The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-05-09


missing; so at IL the poor woman put
on her tapalo and went forth in search
OF the delinquent
AT the Cantina del Tio Pepc she
found him weeping bitterly In the
midst Of sympathetic comrades, who
reproached the lady for her cruel treat.
ment OF poor Carlos. truly she had
not seen what every one else well knew
that Carlos loved no one but her.
"All the world" knew that the shame.
less Panchita pursued him with her
coquetries. Fie upon Dona Antonia to
so Ill treat poor, faithful Carlos, who
had been driven to drink and threat
ened suicide through her hardness of
heart.
Two comrades carried homeward the
incapacitated Carlos, with Dona An
tonia weeping remorsefully behind
them and sundry other toreros winking
and chuckling in turn behind her back.
For, while In luck, Carlos was as gen
erous tOrero as ever lived, and 1t
would not do, for their own snkes, to
have Dona AntOnia cut off his supplies.
And SO, as the cortege wended it's way
toward the little shop Of Dona Antonia,
Que shameless bullfghter after anoth-
er poured into her ear tales Of poor
Carlos persecution ut the hands Of
Panchita. Well knew the Virgin, they
declared solemnly, that Carlos cared
for no woman but his own adored An
tonia. Had he not sworn 1t to. them
many time and oft? And was it his
fault IL infatuated girls would make
unwantcd love to him?
Nothing is easier to deceive than n
woman who wishes to be deceived,
and Dona Antonia believed deyoutly
every word Of the waggisb toreros
Carlos was put tendcrly to bed, the
bullfghters feasted gayly on white
bread, sariiines, garlic and Spanish
wine, while DOna Antonia, with con-
trite face and reddencd eyes, beamed
upon them from the door Of Carlos
room. They had opened her eyes to
the real character Of that dlsgraceful
Fanchita, whom she had credited time
and again on her thread and needles
and wool. How foolish q woman she
had been not to realize before the de-
votion Of Carlos and the evil behavior
Of Pancbitn.
Before the noisy departure Of the
toreros Dona Antonia's plans for venge-
ance had been completed. When she
went to sleep that night, she said sew
eral padre nuestros before the image
of la Virgen and promised to burn long
and costly candles before her picture
every day Of the year If certain pray
ers were granted. And then, wisely
believing that God (and also the virgin)
helps those who help themselves, the
Willy shopkeePer made her plans for an
early visit next morning to old Madre
Maria. the witch, who would tell her,
FOR consideration, what she should do
with that graceless Panchita.
Madre Maria lived In q small. dark.
smelly tenement far out Here Dona
Antonio found her at dawn. and into
the sympathetic ear Of the shriyeled
old woman she unfolded her tale of
woe, while Madre Maria smoked away
steadily at her cigar stub, nodding her
white head ut intervals rs she listened.
Good! Then what the nina wanted
was cosita-n small charm, that is to
soy-fOr the shameless Panchita? Some
thing not dangerous, the nina under
stood-mereIy little thing that would,
after taking It, cause her to lose any
love for Don Carlos. Ale. but it would
be easy! And only a matter of five
days at that. If the nina would listen,
paying to her pobre madre first the
small number oe yeaics, she ould
tell her what to do.
Half an hour later, with a wee bottle
of black fluid in her pocket and a thin,
black chicken muffied up in her reboso,
Donn Antonia sped briskly toward the
Street Of the Little White fish. Joy
and hope once more shone In her eyes
and beamed from her fat, red face,
even though the advice and charm of
Madrc Maria had cost her $3.50.
Most assuredly it was old Maria's
"day." Hardly was the broad back OF
Done Antonia turned than another cli-
ent appeared upon the scene, also be-
speaking advice and q mild charm that
would destroy the love of rival wom-
an. In the same manner did Madre
Maria advise the second app!icent-no
less person than Panchita-selling
her, IL turn, some white fluid and an
white chicken, the mate of
the black one sold to Dona Antonin.
'tOf truth did the chicken come some
what high," the old witch had stated
to each applicant, ''but figure to your
self, nina mia, that It is a charmed
one. wherein great power lies, and it
has, moreover. eaten for weeks only
food given It by tho hand OF
your Madre Mariap' AS fact, both
ihd been stolen by menda-
cious Marin In the dark Of last nights
moon; but no matter.
SO Panchlta, her mind at ease and
also believing that all OF her sorrows
we're now soon to be ended. hurried !
Ioyfully home, with bottle and chicken
aldden safely In the depths of her blue
.ebozo. Meanwhile, at intervals dur
ng thnt entire day. chuckles OF hearty
IND most unwonted mfrth issued from
he dark room OF Madre Maria. who,.
While not ordinarily q merry parsonage,
seemed nightly amused over some
hing.
Never In his life had tie astonished
Carlos been more kindly and generous