The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-12-24
NEW DIVINE HEALER.
MexIcANs' CONCEPTION OF PAUL
FRANKEpS HEALING POWERS.


around Monterey are becoming much a
excited by what they conceive to be the
healing powers of Mr.. Paul Frankel, 7
who has been q resident Of Monterey for @
number of years. The Mexicans per
sist in believing Mr.. Frankel to be
heavens specially appointed curative
agent, despite that gentleman's vehe-
ment denials
MIR. Frankel is q posthumous child.
His father was of German parentage,
though American born. His mother
was a Mexican, but Mr.. Frankel was
born in Rome His mother was notable
for her piety. The death Of her husband.
which occurred in Rome seven months
before the birth Of her son, but increas-
ed her religious zeal With means sufii-
cient for her support she lapsed into
state of religious frenzy. Her time was
almost wholly spent in churches. 1t is
related Of her, indeed, that often she was
! found asleep before an image OF the |
crucifed Christ, where tired nature |
overcame her at her prisons Efforts to |
distract her were unavailing; she con-
tinued her extraordinary devotions up
to the time her child was born.
There was that about the child which
marked it uncommon. Old women shook
their heads in a mysterious way and
muttered short prayers Physicians ex-
! amined it's body curiously, for 1T was
born with but two fingers and thumb
, ON each hand and but three toes ON each
foot, a characteristic which came from
I neither of its parents. But stranger than
all were the marks in the palms OF the
. hands. In each there was red, circular
n SPOT and the skin was shriveled. The
b same kind of spots were visible on the
insteps of the feet Physicians attribut-
ed the markings to the mothers con-
e slant contemplation of the crucifix, and
r the old cronies interpreted the marks as
e signs of the child's divine mission. This
latter Interpretation the mother accepted
e eagerly. for it was her ambition that her
=. son should partake of her piety.
Nor was she disappointed. Early in
If life the child showed that 1t had inner
:. tied all Of it's mothers subdued, reclu'
"a sive nature, while it's religious DISPOSE
n. ton. if less frenzicd than that OF lt'
"a mother. was no less fergid. Mrs. FRANKIE
returned to Monterey three years aftel
IN the birth of her child in lS47, and LIVED
10 in q little suburban settlement, wher'
d, she died in 1870.
The Mexicans early began to regar'
or the child as something more than hu
~ man. Aside from its markings. the chile
nt was such as to attract attention. III
nd hair was of purest white, while It's eye
II were of blacklist black, which glove
~ as if lighted by an inward fire. Add
40 this complexion Of brownish tint, an
Won have an ensemble at once strlkin
L. and majestic. In his youth they revel
epced the boy as something above then
and in his maturity they regarded hi
as their guide, philosopher and friend
These he has been to them for year
for with an amiable, reclusive dlspos
:, ton he has had no other occupatie
III. than study and care for the poor and y
eio norant, who reverence him. LlVli
JOS alone i'm the matched cottage in whl'
cn. his mother died, his home is the shrll
nat of thousands. They call him est Paul,
owe and as one watches him, tall, gau
lilu man. with long white hair and VIII
7rn' natriarchal beard which falls maJestl
non ally to his waist, the aptness OF his III
~. is conceded. 49,,
lly' His court he holds in little squf
room. whose front door opens on to
iei, veranda, where the eye sweeps oown !,
MAJ mighty canyon, whose lofty perpend
was ular walls almost echo the twltter
the birds. Here for many year ne
SO heard the woes Of his flock Old wo
rest an come to hear him discourse on
affairs Of the soul, and to get that
my l;o;ous consolation which they era
at is Young mothers bring their babies
ugnS him for his blessing. He is godfather
'iun thousands, and name bestowed Dy
trlne "a supposed to insure sanity guida
has ~ the child through life. Young swa
u DO seeking the hands OF their swee'ne'
lfted sue first for his consent, and depart
souls crave the guidance OF his pray
one He is. in the imaginative minus
these Mexicans, Gods vicegerent
"N earth. A.;
Rut while he has maintained this
II 10 lation with the Mexicans numpe
-, wears it is only recently that they
'anf attributed to him the power OF neal
This is the natural evolution OF
mean superstition. There is no other G
sness' for il than that some of the SICK
whom he has prayed have recoVt
rong' Tbeachievementso medical science
t my have credited to his intercession
as all heaven. When this belief took root
Their Mr.. Frankel nor any one else kn
aving At first MIR. Frankel humored 1t, I'll
I'D OF ing SO long as his prayers were oa
olive mn by medicine there could COM
ID, re- harm. But the superstition grew s
or and Ger and faster than he had reckl
quisi- Tho Mexicaps came to regard med
9 man "a superfluous The laying on o.
lasped hands. with few prayers, they reg'
at she as all sufficient Then it was that
, MUIR Paul. seeing for the first time The
sequences Of the superstition, oes
uly on attempt to eradicate it. So lar d