The Negro world., 1900-03-31
therefore NO one uniuatly condemned

just across the street, this same
chicken-pampering process was secret
~ being gone through with by pretty
Panchita, save that her fowl was fed
solely on white zapotes and light-col-
ored tortillns. As in the case Of Dona
Antonia's chicken, which fiourished
and day by day waxed fatter aud fatter,
her white chicken also throye and grew
plump until. by the end Of .he fourth
day, you would not have recognized
either Of these ''charIned chickens
On the evening OF the fourth day,
Dona Antonia arrayed herself in her
best purple skirt and black lace man
tilla, with the announcement to the
dumfounded Carlos that she was going
to the house of Panchita for the pur-
pose OF asking her and her mother to
eat the midday meal with them the
next day, since IL would be fiesta and
Panchita accordingly at leisure.
For many months II had been the
custom of good-hearted Dona Antonia
to invite Panchita and her blind old
mother TO her own savory feast-day
dinners. In view Of last weeks quar-
rel, however, Panchita's mother was
even now tearfulIy lamenting that
their dinner would have 10 be OF tor
tillas and beans. So that, driven to II
by her mothers tears and her own
urgentdesi to break bread with Dona
Antonia, Panchita was about to start
on a mission of peace, when that per-
son herself appeared, with joyial ex-
pressions OF sorrow that any misun-
derstandings had arisen between the
two families, and her desire that her
two good friends should join her next
day for the usual fiesta meal. OF a YER
ity they must come. Carlos had prom
ised to go with some companions TO the
Naucalpam bull-fght, wherefore she
would be all alone and sad II they did
not come to eat with her.
Peace was restored In full, and soon
Dona Antonia hustled home TO prepare
for the next days feast Poor Carlos
was hustled ineontinently out of the
house, while Dona Antonia, doors and
dowscarefullysh shut and locked. pro-
ceeded to kill and boil the black chick
en-. first carefully burying its feathers
and bones. All that night the mortal
remains of that charmed chicken sim
mered away in tiny ola. The result
ant broth was carefully collected next
morning by Dona Antonia, and. with
the black fluid from the little bottle OF
Madre Maria. was mixed into a very
savory soup, favored with sherry, and
garnished with aguacotes-of which
there was only one plateful. Not that
any OF the trio had to do without soup,
however-far from II. Soup of the very
best, also made of chicken, with sherry
and tiny bits of garlic flavoring IL, was
to be served to herself and Pnnchita's
blind mother.
The dinner was a great success, de-
spite the fact that only three women
were present, and that the hostess was
nlledaway from the table at least four
times TO speak to customers out in the
shop. The first of these calls gave Pan
chita her opportunity, for Panchita
also had killed chicken the previous
night, and in small bottle, carried in
her pocket. was the bolled-down result
thereof. The door between the dining
room and the shop had been carefully
closed by Dona Antonia, so that her
guests might not be molested by noises
from without-~neyer was there a bet.
ter chance. In two seconds panchita
had uncorked her bottle and emptied
its contents hastily into Dona Anto-
MAS soup. Then. coneealing the bot.
tie, she was unconcernedIy swallowing
her soup when Dona Antonia returned
20 the table. Neither of the two women
for a moment suspected that they were
partaking of charmed soup, made in
identically the same manner, from the
charmed chickens OF Madre Maria. and
warranted to kill the love Of any man.
woman or child on the terrestrial
globe.
Now, few OF us place overmuch cre-
dence in signs, tokens, and. least Of all.
charms. For which reason am loath
to tell you OF the final result of the
charms so ingeniously and unsuspect.
ingly exchanged between these two
jealous women; stiIl. II you are incred-
ulous, II is not my fault.
That very same night. reaching home
late and in somewhat intoxicated con.
dltion. poor Carlos tasted the first
fruits of the charm. For, in spite OF
all Establishments and words that
should have melted the heart of even n
stone image, Dona Antonia fell upon
the luckless torero and, with abuse OF
the strongest. literally smote him hip
and thigh. after which she cast him
forth into the outer darkness of the
Street of the Little White Fish. cruelty
bolting the door In his face and an
nounclng that she had now washed her
hands OF him and his shittless com.
rades.
This from the woman who had
adored him during three long years:
this from the very woman who had
chat very morning given him all her
available money and entreated him TO
come home early. Poor Carlos. For.
even though he returned several times
TO tearfully beg for mercy. there was
shown him only freezing contempt and
eoldness. with at last the announce
ment that his next call would be
watched by the gendarme at the cor
ner. for which reason he had best keep
away for good and all from the shop of
nona Antonia.
Reing as II were of with the old love.
the hapless torcro bethought himself
of new. Was there not pretty Pam