The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1898-08-03
HER SUCCESSFUL RUSE
How a Feminine Bull Fighter and Her
Husband Won a Fortune.
By hEwETT DARRELL.

there was dire dlsmay, owing 10 the
low state-the very low state--of the
family exchequer. This sad state OF
affairs is common to many people
among the members of the bull tight
ing fraternity, who are not esteemed
now as they once were. This is, how
over, only in Mexico; whatever else
may come and go in Spain, bull fight
ing is always with them.
III Chatto" (meaning 1.-THE snub-
nose") had just finished taking his
morning chocolate and pan dulce,
assisted by his pretty wife, Dona
Lolita. who also had been member of
the noble army of bull fghters-in
fact, first female espada in the big ring
at Seville-but this was secret.
career that might possibly have been
glorious had been cut short by the
selfishness of "El Chatto," who had
loved her. married her, and taken her
away from the old world to the new
the rich country of MeXico-where a
bull fighter was as prince. But that
was several years ago. Successful,
feted and honored in Cuba and after
ward in Mexico, "El Chatto's" pros
peritv had not lasted long, for soon
had come the edict that bull fighting in
Mexico must stop. few desultory
fights were still allowed, through
which n torero could not make an
actual fortune.
This morning. the day before the
bull fight honoriug the fiesta of San
Marcos, "El Chatto,' needing some
spare silver for the furnishing up of his
costume, had turned out his pockets,
with the assistance of Dona Lolita
who, of course was already fully in
formed as to their contents, being but
woman. Investigation revealed one
big silver peso, one 50-cent piece, one
ten-cent piece, and IA copper centavos.
Not enough to pay coach hire, even!
CarraInbas. Here was pretty
mess; no wonder that .El Chatto'
leisurely and calmly spoke every
naughty and lurid word that came to
his mind during the next half hour,
the while Dona Lolita TRANQUILITY dranl,
her chocolate, and then lit a cigarette,
her dimpled face very serious all the
time, as though in deep cogitation.
At last, out of breath, "El Chatto''
paused and glared about him, as
though in search of some one to fight.
Dona Lolita smiled at him sweetly,
removing the cigarette from her
pretty lips, as she murmured: Have
YOU finished, little Snub-Nose?"
A shrug of the shoulders was her
husbands reply.
Then listen. oh, most worthless hus-
band. for | have plaza plan most
magnificent; thereby we will make a
fortune-suflicient for the voyage
once more to Espana."
She stopped tantalizingly, and pulled
at her cigarette, while "El Chatto''
looked at her unbelievingly.
''This is how it is" she pursued
blowing ring of smoke into her hus-
bands face; the empresario pay you
little-very little-only 100 silver dol
lars--is it not SOP
Isl, that is all-the pigs!" growled
the torero; land after this there will
be no fight until Holy week'-no more
money!"
"Pues, then we will make more ont
of them-much more. But first, friend
of my heart, will there go many ricos
to this fight-the president with his
| wife, the De la Matas, and those other
rich Espanoles?"
"Yes, all of Them" replied ''El Chat
| to-" who was as yet mystified, not I'M
derst anding the subtle workings of his
wife's brain; but, por ell amor de
Dios, what have they to do with that
wonderful plan of yoursY'
Dona Lolita smiled again, and play
fully pulled her marido's nose. "They
have. much to do-much!" she whis-
pered, seating herself on the arm of
his chair and pulling his moody face
down to hers. Listen, marido milo;
this is the plan! But cuidado that no
| one hears us!"
No one hears-not even ourselves
it is whisper, whisper, whisper; and
| finally loud shout of delight from "El
Chatto." 1t must be something good
what :: shame we are not let into the
secret!
The gloom clears away from the
house of the matador; there continues
rejoicing all that day. "El Chatto''
and his pretty wife have most joyous
comida, and afterward lay their heads
together on the subject of the NOR
rows fight and a special Spanish cos
tune that Lolita is to wear-one of old
Sevilla-all rose-pink and Spanish man.
tilla, with pink rose in her blue black
hair, this latter being another of the
mysteries; in Mexico few ladies ever
| wear the costume of old Spain-it is
as much worn, but, passe, here as the
patches and powder and hoops of the
revolutionary days are in Anglo-Sax-
on lands. But out of an old box she
drags the dress, and shakes and
brushes and sews it until even the
critical "Chatto" pronounces it "Muy
bonita"
Tomorrow seems such long time
in coming, but finally it is here-all
ba!my, blue sky, with never a white
cloud to mar it; soft, warm breezes
laden with the perfume of the roses
and lilies that are just beginning to
bloom, the violets over and done with
for this year; the silvery pealing and
Ginning of the hundreds of bells that
are vainly calling the faithful TO
prayer. Everyone is either in the
great bull ring in Colon or getting
there as fast as he or she can. 1t is the
first fight for month, and there will
not be another one for yet month to
come.
On the cheap side-"the side of the
sun"-white-garmented poems, with
big sombreros, choke up every inch of
space and shout and yell loudly during
the performance. As for the shady
side. It is well filled-with rich Span
iards ut that-for which reason the
heart of Dona Lolita rejoices; the
more Spaniards, the moro dinero.
"0jala, that there were nothing but
Spaniards," she thinks.