The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-12
VISITATION OF ruE yruc,y.
Belief that Is Prevalent Among
Ignorant MeNicuns

corpus Christi Texas June lin view
OF the fact that number of people have
inquired the reason OF the present state of
excitement among the Mexican people
about tho supposed visitation OF the Virgin
10 TINS section, The Post correspondent
VIII endeavor TO give the facts in regard
to this peculiar belief as near as possihlel
as related to him by an aged Mexican. to-
sother with few scenes connected with
| the occasion as observed by him.
In Mexico there exists a belief among
the more ignorant class chat the Virgin
appears at a certain place ut ieas, once a
year and selects from amongst the inhab-
itants little girl to act as her spiritual
interprS.or. Large crowds gather 1T the
place designated by the first one to dis
cover that the Virgin is In evidence anl
awaiting thom. The little girl selected
to converse with the Virgin then goes mo
the chapparral alone for several hours.
and returning tells the people of the joyful
greetings sent thcm bv tn Virgin (who is
generally named Santa Maria dc Antcche),
and Tor them to 20 home and assemble
agaln a, such place and holr designated
by the spirit The people on rcassem-
ping meet In prayer and ask that all
those unfortunate ones afflicted In any
manner with any ailments come forth and
icteive los remedies OF the Virgin (Th!s
remedy as a rule consists merely OF rosa
IoaVes ana nutmegs. forming a sort OF tea }
rms seems 10 relieve the invalid, though
ed TO have cast some insulting insnua-
ton. These and many other such capers
are ii-clllged in yearly by the more ignor-
ant ones
1t was only last week that the Mexican
inhabitants of El anz ranch. south Of
here, In Cameron county. were apprised
OF the news that the Virgin had been sron
and conversed with by l0-year- old girl.
me girl claims that she has seen am
Jugado' tplayed With the Virgin nearly
every day for the past two weeks. and that
the Virgin was now awaiting the arrival
of the people who were willing TO worship
at her shrine Many gathered. Worship d
ana went through the usual programme
mentioned above. One man who Is claim
ed TO have cast scme insuleing ins!nua-
lions at the Virgin is related as having
been stricken blind ct afterwards de
veloped that ono OF ,ho worshippers who
did not like the language he used had
thrown some black pepper in his eyes.
Another instance is where an old Mex
lean man who had long been seriously In
disposed from consumption had gone and
prevailed upon the girl to secure him one
OF the spiritualistic prescriptions This
she did and Informed him that il he would
take h.--set and soak II in water wrap
himself in 1t and lay out on the porch cf
his residence over night he would become
permanently cured. This the old man did
not like. on account Of the chilly weather,
but at the same time he seemed disposed
to adhere to the edict Issued him Conse-
quently he tried the remedy. and the re-
suit was he was found next morning IN
comatose condition. being almost frozen
to death. There are similar instances II
this character 100 numerous TO mention
happening year after year, though the poor
lsnorants can not be induced TO abandon
their belief.
This month, especially the visitation OF
the Virgin Is being looked forward to and
observed throughout the Republic Of Mex
leo and In many sections OF Texas whore
this class Of people exist. j. W r.