Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-10-07
ais CHILLI QUEENS.
lElR THRONES WE'RE IN sAn AN. ToNFo's HISTORIC ALAMO.

Especially Gracious to the Tourist From
 the North and Made It Pay
 When tho northern tourist used t9 strike the town, the first things the pa. t1iotic citizen who was doing the hon. ors would proudly steer him up against would be the Alamo plaza chili stand with it's attsnda..5 divinity, the far famed chili queen.
 Now, sir, you've seen the historic Alamo, the old cathedral end the mis- sions and got whiff of our ozone. ,' the citizen weuld remark with righteous pride, and tonight you must come and eat Mexican supper and see the chili queens. The chili queens are one of our most noted attractions-the beautiful, dark eyed senoritaa, you know
 Zhe tourist generally knew This was in the late eighties, tbe pa1my days of the chili queens, when their fame ;. had spread to the larger northern cities. Some very musical verse about them had appeared in the a,v9ines, and i4 the newspaper sketclsss snss ,.sal were ideal ized 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 toariss stroll up to the gay looking chili stand with its big red, green and yellow Ian terms and It's scintiilating pyramids of cheap but gorgeous glassware, she 7fe -aaan who is bandying slang with hen CT quits haggling with the chili gorged bootblack over change
 She hastily rearranges the flowers iii 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 Chiqpita! How's trieks?''
 s-e.4os 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 ia 1888, and one of them was of Ger
 
 the island where the sod ia highly green and there are no snakes The othor four, however, were gonoritas of the genuine Mexican variety.
 Chlquita'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- eages in badinage with the citizen.
 You're locking prettier than ever tonight, Ghiquita. I'm glad of 1t, be. cause we want to make good impres. sion on my friend here. He's from away up IY,slsis ee know. and he's heard of you before ''
 Then Cbionitf llses her tinkling laugh cheek.
 80 sorry, but I have not single nickel to give you. Bift take this flower instead. ''
 She transfers a big rSse from her cor sage to the citizens gaftonhole. The tourist is beginning td want his share of the fun
 Yes. I heard of yoa np there, and that's one reason l came down hereto see you. you know Oh, myi Yon must have a flower TOOL Her hands finger lightly on his coat as she carefully pins spray of honey suckle on, and the tourist begins to be. Hove that he must have come down hero sor this He is enjoying himself very much. ..uyall 1at,e l,o,,,,, ,,, ,,,,. ol,i1i .,o,,. 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- ra'' The queen turns sharply to the slimy looking old Mexican who has charge Of the steaming pots and kettles in the rear and rattles off this with celerity which seems to astonish the tourist: Jesus, andarle! Dos platas de chili \ con came. y dos tainales con chili gra- ". de epemlados tortillas, dos tazas de cafe, '' The Aerceiy burning chili con caTne Rgenizes the tourist and ho chokes on tho enohilades bnt he manages to strug- gle through the tamales by drinking Il great deal Of water. Meanwhile, the chili queen sits opposite him in lan gushing attitude and keeps up her tin king laugh. When it comes time to go, 'sshe insists on paying the bill, despite dI the protests Of the citizen, and tenders 8 bill. Chiquita seems to have trou ra ble in counting out the change and a : thought strikes the, tourist. U Say, Chiquita, ' he says tentative y you needn' t mind that if''-- estA You mean you want 10 make me 2 rss. lesent?'' ,i'As that is what he means, she tncks the bill in her bosom, and gives the tourist fond look. She takes another ] 1 :. .-l