A VILLAGE OF GAMBLERS. 205 



ture, dress, and other particulars suggested by some 

 of them, was sensible enough ; for, as he said very 

 truly, when they died they could not carry it away 

 with them. I mentioned that in my country gam- 

 bling was forbidden by law, and that for gambling 

 in the street, and on a Sunday, they would all be 

 taken up and punished. This touched the alcalde 

 in his office, and he started up with the cards in his 

 hand, and looking indignantly at the people under his 

 charge, said that there too it was forbidden by law ; 

 that any one who gambled, or who connived at it, 

 or who permitted it in his house, was liable to te 

 declared not a citizen ; that they had laws, and very 

 good ones; all knew them, but nobody minded them. 

 Everybody gambled, particularly in that village ; they 

 had no money, but they gambled corn and tobacco, 

 and he pointed to a man then crossing the plaza, 

 who the night before had gambled away a hog. He 

 admitted that sometimes it was a good way to make 

 money, but he pointed to a miserable-looking young 

 man, not more than two or three-and-twenty, whose 

 father, he said, had ranchos, and Indians, and houses, 

 and ready money, and was close-fisted, and had left 

 all to that son, who was now looking for seven and 

 sixpence to make up a dollar, aad the young man 

 himself, with a ghastly smile, confirmed the tale. The 

 alcalde then continued with a running commentary 

 upon the idleness and extravagance of the people in 

 the village ; they were all lazy, and having illustra- 

 tions at hand, he pointed to an Indian just passing 



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