The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-08-22
MIcAELA DE LOS ANGELES.
Story Of Spanish Girl Who Lived in
Mexican Convent.

Mexican Convent.
The story of this young Spanish
girl in Mexico, wholived a mysterious
life in a convent, may be truly called
legendary history, says Modern Mex
leo. Micaela de los Angeles was be-
lieved to be a daughter Of Philip II.
of Spain, who was brought to Mexico
and ihmured in the royal convent Of
Jesus Maria for reasons best known
to the royal father. This convent
was founded in 1878 by two Span
iards, Pedro T. Denia and GregOrio
de Pesquera, purposely for the de-
scendants Of the conquerors. 1t was
placed under the rule of Franciscan
nuns, and jealousy guarded. None
but daughters of aristocrats and no
BILE and royal houses were admitted.
Just when the Nina Micaela entered
the convent no one seemed to re-
member, her presence at first being
scarcely noticed by any but the
mother superior. She was plainly
dressed and kept in great ~seclusion
for a time, but by and by it was OBJ
served that she was gradually being
surrounded with royal Injuries. This
fact naturally melted inquiry, and
with curiosity on one hand and
knowledge, even in the minds Of a
few, on the other, it was soon known
that Micaela was a direct descendant
Of the king and that her brother,
Archbishop Pedro de COntreras, had
special care over her. For a longtime
it was thought that Micaela had beer
brought to the convent while a very
small child, but her increasing un-
happiness and longing for scenes Of
which the nuns knew nothing con.
WINGED them that she had been rude
ly torn away from all that her affec
tons held dear, or that she had beer
falsely lured to her Imprisonment il
, a foreign land. The walls Of the ole
i. convent of Mexico were very higl
and thick, and a nun once behinC
them, and protected also by the sol
emn oaths that she and all about he
must take, was a nun for life-anC
vet even those walls had ears, an,
there were eyes that saw and tongue
that told tales. 1t was always SC
Even Abelard and Heloise hear
from each other at times.
Whether Micaela's lover was
priest or not neither records nor tra
|" ditions tell us, only that she had on'
Perhaps he followed her over sea.
> Perhaps it was to part her from hir
that she was sent to Mexico to tn
royal convent. Perhaps the partin
: had the usual result, of strengthen
ing the ties of love and making tn
lover more determined. Who knows
d Alas, no one in Mexico. But that doe
9 not matter. Micaela was unhapp,
and she had a lover who would hav
taken her from the convent if h
could. That is enough to stir tn
heart.
Onenightt econyent was attacked
whether by Indians orrobbers orhe-
b etics it could not be discovered in tn
darkness, for Mexico had no stree
lights in those early days. But /
whomsoever, theattack was repulse,
n the doors dOubly barred and guarde'
and on one entered and none e
o capped.
After that those who passed by tt
royal convent frequently heard sa
meanings and demoniacal laughte
, and loud calls, repeated and repea
j., ed, until the voice seemed to d
away in the distance, or to be shut Q
by many walls and closing doors
a. at times even by the sudden placir
of a strong hand over the mouth
to the maniac. When the mad nun
IN the royal convent died it was know
that Mioaela de los Angeles, Il
daughter of Philip II. of Spain, W
ID free and many secretly prayed tn
: she had joined her lover in Heave
q ~