Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-02-16
LOSES THE COMPANY.

determined to go on, however, and
after dinner started out, arriving at
the hacienda after two hours ride, but
meeting with disappointment, for
no one had come or had passed along
the road answering the description OF
companion.
where corn, wheat, barley and beans
are the principal products In ordinary
years six thousand fanegas, about ten
thousand bushels, Of corn are raised
and somewhat less of wheat and bar
ley. The owner, young man OF IS
years, IL a bachelor, and lives In ease
and luxury, having servants to his
hearts content around him. The work
men are principally Aztecs, though
some are Of other tribes. They are all
good workers, all honest, and all obed-
emit and respectful II was Saturday
night and pay night. About dusk, dirty,
ragged and tired, the men, women and
children began coming In, and as
sembing in front OF the office door
When the matordomes made their re-
ports payments began. The first one
to be called was strong, large man,
with ragged clothes and sack cloth
tilma over his shoulders. His arms
were bare, and so were his legs to the
thighs They were we'll muscled and
under ordinary circumstances would do
a good days work. His face was
marked with rigorous lines, eyes rather
deep, mouth large but not badly
formed, nose prominent and forehead
high but creased with lines OF care or
toll lie was not bad looking. he was
not good looking he had been over
wo Ned and under-fed, and the cold OF
winters had worn on his constitution.
To the question, How many days
have you worked" he replied. six
and received for his weeks toll $3.50 In
Mexican money, worth In the world ~
cents. The man looked at his silver,
counted the pieces aud without a smile
but with a polite thank you. Senior"
stepped aside while the next one, his
little boy stepped up. The boy was
well built, about ten years old, though
hard work made him look older, and
answered politely TO the question, six
DAYS Senior" He received 36 cents In
silver, or In gold rs cents. He, too
passed Off without a smile. The
third was woman, not more than
thirty years Of age. though she may
have been much younger. She was not
beautiful. not well dressed, neither was
she neat or clean. To Judge from her
hands she had not washed for two
months. neither had she combed her
hair in that time She wore light,
Iow-necked chemlse, with short sleeves,
and short cotton frock not coming
much below the knees. On her feet
were sandals. bat nothing that took the
place OF stockings. Her face showed
The marks ~ heavy toll but, n she were
washed and combed, and were well
dressed. she would not be homely. In
fact her ewes In another persons head
might pass for beautiful To the ques-
ton Of the dueno she answered 1--WE
DAYS. senior" and was paid five bits or
sixty-two cents IN silver.
And so each one In his or her turn
came forward and received his pay, the
highest wages being one dollar and fifty
cents for the week. Who could not get
rich. with such productive soils, a elf
mate that admits Of two crops per yeSr,
and good working people who receive
as wages barely enough 10 live on And
these toilers, these hewers OF wood and
carriers Of water, are the descendants
OF the rightful owners of the soil. for
Che land was given 10 their forefathers
as an inheritance. But they do not now
own so much as the hut they live in
Today as I travelled along the road
towards Teotllan. ! saw a mile or so
ahead OF me my companions. our roads
had Joined few miles back. and to-
night we are together again exchang-
ing notes on our several experiences
BENJAMIN CLUFF, JR.