96 THE DESERT AND THE ROSE 



"Si, Sefiora, but the padre, — it is to pay the 

 Padr e ." 



"The padre, Adelado? Again?" 



"Si, Sefiora, Tomas, he has asked me to be god- 

 father to his muchachito , and to be godfather one 

 pays the priest ten dollars." 



Now I happen to be in a position to ascertain that 

 Adelado speaks the truth ; otherwise — tout the Sefi- 

 ora is experienced in the ways of liars. 



"Juan," I said some time later. "Do you have 

 to pay the padre much?" 



Juan who had been laughing at the puppy antics 

 of Montezuma, turned on me a lowering coun- 

 tenance. 



"Sefiora, I am a poor man. I work hard. My 

 children are many. The padre does not work. He 

 is fat. He lives well, and has all he desires. I give 

 to him — when I must, yes ! I put a dime in the box 

 when I go to mass on Sunday, but I do not go too 

 often. The padres rob the poor." 



The Mexican, even when a genuinely devout 

 Catholic, is hospitable and courteous in his attitude 

 toward other religious denominations. 



An individual styling himself a Christian worker 

 was mildly active for some months amongst my 

 Mexican neighbors, all of whom were Catholic. I 

 observed that they took his tracts, printed in Span- 

 ish, and gave ear to his discourses with a semblance 

 of appreciation. After his departure I was prompt- 

 ed to inquire if he had made any converts. 



"Ah no, Sefiora! But" — here an expressive 

 gesture— A"this poor little queer Sehor ! He did us 



