consent; she exhorted her mother to submit to the good pleasure of God; but her prayers were more prevalent with our Lord, than with the mind of the patient. Hence our Redeemer said to his Spouse. "Announce to thy mother who is unwilling to die at present, that a day will arrive in which she will ardently sigh for death, without obtaining it." I can testify, with many others, the fulfillment of this prophecy. Lapa attained an extreme old age, and had so much to endure in persons and things that she loved, that she was continually saying: "God has riveted my soul to my body, so that it cannot be separated from it; how many children and grand-children have I already lost ? it is only I that cannot die, I am left to feel the sufferings and death of all the others."
Lapa's heart was so obstinate, that she did not think of her soul's salvation. God then appeared to refuse his Spouse what he granted her at first. After having deferred, in accordance with her petition, the death of her mother, he permitted, in order to display her merits, that Lapa should die without having confessed. Her daughter, at the view of this misfortune cried to heaven, dissolved in tears: "Ah ! Lord my God, are these the promises thou gave me that none of mine should perish ? Was not thy mercy pledged not to withdraw my mother from the world but when she would consent to it; and behold she is dead without receiving the Sacraments of the Church; in the name of thy infinite bounty, suffer not my hopes to be thus deceived. I will not leave thy presence, until you restore to me my mother." Three Ladies of Sienna, whose names we will give, were then present and heard these words. They saw Lapa breathe her last, and touched her body which gave no signs of life; they would have made every preparation for her
