Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-10-28
HE CHILL QUEENS.
8 THRONES WERE IN SAN AN. ToNtOts HISTORIC ALAMO.


 \ North and Made It Pay
 kghen tho northern tourist used to
 bke the town, the first things the pa
 btic citizen who was doing the hon.
 # would proudly steer him up against
 ould be the Alamo plaza chili stand,
 Mh it's etteptait divinity, the far
 srhed chili queen.
 'Now. sir. you've seen the historic Muo. the old cathedral and the mis-
 ns and got q whiff of our ozone, {" the Mizen would remark with righteous &de, and tonight you must come and mt a Mexican supper and sec the chili Aeehs. The ehili queens are one of our Host noted attractions--the beautiful, brk eyed senoritas. you know.
 ghe tourist generally knew This las in the late eighties. the pal1ny days E the chili queens. when their fame lad spread to the larger northern cities. ko1ne very musical verse about them bad appeared i'll tho magazines, and in he newspaper sketches they were ideal led as stunning creatures, with the AIch, brown skins of the tropics and the bnguorous grace and bewitehing black Ives of Spanish donnas When the citizen and the tourist ktroll up to the gay looking chilli stand mith its big red. green and yellow Ian. |terns and it's scintillating pyramids of cheap but gorgeous glassware, sxe promptly shuts np the sporty young maI3 who is bandying slang with her or quits haggling with the chih gorged bootblack over change
 She hastily realTanges the flowers in her hair and the big bouquet at her bos- om and beams on the new arrivals with sparkling eyes.
 The citizen addresses her with an easy familiarity.
 Hello, Chiquital How's trieks?"
 s'4f ia s51fr Tricks are bueno Low l. ny s.lutso, the senor?"
 They all used the Spanish dialect when they had special customers, de- spite tue fact that other tongues came easier to some of them by nature. There were six reigning queens on the plaza in 1888, and one of them was of Ger man descent and another was born in the island where tho sod is highly green and there are no snakes. The other four, however, were senoritas of the genuine Mexican variety.
 Chiquita's eyes sparkle with their most brilliant luster. and, with quick succession Of flashing smiles, she uses her red lips and white teeth to good ad- vantage on the tourist while she en- gages in badinage with the citizen
 You're looking prettier than ever tonight. ghiquita. I'm glad of it. be- cause wo want 10 make Q good impres- sion on my friend here. He's from away up north, you know, and he's heard of you before. '
 Then Chianita uses her tinkling laugh and slaps the citizen gently on the cheek
 "So sorry, but l have not single nickel to give you, But take this flower instead. y
 She transfers big rose from her cor sage to the citizens buttonhole. The tourist is beginning to want his share gf the fun.
 Yes, heard of you mp there, and that's one reason came down hereto sec you, you know. U
 "Oh, myl You must have flower too"
 Her hnnds finger lightly on his coat as she carefully pins spray of honey suekle on, and tho tourist begins to be- lieve that he must have come down here for this He is enjoying himself very much.
 Well, let's begin on our ehili pep pers, suggests the citizen. You say yon never ate one before? We had better take little of everything. then, so you can say you did San Antonio right Bring us the whole bill of fare, Chiqui. ia.
 The queen turns sharply to the slimy looking old Mexican who has charge of the steaning pots and kettles in tho rear and rattles off this with celerity which seems to astonish the tourist:
 Jesus, andarle! Dos platas de chili con carne, dos tamales con chili gra- ", dc enehiiades tortillas. y dos tazas de cafe. i"
 The fereely burning ehili con caIne agonizos tho tourist and he choles on the eAehilades, but he manages to strug- gle through the tamales by drinking q great deal of water Meanwhile, the chili queen sits opposite him in | lan- guishing attitude and keeps up her tin king laugh. When 1t comes time to go, he insists on paying the bill, despite the protests of the citizen, and tenders Q s5 bill. Chiquita seems to have trou- ble ill counting out the change and thought strikes the tourist
 Say. Chiqnita, he says tentative ly. lyon needn't mind that if'-
 f'You mean you want to make me 2 .presentf"
 As that is what he means, she tucks Ahe bin in her bosom, and gives the Tourist fond look. She takes another tose from her hair and pins it OH his -n.,a-,aa bfr hnp1 in bf11inp