The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-04-05
Madre Maria's Magic
BY G.. 9. Terry.

nN the very corner of Calle de los
Pescaditos Blancos (street of the
Little White FISH, just where it Juts
into the little Plaza de San Pablo, is
the shop of Dona Aptonia. 1t is a
clean, tidy little place, and in 1t you
can buy the best cigarettes to be
found in all Mexico, and you can be
served at all hours of the day with
thick Spanish chocolate, hot and
pasty-for Dona Antonia is Spanish,
and therefore knows how to make de-
licious chocolate-also, you can buy
there pins, needles, lottery tickets,
native Mexican sugar in tall brown
cones, macaroni fresh from Italy,
sardines, olives, Spanish wine and
many other things, for, while the
shop is small one, it contains what
the proprietor proudly calls IAN as
sort of the most complete and fin
ished."
Dona Antonia herself waits on her
varied customers. All of the common
folk m that part of the city patronize
her, and 80 she is kept very busy. with
hardly time enough to attend to her
yellow-headed parrot, or to keep the
"mariposa" light burning under the
picture of la Virgen which hangs on
the wall.
Things were different when Car
los the torero was there -good-look-
ing, staggering Carlos, in his gaudy
bullfghter's shirt and tight trousers,
with his pig-tailed head surmounted
by the fat torero hat--but Carlos has
most cruelty been banished Not that
he ever did any work in the shop, the
gods of bullfighters forbid! But he
At least was always willing to lounge
In the door or against the counter,
thereby soaring away robbers, and
even on some occasions so far unbent
his dignity as to serve the chocolate
TO customers of his own fraternity,
while Dona Antonia beamed from
afar. For she worshiped Carlos with
the alteration that only a fat and
homely woman of 40 can feel for =
young and handsome man.
Ever since ballfighting hao gone
out In Mexico, three years before, she
had waited on Carlos, hand and foot,
giving him cheerfully and lovingly
from her savings, and working doubly
hard in order that he might appear
gorgeous on feast days and Sundays.
His clothes were of the best that
money could buy; his pointed Mexi-
can shoes we're of the finest yellow
leather; his vivid scarlet neckties
were always of satin or softest silk;
none Of the bullfghters who lolled on
San Francisco street or in front of the
Cantina del Tio Pepe smoked such
long, fine, black cigars as did Carlos,
and none Of them could boast the sill
yer and copper coins which always
jingled in the pockets of his braided
toraro jacket. In short, Carlos was
in the greatest Of luck, the very high
eat Of clover, and did not realize his
blessings until it was too late. For
all this magnifcence and luxury was
taken away from him, through his
own fault, and that of Panchita.
Not that Carlos cared for pretty, CO.
quettish Panchita; not BIT of it!
Carlos loved no one but his own lazy,
good-looking self. and nothing but
his own ease and comfort. For Dona
Antonio, who furnished him with the
good things of life which he so much
cared for and appreciated, he had
kindly, fraternal regard; being, more
over, aware of the furious temper
which lurked beneath Dona Antonia's
good-natured exterior, he had always
been careful to avoid entanglements
with younger and handsomer women,
or, at least, to keep such affairs from
Aer sharp and very suspicious ears.
In the case Of Panchita, however,
IL was a difficult matter for she was
either too careless or too much in
love to dissemble. She could not or
would not refrain from casting CO.
quettish glances at the bullfghter,
even when Dona Antonia was by, and
finally even took to purchasing her
thread and needles and other supplies
from Dona Antonias shop, refusing
there to be served by anyone but Car
los himself.
Naturally this state of affairs could
not last for long, and things came to
crisis one day when Dona Antonia
overheard Panehita addressing some
coquettish remarks to the torero, and.
moreover. caught him in the very act
OF kissing her pretty though needle
worn hands. After which there was
scene. and very nearly battle, muir
der and sudden death. Dona Antonia,
being u very powerful woman, and,
moreover, greatly infuriated, scrupled
mot to fall upon the lucl+less couple,
tooth and nail. Carlos managed to
escape with his life and blackened
eye, while Panchita, at the end of the
fray, was minus one tooth and what
seemed at first sight to be fully half
OF her pretty black hair. The noise
OF the fight naturally attracted atten.
tion, and the combatants were finally
separated much the worse for wear.
but nevertheless still breathing forth
defiance and slaughterings. Carlos
had most unaccountably disappeared
after the first two rounds and could