82 THE DESERT AND THE ROSE 



had not forgotten another interview of a less agree- 

 able character. 



To behold the typical peon handling a work team 

 and to remain unmoved, one must be either a stoic 

 or — well, something worse. Yet I have found by 

 experience that the peon can be vastly improved in 

 this respect — by example, by appealing to his pride 

 and by yet other means. But the peon comes by 

 his cruelty by right of inheritance; this cannot be 

 said of the white man. That the highest form of 

 civilization is not compatible with hardness of heart 

 toward animals is a truth which takes long to im- 

 press itself on new communities, and consideration 

 for the welfare or susceotibilities of dumb and 

 dependent creatures is even to this day often looked 

 on askance by the majority, be they white or brown. 

 Therefore it may be opined that the "cruel" Mexican 

 has a scarcity of what are styled "good examples" 

 by which to benefit. 



To go back to Juan as an inmate of my house. On 

 such evenings as I rested quietly on my front porch, 

 a little dog on either side and a big one at my feet, 

 peace reigned, despite the proximity of seven per- 

 sons. Through the brown tranquillity of twilight 

 the cheap jew's-harp at the father's lips blended 

 harmoniously with the low songs of mother and 

 children, seated on the hard adobe ground back of 

 the house. This mode of spending the evening after 

 the day's work might be that queer, somewhat in- 

 definite thing "un-American", but it struck more 

 sweetly on the ear of the solitary listener than the 

 whoops of civilization at play. Not that I have any 



