All Listened To His Words With The Profoundest Attention And
Respect, And No Wonder, Since Most Of Those Who Sat In His Living-
Room, Sucking Mate, Were His Poor Relations Who Fed On His Bounty.
Don Anastacio was the last of a long line of estancieros once rich in
land and cattle, but for
Generations the Canada Seca estate had been
dwindling as land was sold, and now there was little left, and the
cattle and horses were few, and only a small flock of sheep kept just
to provide the house with mutton. His poor relations living scattered
about the district knew that he was not only an improvident but an
exceedingly weak and soft-hearted man, in spite of his grand manner,
and many of the poorest among them had been allowed to build their
ranches on his land and to keep a few animals for their sustenance:
most of these had built their hovels quite close to the estancia
house, behind the plantation, so that it was almost like a hamlet at
this point. These poor neighbours had the freedom of the kitchen or
living-room; it was usually full of them, especially of the women,
gossiping, sipping endless mate, and listening with admiring attention
to the wise words which fell at intervals from the lips of the head of
the family or tribe.
Altogether, Don Anastacio in his ringlets was an ineffectual,
colourless, effeminate person, a perfect contrast to his ugly, barrel-
shaped, badly-dressed but robust-minded neighbour, Gandara.
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