44 OBSERVATIONS OF A RANCHWOMAN 



that he had done so, insufficient as the 

 evidence appeared to me or whether I was 

 reaping the also not uncommon fruits of 

 kindnesses bestowed, I cannot say ; but it 

 is certain that a few hours per diem of 

 reluctant, intermittent toil were all that were 

 vouchsafed me. Hernandez loved better 

 than ever to sit in the shadow of his own 

 vine and fig-tree, and gaze with primaeval 

 calm upon stationary horses hitched to a 

 stationary plough. In fine, his motto was, 

 1 Work some rest some.' 



One day there was a large onion order to 

 be filled by 10 a.m. At 8.30 Hernandez 

 strolled languidly to the scene where another 

 man had long been at work. He met my ex- 

 pressions of anxiety lest the order should not 

 be in time with the gentle plaint : * I'm not 

 used to being hurried/ Later, as he sat in 

 the waggon, his assistant carrying the onions 

 to him, he begged that when he got to town 

 he might have a man to help him lift the 

 hundred-pound sacks to the ground. Harden- 

 ing my heart, I refused, whereupon he 

 delivered himself thus : ' Sometimes I feel 

 like working, and sometimes I don't.' 



