The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1884-04-12
suPERsTrTroNs OF MOUNT ErNA
Temple Bar

In the farmhouse called La Scala, in
the Plaza, the farmer found that the rats
had eaten all the inside of his cheeses,
leaving only the rind. He told one of
his laborers Of this, saying he must carry
Oft his cheeses to Bronte. This man,
whose clothes had also been gnawed, re-.
piled, leave it to ME; I will see about
it." He then sharpened a nail to point,
like needle, and stuck it into the floor
where the rats passed, saying, "May the
rat which gnawed my drawers fall on this
and kill himself" The farmer and he
watched until they saw the rats come and
walk past the nail unhurt. At last one
rat leaped upon it and was killed. From
that time no rat came upon the place.
This man had the power of charming
away pain when horses, etc were suffer.
ing from collie. He was refused absolu.
tion by the priest after confession and
not allowed to receive the Sacrament.
There was also Monaco di Casa, who
lived in Linguaglossa, who had these
supernatural powers. She was consulted
by those who had been robbed. After
listening to their story she thought few
minutes, and then told them where the
stolen goods were to be found. One of
the Maniace men went to her when the
driving belts of the engine were stolen.
An old robber who died in Bronte four
years ago at the age Of l05 had the same
reputation; and a poor, sick, scrofulous
boy, bed-ridden for the last twelve years,
is also one Of the "white witch" tribe.
He knows the name Of and cure for all
diseases, where stolen things are hidden,
where money is to be found buried under
stones, and the like, and he has predicted
his own death, which is to take place in
two years from this date. When Preppe
Paganos cottage was being built some
human bones were dug up. These were
put in basket previous to being re.
inferred; and placed for the night in a
corner of the hut where the workmen
slept. They declared the next morning
that they had been kept awake all night
by the bones rattling and dancing in the
basket. In August, 1881, during ter.
rife storm Of thunder, lightning, wind
and hail as large as pigeons eggs, priest
died in Bronte. He was an enormously
fat and self.indulgent man, very rich,
and with bad character. At the mo-
ment when his corpse was carried into
the church a young married woman, the
mother of three children, respected and
esteemed by all who knew her, was re-.
ceiving the Sacrament. As she opened
her mouth the spirit of T., the priest,
passed into her. From that time she has
been subject to fits of madness, in which
she speaks and acts exactly as he did, her
voice sounding like his. She has con.
fessed many of his crimes; and among
Others that he had been in the habit of
cheating the poor by giving unsigned
receipts, or writing down the wrong
amount when they entrusted corn or
money to him. An attempt was made
by the priests to exercise the demon
which had entered into her, but he
threatened to go into another young
woman if they did, SO, thinking it well
to circumscribe the area of the DEVILS
activities, and wiser to put up with what
they knew than to attempt unknown
| charms thew danisted and left thinps as