Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-07-25

~ treated than during the next few
days. DOna AntOnia seemed to think
that nothing was good enough for him
and. filling his pockets with coins, fair
~ pushed him into the streets, with
injunctiOns that he enjoy himself with
his companions. Had the torero been
u suspicious man he might have
thought Dona Antonia was engaged in
secret pursuits of which she wished
him TO know nothing Not being sus-
p.ciouS. however. he FASTENED 10 obey
her commands and have Joyous time.
As matter Of fact. there was moth
ing evil in the actions OF Dona Antonia.
once left alone, save that OIa might
have accused her OF fOoliShly pamper-
Ing aud overfeeding debilitated black
chicken which she had housed IN the
charcoal box and fed thrice daily on
black zapotes and tortillas made from
dark meal But no One-Carlos least
OF all-eNer Saw the chicken. whose
life endured for brief span only. and
therefore no one unjustly condemned
her.
Now, in the great tenement house Just
across the street, this same chicken
pampering process was secretly being
gone through with by pretty Panchita.
save that her fowl was fed solely on
white zapoteS and light colored tor
tillas. As i'm the case of Dona An
tomas chicken. which fourished and
dag 10y day waXed fatter and fatter.
her white chicken also throve and grew
plump until. 10y the end Of the fourth
day. YOU would not have recognized ei-
ther Of these charmed chickens"
ON the evening of this same fourth
day DOna Antonia arrayed herself in
"er best purple skirt and black lace
mantilla. with the announcement to
dumfoundcd Carlos that she was going
TO the house of panchita for the DUR
pose OF asking her and her mother to
eat the midday meal with them the
next day. since il would Ice fiesta and
Fanchita accordingly at leisure.
For many months il had been the
custom of good hearted Dona Antonia
To invite Panchita and her blind old
mott 10 her OWN Savory feast day
dinners. In view of last weeks quar-
rel, however. panchita's mother was
oven now tcarfully lamenting that
their dinner would have to be of tor
tillas and beans; So that. driven To il
by her mothers tears and her own ur-
gent desire To break bread with Dona
Antonia. Panchita was about TO start
ON mission of peace when that per
son herself appeared with jovial ex-
prcssiOnS OF sorrow that any misundcr-
standing had arisen between the two
farnafIf... L
good friends should join her next day
for the usual fiesta meal OF a verify
they must come. Carlos had promised
10 20 with some companions to the
Naucalpam bullfight, wherefore she
would he all alone and sad il they did
not come to eat with her.
Peace was restored I'm full. and soon
Dona Antonia hustled home TO prepare
for the next days feast. Poor Carlos
was hustled incontincntly ont of the
house. while Dona Antonia. doors and
windows carefully shut ana locked.
proceeded To Kill and boil the black
chicken, first carefully burying its
feathers and bones All that night the
mortal remains Of the charmed chick
Ell simmercd away I'm "A tiny ola. The
resultant broth was carefully collected
next morning by Dona AntOnia and,
with the black fluid from the little bot
tie Of Madre Maria. was mixed into Il
very SavOry soup favored with sherry
and garnshcd with aguacOteS, Of which
there was only one plateful; not that
any one Of the trio had 10 do without
soup, however; far from it. Soup OF
the very best. also made of chicken.
with sherry and tiny bits of garlic fla
voring it, was to be served to herself
and Panchita's blind mother.
The dinner was a great success. de
spite the fact that only the three wom-
en- were present and that the hostess
was called away from the table at least
four times To speak to customers out in
the shop. The first one Of these calls
gave Panchita her opportunity, for
Panchita also had killed chicken that
previous night. and in n small bottle
carried in her pocket was the boiled
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 he mOlested
by noises from without Never was
there a better chance In two seconds
Panchita had uncorked her bottle and
empued its contents hastily into DOna
AntOnia's soup. Then. concealing the
bottle. she was unconcerncdly Swai-
lowing her own soup when Dona An
tOnia returned TO the table. Neither of
the two women for moment suspect
ed that she was partakinG OF charm
ed 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 ere
dence in signs. tokens and, least of all.
charms. For which reason am lOath
TO tell YOU the final result of the
charms SO ingeniOuSly and unSuSpcct-
ingly exchanged between these two
jealous women. Still. if YOU are in
credulouS. il is not my fault.
That very same night. reaching home
late and in somewhat intoxicated
condition. 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 Il stone
Image, Dona AntOnia fell upon the