And when she did die, young and old, poor and not-so-very-poor, Catholic or whatever, believers and non-believers alike, “Indian” and “Spanish,” a few gringos and some others, even non-human (since it was never no secret that all her life animals were closer to La Loca than people) came to that second funeral. Perhaps some—especially those who had missed it the first time—had hoped to see her rise again. And yet there were still others who believed that her true powers would be revealed after her final death.

Someone did a sketch of La Loca Santa as she was seen on Gato Negro at the Way of the Cross Procession that memorable Holy Friday (which we will also see in the following account) in her sister’s blue robe and reproduced it, except that in the drawing it flowed and looked more like el San Martín Caballero’s Roman robe than a chenille bathrobe. A factory in San Antonio quickly caught on and made up votive candles with a picture of La Loca Santa on a horse to petition help from her as the new emissary to heaven. “Patrona de todas las criaturas”—Patron of all of God’s creatures, animal and human alike—the little ribbon design at the bottom of her picture read. On the back was a special prayer to La Loca and instructions for those who wanted to dedicate a novena to her.

Altars were quickly adorned with the Santita’s picture and candles and requests and flowers and although no one really knew what kind of food she liked best, the rumor was biscochitos, so there was usually a little plate of wedding cookies as an offering to her on the altars of the really devoted.

Doña Felicia, meanwhile, while Loca was still among the living, fearing that all her years, nay, her good century of practice had not done her an ounce of good in the face of this hideous disease, put aside pride regarding her knowledge and relented to try every tratamiento known to the Rio Abajo curanderas, medicas from the montes, yerberas from the llanos, brujas de las sierras, gias from the pueblos—and men of that same profession, too, for that matter.

So, tablespoon after tablespoon of this solution and that oil went into Loca’s mouth, and Loca, becoming increasingly apathetic, just opened up and swallowed without so much as a grimace after a while. Aceite de comer cooking oil mixed with hot water and sugar for La Loca’s sore throat. No, no, said Teresa of Isleta, a drop or two of kerosene in a teaspoon of sugar for the throat. Poleo water for mouth sores!