Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1891-09-19
THE SAINT AND THE G GAMBLER
They Formed q Pool, with Profitable
Results.

San Francisco was patron OF a church
in MapdaIena, Mexico, and he was
good SAINT. He cared well for his hocl
and his fiockcared for him. They gave
him gladly OF their mites, provided q
| fine sanctuary for him to Sit In. In the
center of the great church and adorned
him, with other things, by placing about
his neck gold chain, OF fine gold, oi
much richness Of design and many
csrsts. Part of the capital in stock OF
the saint or the church or the priest, OF
ali 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 a certain
spot in the ceiling without speaking.
| At least he did most OF the time. The
story among the faithful Mexicans OF
| the flock tells that once San Francisco
| did speak.
A gambler had played monte one
night and lost all his money. de was
very anxious to recover his money and
conceived the scheme Of borrowing 1t OF
San Francisco. The church door stood
open and I'll within was dark and grue-
SEINE, and bis steps echoed very loud as
be walked over the tiled floor to the
saint. His voice when he spoke he hard
ly knew from its many echoss and be
hurriedly 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
Ill - he
saint agreed to the proposition and the
gambler sooE had large stack or chips
advanced OF 1t, and then be Played
monte as il possessed. The stack OF
chips became Inadequate FOR his
amounts. he played gold pieces, in
stead, recklessly, and won moro gold
pieces. He became rich man that
night and won more pesos than ] dare
tell. He felt that San Francisco was n
first class hacker, and he also felt that
it was very good and very right that he
should win, seeing that half OF 1t was
for the church and San Francisco. But
be was not long IN undisturbed posses
sion Of his ill-acquired riches. The
church people had entered the sane
tu8ry and found that some vandal had
removed the chain from the old saints
neck, and moreover escaped without be
ing stricken dead on the spot. Dire
threats were made on the unholy wretch
and speedy retaliation was promised for
the dissertation. The gambler was
found with the cham, 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. It could not be fasten-
ed on and the gambler was consulted.
He could make it right, he said, when
his orders were fulfilled. First he must
be released, and second his riches OF the
night before restored to him. Then he
must be allowed to take the saints por-
ton to him and the chain would be Sc
cure. They felt that deeper power
than their own was IN it-so the story
has it-and consented. Action was
withdrawn, the gambler freed, and he
faithfully performed his conditions with
the saint. Many gold pieces were sized
up side by side. these for the saint, those
for the gambler. The division was we'll
and truly made, and the many bright
shining yellow pieces were dropped into
the great receptacle al the saints feet.
Then the gambler restored the chain to
its old place, and it instantly fastened
together and has SO remained to this
day.