Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1912-09-19
BULL RING ANTICS
Mexican Sport as Viewed
Through American Spectacies.
TACTICS OF THE T0ReR0S.
They Wee Better Runners Than
Fighters and Displayed More Cow
ardioe Than Bravsry-Mirsh That,
the Natives Couldn't Appreciate.

ardiee Than Bravsry-Mirsh That
the Natives Couldn't Appreciate.
Thank 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"
l had seen every other Kind Of fight.
from messenger boys up to bull moose
and buffalo. and Agulrre felt that
would forever regret 1t II left Mexico
without at least once witnessing the
national sport
] reluctantly consented to accompany
Etn. and after our dinner. instead OF
taking the usual sicsta. we went to
the ring | had often read the stories
of such dglts. and after the series OF
three had been 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 lights.
The first bull that was released went
through the ordinary course OF sprouts.
first goriug 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 n
thoroughbred Finally the bull was
put TO death by stab between the
shoulders. which paralyZcd his spine.
The second entrant wnS n little black
fellow full OF fire. which had been
especially raised on the big ranch OF
Governor TiraZZos. Between the toril
,pcnl and the ring there was 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 o. the passnGewny was Next
can negro who. when the little hull
was showed out of the tori. jabbed Il
fishhnok "barbo" into his left shout
de-. which maldcncd the animal to
such an extent that he hardly knew
which way to turn. so eager was he to
locate his enemy.
The crowsi ut this time was going
mad and from, all sides could he heard
frantic cries of "Cobardo. podrido.
putrefacclon" coward, rotten. rotten
ness. and lei toro es muerto' uhe bull
is dead. On the contrary. he was
very much alive and showed II few
moments later After he was chased
into the toril the torero. whose name
was Albertis. appeared before the
presidents box, rs 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 n 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 a dozen yards
toward the center OF the ring, the
frenZied creature stopped short, spread
his front feet out as far as he could
and madly paved the ground. In his
shoulder the wicked barb stu stuck.
and to 1t were fastened big yellow
rosette and Il half dozen red stream
ers trailing the ground.
Presently volunteer novice torero
(bulhghter on FOOT jumped over the
fence on the north side Of the ring and
advanced q few feet toward the defiant
bull. one flaunt OF the torero's red
bandera (banneD and the bull became
n demon. With head down he rushed
Mt the novice, who meanwhile had
lost his nerve, for he stood quaking
with fear when he should have been
advancing to meet the onrushing ami
NAL. When the latter was only twenty
yards away the volunteer dropped the
bandera and espada tsword) and put
for the fence as fast as he could go.
The fence was about four feet high,
and the torero cleared 1t in straight.
way dive.
The poor bull was not 50 fortunate,
although he was game enough to at
tempt the fence in his mad effort to
catch his tormentor. He landed on
top Of the boards and stuck there,
with his hind legs In the mir, until
be was released by some attendants
who ventured from the other side of
the ring
l took heap Of fun out OF the antics
Of my little hero. the bull, ana was
having a good laugh all TO myself while
the mob was going Wild with disgust
at the cowardice Of Aibertis when
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 ana grit
was brought into the inclosure for the
third time. but It took the efforts OF
two toreadors (bullhghters on horse
back and professional foot fighter TO
beat him. and his defeat was then due
only 10 the fact that he was exhausted
Aguirre told me that IL was bad
form Ia Mexico to laugh at anything
in bulihght but the death OF the bull.
but | remarked TO him that I'm all
America he would not End Il gringo
who would not instantly grasp the
funny side OF that particular bullfsht
and carry 1t home so that others might
laugh too.-Denver Republican.