Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-12-15
md without. as aImost all Mexican

, and without. as almost all Mexican 1 houses are. This is where the laborers on the es- tate live" said Padre Francisco. ''There are several hundred souls here' for the industries of a great haclenda are very numerous Everything which is con sumed and almost everything which is worn is made upon it
 And is 1t true that all the peons on | the haciendas are virtual serfs-unable to | leave without the consent of their mas ters% asked Derwent
 It is true that. by the laws of Mexico. no laborer can leave an estate so long as he is In debt to hls master That Is just enough and on it the stability of the Tn dustries of the country depends In all countries however. there are men who do not fear to incur the ven;searre ot God by becoming oppressors of the poor
 Such men take advantage of thls law to
 keep the peons in their debt. and so hold
 them In virtual bondage. But no such
 bondage exists at Mirahores. If a la
 borer who Is in debt wishes to go. Don
 Maurizlo will cancel his debt rather than
 keep with him one who is unwilling to
 remain
 But such a need rarely occurs" said
 Dona Zarlfa. Few of our people ever
 wish to leave and most of them have
 been born on the estate We know them
 all we think for them all, they are as it
 were part of our family. why should
 they desire to go"
 There Is something very charming in this feudal dependence of the em- ; ployed upon their employers-something , softening and humanizing on both
 sides" said Derwent How different from the wlde chasm and the bitter :, strife between labor and capital with which we have replaced it! But what
 is this?'
 The school house." said the priest, 2 smiling. as they paused before the open = door of a large room, where about fifty children sat at their desks and teacher
 stood before a blackboard. There was
 a simultaneous movement, as all present
 rose to their feet Derwent did not en- n ter, but. leaning against the doorway. 1 watched the scece-the pretty, dark
 faces the shining eyes and gleaming teeth the reverence with which the = small scholars knelt for the padres
 blessing the caresslng affectionateness o with which those nearest Dona Zar1fa pressed forward to touch her dress or 4 kiss her hand There was no servility ,t in the last action. 1t was plainly as ~ much an impulse of their adniring ado o ration as the same homage is from 8 ia lover
 >t Having the freedom to do so, how | could they help itT Derwent thought ;r Looking at the beautiful gracious figure -, ot the young lady as she stood in the ~ center of the room, smiling into the up < turned faces with one hand on the dark ,+ silky curls of tiny boy, he envied the d children their privilege to express th'
 feeling which she inspired
 ,d We did not finger long on your ac
 count" she said when they rejoinet
 him Usually el padre hears the cate i chism and dlstri ribute rewards to the de 'A serving, but we let them of easily thi :s morning because do not want to ia ~ tigue you, and do want you to see ou
 hospital, if you are equal to little far - ther walk"
 ae Derwent declared himself fully equa " to it, and indeed his interest was s 1 much reused that he forgot his fatigue The hospital-a rather imposing struc
 ture built around pleasant court, wit 7" cleanliness and space and sunshine every Il. where-was as perfect in it's arrange
 ments as everything else on the haciend
 seemed to be. There were only one ( - two patients in it at present; but every
 thing was SO attractive in appearanc .o and SO well managed that it was evider
 sickness was as little of 8 misfortune :
 Mirahores as care and kindness coul
 make it. And here. too, Dona Zarl1
 was like young queen among her sul 'P jects, greeted with the same adorir nR reverence which the children had di -, played. and repaying it with tender i terest and gentleness beyond word no Derwent thought that he had never wi messed a more lovely sight than whe oo unconscious that any gaze was upon he 1S she bent over a woman tossing wi X 'I fever renewed the cool bandages on h 'n head held a juicy lime to her parch' lips. and clasping the hot, dry hand .s tween her own cool, soft palms talk |. . soothingly as if to an infant.
 '' "l think, senorfta, he said. when tn
 were walking away that if you h. ny sent me to that hospital when l W gre brought. a wounded. insensible strange y to your door, it would have been .1 much as could have been expected ,nI1 n you. and should have been very grat lnu full
 " Il hope you like your present qu; ms ters better" she said. with a smile. sS1 : Oh. yes. since 1 have known the IT. But if 1 had not known them shot
 have been only too thankful to find IT . self in such place as your hospital" nen But he did not venture to add wi #, was in his thoughts-"Perhaps y would have come to see me thereT this