The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-10-01
THE CHILLI QUEENS.
THEIR THRONES WE'RE IN SAN AN
TONlO'S HISTORIC ALAMO.

hOyally fOr u Long Alme-Ihey were
Especially Gracious to the Tourist From
the North and Made 1t Pay.
When the northern tourist used to
strike the town, the first things the pa
triotic citizen who was doing the hon
ors would proudly steer him up against
would be the Alamo plaza chill stand,
with it's 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, "and tonight you must come and
eat a Mexican supper and see the chilli
queens. The chill queens are one Of our
most noted attractions-the beautiful,
dark eyed senoritas, you know"
The tourist generally knew. This
was in the late eighties, the palmy days
of the chilli queens, when their fame
had spread to the 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 the citizen and the tourist
stroll up to the gay looking chilli stand
with its big red, green and yellow Ian
terms and it's scintillating pyramids of
cheap but gorgeous glassware, she
promptly shuts up the sporty young
man who is bandying slang with her Or
quits haggling with the chill gorged
bootblack over change.
She hastily rearranges the flowers in
her hair and the big bouquet at her bos-
ON and beams on the new arrivals with
sparkling eyes.
The citizen addresses her with an
easy familiarity.
"Hello, Chiquita! HOw's tricks?"
"Hello, senior. Tricks are bueno.
How is my amigo, the senor?"
They all used the Spanish dialect
when they had special customers, de-
spite the 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 i'll
the island where the 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 adj
vantage on the tourist while she en-
cages in badinage with the citizen
you're looking prettier than ever
tonight, Chiquita. I'm glad of it, be-
cause we want to make good impress
sion on my friend here. He's from 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 1 have not single
nickel to give you, But take this flower
instead. -
She transfers big rose from her cor
sage to the citizens buttonhole The
tourist is beginning to want his share
of the fun.
Eyes, heard of you up there, and
that S one reason came down hereto
see you, you know.
"Oh, myl You must have a flower
too"
Her hands linger lightly on his coat
as she carefully pins a spray of honey
suckle on, and the 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 chill pep
pers, suggests the citizen. ''You say
you 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 Shiny
looking old Mexican who has charge OF
the steaming pots and kettles i'll the
rear and rattles off this with a celebrity
which seems to astonish the tourist:
Jesus, andarle! Dos platas de chill
con carne dos tamales con chill gra.
Wy, de enchilades tortillas, Y dos tazas
de cafe -
The fiercely burning chilli con carne
agonizes the tourist and he chokes OF
the enchilades, but he manages to strug
gle through the tamales by drinking 9
great deal of water. Meanwhile, the
chill queen sits opposite him i'll a Ian
gushing attitude and keeps up her tin
king laugh When it comes time to go
he insists on paying the bill, despite
the protests Of the citizen, and tender.
a s. bill. Chiquita seems to have trou
bic in counting out the change and {
thought strikes the tourist.
"Say, Chiquita, he says tentative
ly, "you needn' t mind that f.
"You mean you want to make me {
PRESENT."
AS that is what he means, she tuck
the bill in her bosom, and gives the
tourist fond look She takes another
rose from her hair and pins it on hi
coat and squeezes his hand in bidding