A BULL FIGHT AT MADRID.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2889, 20 May 1878, Page 2

A BULL FIGHT AT MADRID.

Madeid, January 27. — Yesterday's bullfight was witnessed by^all the lloyal Family, the Ambassadors, and the grandees, and by 16,000 other spectators. It was a brilliant affair. First cauie the ■ cortege, which was brilliant, even after that of which 1 have already spoken; the Royal drummers and trumpeters, the gala carriages of the Dukes of Sex^o and Santona, the caballeros en plaza, Frascuelo, Hermosilla, Regataro, Sanz Mora, Sanchez, and Pastor, the first matadores, the best spadas of Madrid, then ten pages in their masters' colors, and distinguishable by the tints of the swathing which covers ttfeir legs, and two eoches de respeto. These are followed by the troop of torreros, picadores, banderillerous, and matadores. After them came two carriages containing the seconds of the caballeros en plaza, who have to present them to the King ; then mulillas and mozos, or domestics, oh foot. All is resplendent with gold and bright colors. There is a burst of cheering from all sides, and. all Spain rises to her feet to welcome her most adored heroes, who are soon going to make themselves either applauded with enthusiasm or hooted with fury. The sight is grand if unique; that mass standing cheering positively exceeds modern reality. The Caballerous alight from their carriages, and, having been presented to the King, mount their horses. All the others, save the alguacils, dismount, the music sounds, the gat.es open, and the first bull of the ganaderia ef Don Pedro Faldessey Sanz appears. The black brute, with its glossy hair and broad horns, plunges into the arena, stands for a moment confounded by the sudden light, and then, with its head bent, rushes towards the alguacils, who gallop away to the great amusement of the spectators. , Then begins that horrible festival to which blood adds interest in Spaiu. Men in Mantles,, of bright colors excite the bull and then escape from its fury, blinding it by throwing their garments over its eyes when it presses them closely. Then the amateur, or professional picador as it passes plunges his lance into its body, and the horror begins in earnest. Civilisation hides its face. The beast is the man ; the sympathy is for the bull tortured by the insatiable appetite of the man. Down from the black, and shining back of the animal descends a purple stream, coloring its flanks and legs and the sand which rises from beneath its hoofs. Horror is added to horror. The bull, with its crumpled horns, tosses the horse of the picador and its rider, and is turned away by the torreadors from tbe object of, its fury, from the open belly of the horse, its horns in turn streaming with blood and red to the ears. The two innocent beasts tear at each other, a torrent of blood flows from the horse's body ; it falls, opens its mouth, and lies gasping with frenzy. All this time the fight continues; the bull has received ten wounds. From time to time the proud animal, with its blood-stained horns, its strained neck and sad, almost tender, eye, s; ms to demand pity for its tortures ; but the man is wild, and instead of pity he gives it the banderilleros. Fresh torture is coming. Lithe men on foot prick and" tear it with hooks, and drive into its flesh little spikes, with many-coloured streamers attached to them. The beast plunges indignantly, and the tips of the streamers are soaked in the purple torrent gushing incessantly fromits, panting sides. Now a red foam appears on the bull's mouth, its tongue seeks air, the anguish of death veils its eyes. Instinct draws it to the gateway to escape , from its persecutors, the spectators stamp with applause, and throw their hats into the air in honor of the most brilliant of Torreros. —limes' Correspondent.

Pkobate &c., Duties.—Mr James Barclay has obtained a return, which was issued on Saturday, as to the Probate, Legacy, and Succession Duty for the year 1876-77. The probate Duty paid in the United Kingdom was £2,260,176, but, after allowing for additional duty and the refund of the amounts overpaid, the sum amounted to £2,184,980. The cases numbered 40,906, and the total estimated value of the property was £131,147,380. The legacy duty in the United Kingdom" amounted to £2,846,954 4s Id, and the succession duty to £849,340 5s Id. jThe probate, or ■" inventory duty," as. it is termed, was in England, on property, £107,802,625, in Scotland £15,972,505, and in Ireland £7,372,250.—Time5. The model husband has been found in Albany. He don't permit his wife to do more than half the work. She puts up the canned fruit, in summer and he puts it down in winter.