The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-03-13
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SOLDIER BOY LETTERS
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Edgar ROwell Attends Bull Fight in
Spain.
Gibraltar. Feb. -. 10

disappointment yesterday when the
Verdi came in with nearly one
hundred bags of mail from the
States and not a bit of it was for
us. 1t was Gibraltar mail and some
for for ships that that have Left We had
just coolies Of mail and it was a
terrible blow Everybody is sore. at
things in general and the Base is
about as pleasant as a morgue. l
reckon our mail has been sent from
New York on some old mud scow
month Well, ! saw my first bull
fight yesterday and don't mind
telling you that it is my last also.
! with three other fellows from the
Base went over to Linea, Spain, for
the PURPOSE and we a had seats high
After the band had played couple
of pieces a gate opened and out
marched all the toreadors and plea
doris and matadors and stevedores
all dolled up lift, to kill" Behind
and t6e @ues wch we're to drag
out the dead bulls. They all did a
nice little bow in front of the Gov
ernor's box and then scattered over
the arena. Exit mules So far it
was good fight and very pleasing
to the eye. But bark! Now a gate
OPCho anu OuI jumps INV OA1Ch
bull having been prodded by some
thing astern. He comes to halt
in the center of the arena and sizes
up everything and everybody. Then
he looks around at the bright color
ed blankets that are being waved at
nearest one. Mr.. Spick just steps
out of the way and the bull goes
tearing past him. This peeves the
bull so he goes after him again and
misses. Then comes the rest of the
men me ito to shake na 5a IT. R at him and md
several minutes until the bull gets
real mad, then up rides one of the
Spicks on a horse The horse is
blindfolded on the side next the
bull, otherwise he might injure his
rider when he saw the bull coming.
down cab horses or something, that
were too worn out to work. Well
the guy on the horse makes faces at |
the bull and the latter makes run
for him and knocks the horse down.
Then he starts to tear into the
other one one ny He t goes after r. another
teen inch horn into the horses
shoulder and tears it open. He
back off and the horse stands there
with the blood running out of him
Can Can you H1 imagine s' that Thai being called
''sport?" It almost turned some
stomachs in our crowd but the
Spaniards all cheered the brave
heroes; The, bull is paving up the
out: There are three of them and
each has two sticks about a yard
long with iron prongs on the end:
One of them stands in the middle of
the ring with these stickers held
above, his head and the bull! makes
he plants these e. two jiggers right Il, in
works. Then the other two plant
their prongs in the bull without
getting a scratch. The bugle blows
with their long swords Mr.. Bull
runs at one and he runs the sword
clear through him. 1t goes into his
shoulder and comes out of his belly.
The blood pOurs out of his nose and
mouth and he hasn't a bit of fight
against the fence right under where
him in the neck with daggers and
swords until finally he gives up and
rolls over dead. The Spicks go
wild with delight just as though TyI
CODD mao IQdue d nome run All
hands in the ring bow and scrape
and then the mules are brought in
and drag the dead bull off. We
four sailors looked at each other and
by mutual consent got up and beat
it. There were five more bulls to
be killed but we had seen plenty
We gadded around the town until
the fight was over and then return
ed to Glib thankful that baseball
was our great national sport. Five
horses were gored to death during
the afternoon we were told and not
a man hurt. My opinion of the
Spaniards never was high and now
they are beneath contempt. They
actually enjoy such doings. It'll
certainly made us glad we were
Americans. I've gone more into de-
tail than ! intended to and have
used up lot of time. There's some
work to do so I'll have to stc-- Ast
always, Edgar,
p. S. Take my advice and don't
ever 60 to see a bull fight.
From NJ. r. Bennett.