Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-10-09
THE SAINT sTAKED THE TIN HORN
from 'tho tucson citizen.

From the Tucson Citizen.
San Francisco was patron Of a
church in Magdalena, Mexico, and he
was good saint. He cared well for
his iiock and his flock cared for him.
They gave him gladly of their mites,
provided fine sanctuery for him to
sit in 10 the center of the great
church and adorned him, with other
things, by placing about his neck a
gold chain, of flne gold, of much rich
ness Of design and many scafats. Part
of the capital in stock Of the saint or
the church or the priest, or all Of
them, perhaps. was the awe in which
they were covered about. The church
was left open day and night that those
inclined might perform devotions
where they listed, and the good saint
always continued looking at certain
spot in the ceiling without speaking.
At least he did most Of the time.
The story among the faithful Mexi-
cans of the flock tells that once San
Francisco.did speak.
A gambler had played monte one
night and lost all his money. He was
very anxious orecoyer his money and
conceived the scheme of borrowing it
of San Francisco. The church door
stood open and all within was dark
and gruesome, and his steps echoed
very loud as he walked over the tiled
floor to the saint. His voice when he
spoke he hardly knew from its many
echoes and he hurridly told the saint
-at least the Mexicans say so-that
he had lost his money, and that he
would like the loan of the chain and
that he would divide his winnings
with the church, or the saint which
was all the same. The saint agreed to
the proposition and the gambler soon
had large stack of chips and then he
played monte as if possessed. The
stack of chips became inadequate for
his amounts. He played gold pieces,
instead, recklessly, and won more gold
pieces. He became a rich man that
night and won more pesos that l dare
tell. He felt that San Francisco was
a first class backer and he also felt
that it was very good and very right
that he should win, seeing that half of
il was for the church and San Fran.
cisco. But he was not long in undis-
turbed possession of his ill-acquired
riches. The churellspeople had enter
ed the sanctury and found that some
yanda had removed the chain from
the old saints neck, and moreover es-
capped without being stricken dead on
the spot. Dire threats were made on
the unhOly Wretch and speedy retalia-
tion was promised for the desecration.
The gambler was found with the
chain, which he had redeemed, and
Indignantly hurried off to prison
Then the chain was hastily restored to
the saints neck, but it was found to
be broken, and persisted in staying
broken. 1t could not be fastened on
aud the gambler was consulted,
lie could only make it right he said,
when his orders were fulfilled. First
be must be released, and second his
riches of the night before restored to
him. Then he must be allowed to
take the saints portion to him and the
chain would be secure. They felt
that deeper power than their own
was in it-so the story has it-consent-
ell Action was Withdrawn, the
gambler freed, and he faithfully per-
formed his conditions with the saint.
Many gold pieces were sized up side by
side, these for the saint, those for the
gambler. phe division was well and /
truly made. and the many bright yell
low pieces were dropped into the great
at the saints feet. Then
The gambler restored the chain to its
old place, and it instantly fastened !
and has so remained to this
day,