The Washington herald., 1922-11-08


only novelty. in fact. which has
captured the popular fancy is the
burlesque bull fight. held generally
at night. For an American it is
at once the most senseless of ex-
hibitions and the most revolving.
The protagonists are three SOL
disants comedians-one in full
dress, another as Charlie Chaplin
and a third in a red pages uni
form. The antagonist Is young
bull little more than a calf. If all
the conventions and turns of the
real fight are caricatured, the ac-
tors might deserve the Homeric
laughter which thousands of peo-
pie accord them once every week
This laughter is incomprehensible,
for the crowd is composed of con-
noisseurs, for whom the real fight
Is the highest OF arts.
Call IL Huhom.
Mercifully there are no horses.
In this case II is the calf which
suffers. 1t dashes in full of en-
ergy. although 1t ,s scarcely old
enough to know how to use its
horns. The slap-stick comedy has
but one aim-to show what a fool
two men and a boy can make of a
willing but half-grown bull. There
is little danger. Chaplin, after do
ing the usual shuffling walk. al
lows himself to be hooked and
prodded around the ring. He
catches the bull by the tail. falls
across it. lies down in front of it.
He blindfolds his full-dressed COM
panion and scares him by pretend
Ing that he is the bull. Then they
all fall asleep against the barrier.
This is very amusing. Next come
the banderillas. Just what the joke
Is here It would be hard to ex-
plain. especially to the calf But
to make this stunt irresistibly hu-
morous the fuego Is used. Now
the fuego is seldom employed in
a real fight except against a very
bad bull. and then is generally
asked for by the crowd. But the
calf gets it. and when il finds that
It's hide is bursting with red. yell
low and green rockets its spirit is
broken. 1t tries vainly to leap
the barrier. believing with pain.
Often It falls to the sand ex-
hausted. and then the comedy
troupe falls down beside il and
bellows in its face. and everyone
is glad he came to a really funny
show.
Again 1t would be hard to ex-
plain why the scared little beast
should be killed in public and not
in slaughter house. But the kill
ing gives play to more comedy.
Chaplin bungles his strokes
wounding the calf, and then whis-
es-hisses-himself. to the de-
light of the audience. When the
animal falls dying the troupe fall
beside 1t and. with their faces
against II, pretend to weep.
There is something about this
show that suggests the Chinese
sport of racing cockroaches.
Bulls have peen getting a little
revenge this summer. One noted
fighter lost half his head. Another
won for himself a memorial statue.
A third. who was disliked by the
fans for his technique and who re-
ciprocated with interest, responded
to whistling one day by savagely
attempting stunts never tried be-
tore. His last words were: You
hijors de-, you're satisfied now.
You've killed me-"
The question suggested itself:
will Spaniards ever go in for real
sport?' Two days after seeing a
bull fight as American looked in on
the game which in Spanish Is called
"boxco." Let 1t be remarked that
If they could step from a bull ring
TO a prize ring. our reformers at
home would subscribe purses for
the encouragement of young pugs
The hall was dirty and small.
However, the crowd had a homely
look as it stamped and whistled for
the first bout. 1t even used English
words, such as ring" round"
"uppercut." hook" Swing" and
Knockout" distinguishable despite
the pronunciation. 1t referred to
certain names on the program in
terms which are the Spanish equiv
alest for ham and big cheese"
Call 1t Boxing.
Two Of the handsomest lads in
Madrid appeared in flowered dress
ing gowns. The formaltties were
according to Hoyle. There was an
embarrassed pause just before the
gong. as might occur between we'll
hammered children playing post
office" for the first time. And then