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Show FORTY YEARS AMONG THE INDIANS. 289 chant said he was out of lard and did not know of anyone who had any but Don Pedro who had been talking to me. I asked him if he would sell me some. " Yes, sir, but it is quite a distance from here to my house; if you wish to go so far with me I will let you have what you want." " All right, I will go with you." When we started most of the crowd followed. Don Pedro commenced talking in a very earnest manner, tell-ing me that they had just received a letter from the Pope warning all Catholics against false prophets, etc., and that they were all fully prepared beforehand to reject our heresies. He kept up his talk until we arrived at his house. He now got a pamphlet and commenced reading. This was the printed circular of the Pope. I listened patiently until my opponent finished. The house, a large one, was crowded, nearly a hundred persons present. I now asked permission to answer the Pope's letter and explain our side. Don Pedro objected. My reply settled him. I told him I had been much in Mexico and mixed among the people a great deal and I had always found them mannerly and polite, especially to strangers and in their own house. That I was now under his roof and protec-tion a stranger and appealed to him as a true Mexican gentleman to hear me. At this many of the crowd said, " Let the stranger speak." Don Pedro now consented, but soon interrupted me. I reminded him that I had listened to him in perfect silence, and unless he did the same I should claim to be more of a gentleman than he was. This made quite a laugh, and the voice was for me to have the floor uninter-ruptedly. 18 |