Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-10-30
THE chill QUEENS.
THEIR THRONES WERE IN SAN An
ToNIo's HISTORIC ALAMO.

EAsas Hsisn Il Ended, but They Raled
1syally For . Long Tims-1hsy Wsrs
Especially Gracious to the Tourist From
he North and Made II Fay.
When the northern tourist used to
strike the town, the first things the pa
txiotic citizen who was doing the hon
oes would proudly steer him up against
would be the Alamo plaza chilli stand,
with its attendant divinity. the far
famed chilli queen.
"Now. sir. you've seen the historic
Alamo, the old cathedral and the mis-
sions and got Whit Of our ozone, the
citizen would remark with righteous
pride. land tonight you must come and
cat . Mexican supper and see the chill
queens Tho chilli queens are one Of our
most noted attractions-th beautiful,
dark eyed senoritas you know"
The tourist generally knew. This
was in the late eighties. the palmy days
Of the chill queens. when their fame
had spread to tho larger northern cities
Some very musical verse about them
had appeared in the magazines, and in
the newspaper sketches they were ideal
lied as stunning creatures, with the
rich, brown skins Of the tropics and the
languorous grace and bewitching black
eyes of Spanish donnas
When tho citizen and the tourist
stroll up to the gay looking chilli stand
with its big red, green and yellow Ian
terms and its scintillating pyramids Of
cheap but gorgeous glassware, abe
promptly shuts mp the sporty young
man who Is bandying slang with her or
quits haggling with the chilli gorged
bootblack over change
She hastily rearAnges the flowers in
hcr hair and the big bouquet at her boz.
ON and beams ON the new arrivals with
sparkling eyea
Tho citizen addresses her with m
casy familiarity.
"Hello. Chiquitai How's trickss''
"Hello, senior. Tricks are bueno
How Is my amigo. the senor7''
They oil used the Spanish dialect
when they had special customers, de-
spite the fact that other tongues came
oasier to some Of them by nature. There
were SIX reigning queens ON the plaza
IN 1858. and one Of them was Of Cor.
man descent and another was born in
the island where the sod 10 highly green
and there ore no makea The other four,
however. were seuoritas Of the genuine
Mexican variety.
Chiquita's oyes sparkle with their
most brilliant luster, and. with quick
succession Of flashing miles, she pses
her rcd lips and white teeth to good ad-
vantage ON the tourist while abe en-.
yages In badinage with the citizen.
"You're looking prettier than ever
tonight ChiquitA I'm glad Of It, be.
cause We want to mako q good impress
sion on my friend here. He's ltom away
up north, you know. and he's heard Of
you before"
Then Chiquita uses her tinkling laugh
and slaps the citizen gently ON the
cheek.
$50 sorry, but have not . single
nickel 70 give you. But take this flower
instead"
She transfers . big rose from her cor.
age to the citizens buttonhole The
tourist Is beginning to want his share
Of the fun. ig
Eyes. I heard Of you up there, and
that's one reason I came down hereto
re You, you know"
"Oh. myi You must have flower
too"
Her hands lineer lightly On his coat
- abe carefully pins a spray Of honey.
suckle on, and the tourist begins to b.
ieve that he must have come down herr
for thiA He Is enjoying himself very
much.
"Well, let's begin on our chill pep.
pers," suggests the citizen. "You 9y
you never alto one before? We had bettea
take little Of everything. then, 20 you
can ny you did San Antonio right
Bring ~ the whole bill Of fare. ChiQui.
-"
The queen turns sharply to the Shiny
looking old Mexican who has charge q
the SCANNING pots and kettles in tn.
rear and rattles Oh this with CELEBRITY
which seems to aseonish the tourist:
Jesus, andarlel Dos platas de chill
con caEn0, y dos tamales con chilli era
". de enchilades tortillas. y dos taxa
Dc cafe"