Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-08-15


pic. Though the latter is merely a
, pole with no blade, but only a small
point, like the shod end Of an alpen-
stock, it is a formidable weapon when
cioverly welded.
At the age Of about two and half
a crisis arrives in the life Of fight
ing bull. The ordeal, which every ami
NAL must undergo, is one that very
few foreigners have witnessed.
In the cool Of the late afternoon q
party Of horsemen gather on a plain,
accompanied by a professional pic
,ador. Two of the number armed with
long lances, ride up to the herd, round
which is a guardian ring Of horsemen.
It should be mentioned that the full
herd has already been split into two
portions by the removal Of the belled
bullocks to distance of half a mile.
, The guards now allow bull to es-
cape and off the latter goes at once
toward his bullock friends, tail in air,
scurrying over the plain, closely pur-
sued by the galloping horsemen.
The latter. indifferently mounted on
eve neck ponies. do not usually sue
ceed in overhauling their quarry for a
few hundred yards; but then the near
est horseman, with his lance in rest,
ranges alongside and delivers prod.
The bull turns to one side, letting up
the other horseman, who In his turn
delivers a thrust and throws the bull
over.
UP gets the bull and again fees,
pursued as before by the horsemen.
The whole business is very like pig
sticking, with a much larger and
slower quarry This time the animal
makes toward the other horsemen.
who in scattered groups are for the
present spectators and possibly judges
Of the sport.
Before the bull reaches the latter,
however, one Of his pursuers ranges
alongside once more. when the bull re-
ceives a third prod and down he goes
again. Thoroughly annoyed, he swings
round for the charge, but his immedi-
ate adversary has galloped cn and is
out Of reach. He turns his attention.
therefore, to number two, whose place
has now been taken by the profess
sional picador. This man, with couch
ed lance, awaits the bulls onset. The
latter charges again and yet again, to
be received each time on the point c.
the lance.
And so the game proceeds. II the
bull after receiving plentiful sue
cession Of jabs, which merely infict
flesh wounds and do no serious harm.
is undismayed and continues to charge
as gamely as ever he Is considered to
have pluck and fire enough to be
worthy of the ring. But should he,
finding that his charges are fruitless,
turn sullsy, refuse to charge his oppo-
nents and endeavor to fee from them,
he is branded as cowardly, Is fattened,
and in due time is converted into beef.
The toreador has not always been
the hero of the bull ring. There was
leaoe a-bull that earned the plaudits OF
La Spanish arena on more than one oc-
casion by clearing 1t Of his antagonists.
Strangely enough the bull neither
killed nor injured any men, but he did
put to fight every toreador, matador,
picador, chulo or banderillero who
dared to enter the ring with him; and,
although the crowds came to see him
slain, his conduct proved so valiant
that the people demanded that his life
be spared.
This bull was named Lechuzo. His
first appearance In the arena was
made at San Lucar. He so suddenly
cleared the ring Of his enemies that
the people rose in admiration and de-
manded his reprieve, for despite his
bravery he would have been treach-
erously approached and put to death
in accordance with the usual practice
had not the people intervened.
Again at Cordoba upon the healing
Of the wounds inflicted upon him by
the picadors at San Lucar Lechuzo
drove all his enemies before him and
again his life was spared at the de-
mand Of the spectators.
So in time Lechuzo began to be re-
sarded as invincible, and finally he
ended his days in peace at the age Of
ten years. Some admirers were desir-
GUS of testifyins to his prowess by
erecting at San Lucar monument In
his honor, but nothing came OF the
proposal.
Some ten years ago herd Of Texas
bulls were imported from their native
land to Seville to give special attrac-
ton to a bullfght Of more than ordi-
nary Importance. Those American
bulls furnished the Spaniards with
some interesting sport.
The first of the intended victims
when confronted in the ring by horse
and picador wholly neglected the
horse, but paid instant and undivided
attention to the man. The bull bel
lowed as If from sheer delight at the
anticipated encounter and attacked
the picador furiously. He pressed the
fighter SO hard that. defense being
useless. the man sought safety In In
glorious fight by scaling the barrier
erected between the audience and the
ring as a provision Of safety.
The picador was ardently and effi-
ciently assisted over the barrier by the
horns Of the steer and was followed
so closely that he narrowly escaped
with his life by reaching convenient
gallery The steer did his best to get
at him, but, finding this impossible
looked about for other game.
The stone seats in the enclosure at
Seville were ten feet above the ground,
and this height has always been an
linsurmountable barrier for a bull, but
this time things were different, for as
soon as the Texan bull saw the throng
above his head he stepped back, and
the next instant he was among them.
Eefore the people could escape he
L L.If n la1ao ~ than infn