Identifier: diplomatswifeinm00osha (find matches)
Title: A diplomat's wife in Mexico : letters from the American Embassy at Mexico City, covering the dramatic period between October 8th, 1913, and the breaking off of diplomatic relations on April 23rd, 1914, together with an account of the occupation of Vera Cruz
Year: 1916 (1910s)
Authors: O'Shaughnessy, Edith, 1870-1939
Subjects:
Publisher: New York : Harper & Brothers
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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e of light, the celebrated imageabove visible to all. It is the famous Imagen de la Virgen,stamped miraculously on the tilma (coarse cloth mantle)of a lowly Indian, Juan Diego, as the Virgin appeared tohim passing the rock of Tepeyac on his way to Tlaltelolco,to receive instructions in the mysteries of the Faith.The sacred image is placed above the high altar in agold frame, and there is a gleaming, solid silver stair-railing leading up both sides. In the middle aisle were double files of young Indiangirls, with bright-colored scarfs about their shoulders,and strange, high, picturesque-looking head-dresses, ofgaudy tissue-paper, with trimmings of gold. They werechanting monotonous minor songs, accompanied by aswaying, dance-like movement of the hips—all most rev-erent. They had been there for hours and showed nosign of leaving. I hope I said a reverent prayer, but Ifelt a bit cheap in contrast to the rapt devotion on allsides. I was glad to get a breath of fresh air in the plaza, 86
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A DIPLOMATS WIFE IN MEXICO or rather, fresher, as it was almost as crowded as thechurch, and every dog in Mexico seemed to be there,scratching and shaking itself. We made our way, Mr. de Soto clearing a path for us,to the Capilla del Pocito. These waters are said to havegushed from under the feet of the Virgin as she appearedto Juan Diego. A la the fountain of Trevi, whoeverdrinks of it returns to Mexico. We didnt drink, forvarious reasons unconnected with return. The Indiansuse it for healing purposes and a lively trade in brightlypainted, earthern-ware bottles, in which to carry thewater away, was going on about the chapel. The Indi-ans come, sometimes a many days journey, on foot,of course, and when they arrive they bivouac all aboutthe church as if they had reached home. What withbabies crying, beggars begging—por el Virgen, *porla Santa Madre de Dios—dogs yapping and vendershawking, the whole dominated by the acrid smell of thevarious pungent messes they roll up in their tort

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