Evening star., 1928-12-16

versarv. stupid. failing to take advan-
tage. easily distracted from taking toll
of his tormentors Now the horse and
man lie at his mercy to quickly gore.
Yet in this tense second cape wielder
flashes a cape beside the angry animal.
Instantly toro, brave but stupid toro, Is
diverted He leaps in pursuit of the
flaming receding wall of color.
Immediately the grooms in their red
coats. with whips in their hands, are
over the fence. One seizes the doWned
horse by the tail, one takes 1t by the
bride, third beats it furiously with
his whip. Yet for full minute the
horse remains recumbent 1t does not
want to get up. The men twist harder
on its tail, upon the bride; the whip
falls remorSelessly.
1t is the turn of the second picador.
His horse is more nervous than the
first, for now in the air there is beside
the strong smell of the sweating toro,
the odor of warm blood The cape
wielder by clever work has drawn the
bull in front of the horse. With head
I'D the toro stares at his new enemy.
His sides are heaving. On one side
lust below the shoulder blade shows a
great red cash. The momentary rest
gives the bull much needed breathing
spell. Yet the picador cannot force his
horse forward It's forefeet mark time,
but it does not move. Abruptly The
bulls head goes down. He throws his
bulk with the force of a projectile.
There is something sickening in the
sound of the horses striking body. But
the animal is held by the fence. And
now the long, sharp horns, those horns,
alas. for the cause of the bull awkward
ly placed, tear into the quilting. Thrice
the bull thrusts upward. The padding
flies. There is a sound of ripping
cloth. But this third time the forns
get a more solid hold: one point is
caught in the girth. Now one realizes
the power of the bull. He heaves man
and horse in the air. They hang sick
eningly Then the girth gives. Horse
and man fall back against the fence.
A cape flashes before the bull, and,
again poor silly beast, just when he had
things all his own way, he hurries after
the Haunting rag. He is lured N front
of the third horse Once more he
charges. The horse Is sent tumbling TO
the sand. This time the toro's horn
goes home in something more than
padded blanket Seeming to know the
difference the bull roots viciously with
his mighty head. Yet still a. third time
the flashing cape leads him from his
prey. The grooms force the horse to
its feet, and the animals move toward
the gate.
THERE has been plenty of action
Il Three horses downed One done TO
death. Yet even as the last equine
went over, the crowd were yelling for
the next act.
From the stand the bugle sounds. It
is the call to the banderillero. But for
this bull at least no ordinary banderil-
lero will perform. Villalta, the matador,
the great espada, himself will do this.
Banderillas are thin sticks some two
feet and half long, made gay by COW
ering of crimped paper in many bright
colors At the one end is a small
! barbed point, very sharp.
| The man takes his place in the
center of the ring, one thin banderilla
| in each hand. He calls the bull. He
waves his arms He shouts insulting
things All the rest of the fighting
crew have withdrawn to not distract the
toro's attention. With head up, the bull
approaches with slow steps. He has
been hurt so much. He has charged
so much. A little of the edge is taken
from his fury by pain and growing
WEAKNESS. The man dances on his
] toes before him. Down goes the head