Page:Here and there in Yucatan - miscellanies (IA herethereinyucat00lepl 0).djvu/112

 throwing a penny to his starving fellow-creature, who, with beseeching eyes, implores his aid, as the snow-flakes flutter down upon her ragged garments.

But look! in the snow, at that woman's feet, hopping hither and thither on the whitened ground, some poor little sparrows eagerly seek a crumb. They too are cold and hungry; their tiny limbs are almost stiff. Now, one more lucky than the rest, finds a piece of bread; the others approach, but number one hotly defends his own; will share the morsel only with his mate.

On the other side of the street a fat dog has just found a bone. A wretched half-starved cur ventures near to plead for a share. Does he get it?

Alas! we are but human animals.

Centuries ago, the people of America had a system of communism that we to-day would not tolerate—no! not even those who declaim against capitalists, while in their heart of hearts they hope to one day have a capital of their own.

The Peruvians in South, the Mayas in Central America, were then the two most civilized nations on this continent; both were communists, though the difference between them was great; for while under the rule of the Incas the system was