the toril
(pen) and the ring there was a short
alley. just wide enough to allow the
bulls to get through without rubbing
the hair from their tanks. Leaning
over the boards which formed the
sides of the passageway was Next
can negro. who. when the little bull
was showed out of the toril, jabbed
fishhook "barbo" into his left shout
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 es muertO' (th8 bull
is dead) On the contrary, he was
very much alive and showed 1t a few
later After he was chased
into the tori the torero, whose name
was Albertis. appeared before the
s. box. as is the custom when
n 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-
tition 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
mis- front feet out as far as he could
md madly paved the ground. In his
shoulder the wicked barb still stuck,
md to it were fastened a big yellow
'osette and a half dozen red stream.
,rs trailing the ground.
Presently volunteer novice torero
on FOOT jumped over the
'ence on the north side of the ring and
ldvanced few feet toward the defiant
,ull. One flaunt of the toreros red
pandora (banner) and the bull became
demon. With head down he rushed
~ hn yh- v,xryHi
ost his nerve, for he stood quaking
With fear when he should have been
Idvancing to meet the onrushing ami
nal. When the latter was only twenty
ards away the volunteer dropped the
'andera and espada tswor6 and put
or the fence as fast as he could 60.
The fence was about four feet high,
nd the tOrerO cleared 1t in q straight
way dive.
The poor bull was not SO fortunate,
Though he was game enough to at
empt the fence In his mad effort to
atch his tormentor. He landed on
op of the boards and stuck there,
With his hind legs In the air, until
e was released by some attendants
Who ventured from the other side of
he ring.
| took heap of fun out Of the antics
+ my little hero. the bull, and was
aving good laugh all to myself while
he mob was going wild with disgust
t the cowardice of Albertis when
Iguirre advised me to suppress my
nirth or there would be trouble for
9th Of us.
When order was restored the little
lack bunch Of muscle, Drawn and grit
vas brought into the Enclosure for the
bird time, but 1t took the efforts of
wo toreadors (bullfighters on horse
ackpand professional foot fighter to
eat him. and his defeat was then due
My to the fact that he was exhausted.
Aguirre told me that it was bad
orm In Mexico to laugh at anything
D bullfight but the death Of the bull
ut ! remarked to him that In all
Imerica he would not find a gringo
rho would not instantly grasp the
unny side Of that particular bullnght
nd carry it home SO that others might
'ueh too.-Denver Republican.