234 



PIOUS ANECDOTE. 



cottage, embosomed in woods, (on the spot 

 where now stands the church dedicated to 

 the Virgin,) of which the only inhabitant 

 was a poor woman, called Maria Ramos, 

 to whom the Virgin sent her picture paint- 

 ed on canvas : some days afterwards a vio- 

 lent hurricane arose, destroyed the cottage, 

 and buried the holy present in the ruins, 

 the poor woman scarcely having time to 

 save her life ; she instantly went for shelter 

 to the nearest curate's dwelling, and there 

 related her misfortune and the loss of the 

 valuable picture. The curate, fired with 

 holy anxiety, immediately proceeded with 

 attendants to the spot, and with much 

 trouble rescued the sacred relic, piecemeal, 

 from the ruins: no sooner were the diffe- 

 rent pieces deposited near each other, than 

 they flew together in a miraculous manner, 

 and formed a perfect picture as before. 

 The curate then conveyed it to the neigh- 

 bouring monastery of St. Domingo, where 



