The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-09-29
THE CHILL QUEENS.
THEIR THRONES WERE IN SAN AN
ToNlo'S HISTORIC ALAMO.

Their Reign IL Ended, but They Ruled
Royalty For Long Time They Were
Especially Gracious to the Tourist From
the North and Made IL 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 he the Alamo plaza chill stand,
with its attendant divinity the far
famed chill queen.
Now, sir, you've seen the historic
Alamo, the old cathedral and the mis-
sions and got II Whit of our ozone, the
citizen would remark with righteous
pride, and tonight you must come and
eat Mexican supper and see the chilli
queens Tho chill queens are one of our
most noted attractions--the beautiful,
dark eyed senoritas, you know"
Tho tourist generally knew. This
was in the late eighties, the palmy days
of tho chilli queens, when their fame
had spread to the larger northern cities
Some very musical verse about them
Ind 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 chill stand
with its big red, green and yellow Ian
terms and its scintillating pyramids of
cheap but gorgeous glassware, she
promptly shuts up the sporty young
man who is bandying slang with her or
quits hagglng with the chill gorged
bootblack over change.
She hastily rearranges the flowers in
her hair and the big bouquet Mt her bos-
ON and beams ON the new arrivals with
sparkling eyes.
The citizen addresses her with an
easy familiarity.
Hello, Chiqital How 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 1883, and one of them was of Ger
man descent and another was born in
the island where the sod is highly green
and there are no snakes The other four,
however. We're Sonoritas 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 add
vantage ON the tourist whilo she en-
cages i'll 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 tinlling laugh
and slaps the citizen gently on the
cheek
80 sorry, hut | have not single
nickel to give you, But take this flower
instead -
She transfers big rose from her cor
sage to the citizen $ buttonhole. The
tourist is beginning to want his share
of the fun.
Yes 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 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.
We'll, 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 in the
rear and rattles off this with a CELEBRITY
which seems to astonish the tourist;
Jesus, andarlel Dos platas de chill
con carne, y dos tamales con chilli gra-
Wy, de enchilades tortillas, dos tazas
de cafe. +"
The tiercely burning chill con carne
agonizes the tourist and he chokes ON
the enchilades, but he manages to strug-
gle through the tamales by drinking
great deal of water. Meanwhile, the
chill queen sits opposite him III 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 tenders
IS bill Chiouita seems to have trou-