sented, she descended of her own accord to the floor, and alone without any assistance advanced with a firm step towards the sacred tablet, before which she made many signs of reverence, and then paused as though enchanted. We can easily conceive the amazement of her mother and of every one present. Her prudent parent, comprehending that it was the work of the Almighty, attempted no interference, but left the child to herself; and henceforward she was wrapped in no swathing bands, but was able to walk alone without meeting with any accident. Another miracle which occurred when she was a year and a half old, is related in the process of her canonization. A servant of the family, called Alexandra, carried her in her arms when she went to purchase some oil at a shop; the man who sold it endeavoured to put her off with short measure, when the little Ursula astounded them all by speaking for the first time, and pronouncing in a distinct voice these words-" Do justice, for God sees you!" A succession of these extraordinary occurrences induced her pious parents to regard her, not only with partiality, but even with devotion, for they had good reason to look forward to the supernatural privileges that were destined for their child. They guarded her as the apple of their eye, and her elder sisters took pains not to annoy her, but on the other hand to foster her natural disposition. The servants followed their example, treating her as though she had been the mistress of the house, as she herself, after she had grown up and become a religious, declared with sentiments of humility and confusion, being herself amazed thereat, for she had the very poorest opinion of herself.

CHAPTER II.

SHE BEGINS AT THE AGE OF THREE YEARS TO ENJOY FAMILIAR INTERCOURSE WITH JESUS AND MARY,

WHEN Ursula had completed her third year, those seeds of devotion which had been implanted in her by heaven began to develop themselves day by day. Even at that tender age, the sports of childhood had no charms for her. Instead of childish toys she chose to entertain herself with a beautiful picture of the Blessed Virgin in the act of nursing her Divine Son, which hung on a wall in the house. Before it she raised a sort of little altar, and all her thoughts and cares were concentrated on the adornment of this her oratory. She would often invite her sisters to assist in her pious work. From what follows it is evident that this was not with her, as is the case with some children, a matter of mere pastime and diversion. The ribbons and corals with which her mother and sisters attempted to decorate the person of Ursula, together with any other ornaments she might receive, were one and all devoted to the furnishing of this cherished spot; for in her holy simplicity she was wont to regard that sacred picture as our Blessed Lord Himself. Hence she would converse familiarly with the Queen of Saints and with the Infant Jesus, as though they were really present before her, and just as if she were addressing her own mother and sisters. She would often deposit her food on this little altar, inviting the Divine Infant to partake thereof; and then she would conceal herself behind the tapestry, and watch to see if the object of her devotion

were descending to fulfil her request; and when her wish was not gratified, she would exclaim in her disappointment: "If You will not eat, then neither will I." At other times she would entreat Mary to give her the Divine Infant to caress; and perceiving that her prayer was not heard, she would place one chair upon another in order to mount and take her treasure by force; more than once she had in consequence a fall by which her head was severely bruised. On rising she would reproach the Blessed Virgin for having refused her petition, and claim to have her mishap remedied, which she had no sooner done than she found herself cured.

This simplicity was so pleasing to Mary and her Divine Son, that on several occasions the picture took the form of living persons, and Ursula beheld the Holy Virgin place within her arms the sacred Babe, permitting her to lavish caresses on Him. At other times the Infant Saviour came down from His place in the picture, and partook on the altar of the food she offered, presenting her with a portion of the same, that she might share it with Him. It must have been a wonderful sight to behold the little girl so innocently imploring the favour of Mary, bestowing her small gifts on Jesus, beseeching Him to descend from the picture and to accompany her wherever she went; and then to see the condescension of Mary, and the sacred Hand of her Son stretched forth towards Ursula in token of acceptance, and afterwards rejoicing the heart of His beloved child by the most affecting endearments.

Such interchange of love increased the tender homage of our young Saint towards the two great objects of her devotion, and she was even per

mitted to hear the voice of Mary addressing her from this picture in accents of love, and giving her frequent and useful directions. One day when she was there in preparation for prayer, the Blessed Virgin said to her: "Daughter, this my Son loves thee exceedingly-prepare thyself, for He will be thy Spouse!" At these words an extraordinary fire of love was kindled in her soul, and she earnestly longed to give herself entirely to Jesus. Whatever she had that was fair and good, she offered Him on her little altar. One day the Divine Infant vouchsafed to acknowledge her generosity by saying to her: "I love thee very much! Take care to expend thy affections on no other than Myself alone." To which Ursula immediately replied: "Dearest Jesus, I love Thee most ardently! teach me what Thou wouldst have me do." The Infant Saviour then turned to His holy Mother and said: "It is My Will that this our beloved child should be guided by thee." On another occasion when she was gathering flowers in the garden for her altar, the Infant Jesus appeared before her, saying: "I am the Flower of the field;" and after these words the vision disappeared. Ursula accordingly ran into the house, thinking that the object of her love had taken refuge there, and full of grief presented herself before her favourite picture, exclaiming: "Thou hast made me run, whilst Thou didst return into the arms of Mary, and I have not been able to overtake Thee," and then she burst into tears. Her loving Lord, Who could not endure to see her thus afflicted, deigned to leave the picture and embrace her, which restored her serenity in a moment.

These facts are taken in part from the deposition of

her sisters, who were careful never to lose sight of her, as also from the testimony of her first confessor, the Canon Ambroni of Mercatello, and in part also from the account which she wrote of herself after she became a religious, in obedience to her directors -her perfect sanctity rendering all idea of deception inadmissible. From these sources we also learn that at the same age, namely, in her third or fourth year, on the return of her mother or her aunt from church, she would know by the perception of a certain celestial fragrance when they had been to holy Communion, and would exclaim, "How sweet the perfume! oh, how sweet!" nor would she leave them for a considerable time. Very frequently when taken into a church, although so young, she beheld the Sacred Host all dazzling and glorious; and sometimes the living form of the Holy Child Jesus was visible to her eyes. We must not omit a remarkable incident which occurred when she was about four years old. Her mother was taken so dangerously ill that the holy Viaticum was conveyed to her. At the moment of the entrance of the Blessed Sacrament, Ursula beheld It resplendent with such heavenly light that she implored the priest to communicate her also. In order to satisfy her, she was told that he had brought with him only one particle of the Blessed Eucharist, to which the child, doubtless enlightened from above, promptly replied that he might break off for her a fragment of that one, for that "as in the case of a mirror, when it is broken into a multitude of pieces, each fragment will still reflect the entire object which the whole originally represented, so each portion of that Sacred Host divided between her mother and herself would contain Jesus as entirely as the whole