Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-07-25
kADRE MARIA'S MAGIC
The Black and white Charms
That Reccncilod Two Rivals.
BY G. cUNYNaHAM TERRY.

- - ~ - " O'c OScOcO<pO
On the very corner OF Gale de los
PescaditOS BlancOs Street Of the Little
Nhlte FISH just where IL juts into the
little Plaza de san Pablo is the shop OF
Dona AntOnia. 1t is n clean. tidy little
place. and in 1t you can buy the best
cigarettes to be found I'm all Mexico.
you can be served at all hours OF the
DAY with thick Spanish chocolate. hot
and pasty-for Dona Antonia is Span
ish and therefore knows how 10 make
delicious chocOlate-also YOU can buy
there pins. needles. lottery tickets. na-
tive Mexican sugar I'm tall brown cones.
macarOni fresh from Italy. sardines
olives, Spanish wine and many other
things. for. while the shop is a small
one. IL contains what the proprietor
proudly calls Fan assortment of the
most complete and finished"
bona Antonia herself waits on her
varied customers. All OF the common
folk i'm that part of the city patronize
her. and 50 she is kept very busy. with
hardly time enough TO attend 10 her
yellow headed parrot or TO keep the
''mariposa" light burning under the
picture OF Ia Nirgen which hangs on
the wall
Things were different when Carlos
the tOrero. was there-good looking
staggering Carlos in his gaudy bull
lighters shirt and tight trousers. with
his pigtailed head surmounted by the
fiat tOrerO hat-hut Carlos has most
cruelty been haniShed: not that he ever
did any work i'm the shop-the gods Of
bullhghterS forbid,-but he at least
was always willing 60 lounge In the
door or against the counter. thereby
soaring away robbers and even on
some occasions So far unbent his digni-
ty as to serve the chocolate TO custom
ers OF his own fraternity while Dona
Antonia bcamed from afar. for she
worShiped Carlos with the alteration
that only a Fat and hOmely woman Of
40 can feel FOR a young and handsome
man.
Ever since bulltighting had 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 Mexican shoes were Of the
/ finest yellow leather; his vivid scarlet
/ neckties were always Of satin or soft
( est silk. None OF the bullfighters who
! lOlled on San Francisco street or in
front Of the Cantina del Tic Pepe
smoked such long. fine. black cigars as
! did Carlos. and none OF them could
boast the silver and copper coins which
always jingled In the pockets Of his
! braided torerO jacket. In short Carlos
was In the greatest OF luck. the very
highest of clover. and did not realize
! his blessings until 1t was too late, for
all this magnitcence and luxury were
taken away from him through his own
/ fault and that Of Panchita
Not that Carlos cared for pretty, CO.
+ quettish Panchita; not a bit OF il!
! Carlos loved no one but his own lazy,
good looking self and nothing but his
own ease and comfort. For Dona An
tonia, who furnished him with the
good things of life which he so much
cared for and appreciated, he had a
kindly. fraternal regard. Being, more
/ over, uWAIC Ol VIC 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
her sharp and very suspicious ears.
In the case OF Panchita, however, il
was u difficult matter for she was ell
ther too careless or too much in love to
! isSemble. She could not or would not
refrain from casting coquettish glances
ut the bulltighter. even when DOna An
tonia was by. and finally even took to
purchasing her thread and needles and
other supplies from Dona ANtonia' S
shop. refusing there TO be served by
any one but Carlos himself.
Naturally this state of affairs could
not last for long. and things came To =
crisis one day when Dona Antonio
overheard Panchi:a addressing some
coquettish remarks to the torer0 and
moreover, caught him in the very act
OF kissing her pretty though needle
worn hands; after which there was a
scene. and very nearly battle. murder
and sudden death. Dona Antonia, be
ing a very powerful woman and more
over, greatly infuriated, scrupled not tC
fall upon the luckless couple tooth and
nail. Carlos managed to escape with
his life and a blackened eye, while
Panchita, at the end OF the fray, was
minus one tooth and what seemed Al
first sight to be fully half of her pretty
black hair.
The noise Of the fight naturally at
tracted attention. and the combatants
were finally separated, much the worse
for wear. but nevertheless still breath
ing forth defiance and slaughterings
Carlos had most unaccountably disap
peared after the first two rounds ant
could not now be found. Plying neigh