Sir, I send you the enclosed, taken, I believe, from some work on Italy. It is hardly necessary to say that it consists of four Latin Sentences, which may be read in various ways, each beginning from the word CRUX in the centre. CROCE ANGELICA DI S. TOMASO DE AQUINO, OR HOLY CROSS OF ST. THOMAS AQUINAS, Which was found behind every window-shutter in a house at SVLASA SALVS LASATASAL ECICE CIHIC IHIHI HIMIH IM X MI M ML IG V SEXES MEC We would remind our readers that it is not the Cross of wood, which in Roman Catholic Countries is so superstitiously reverenced, that is worthy of our trust; but the Divine Sufferer. THE DISAPPOINTMENT. "How very disagreeable it is to be disappointed," said Ellen, "I thought we should have such a very pleasant day, and now instead of that, it will be quite a miserable one." "Will it," said her brother, "I dont know why it should." "Oh! but I know it will. Papa promised to take us to the British Museum this morning, and then we were to go to grandmamma's to tea, and aunt Mary is there, and we should see the parrot and it would be so delightful; but now this tiresome rain prevents our going. Oh! how very dull we shall all be!" 66 Pray dont say we shall all be dull," said Edward, “for I intend to make myself very comfortable at home, and so may you if you choose." "Oh dear how it rains," said Ellen, as she looked out of the window and sighed. "I dare say we shall never go to the British Museum now." "If it always continues to rain I dare say we never shall," said her brother, "but for my part I do not think it follows that we shall never go because we cannot go to-day," spare "Oh you know, papa said, this was the only day he could before he goes his journey, and then by the time he comes back it will be winter and cold, and then mamma always objects to our going out." "Mamma never objects to any thing that will give us pleasure, without a very good reason for doing so," said Edward. Ellen knew that her brother was right, and she was ashamed of having given utterance to a thought that reflected upon her kind mamma; but when people once give way to evil tempers, they sometimes say and do things at which they would at another time be quite shocked. "What is it you are going to see Ellen ?" asked a little girl who was sitting at the table, cutting out paper. "I am not going to see any thing," said Ellen, hastily. "Then what's the matter, sister ?" "Why papa promised to take us to the British Museum this morning, and now we cannot go." "What is the British Museum," enquired the child. "Oh, I don't know what it is, I wish you would not tease me so. Then Edward laughed and said, "well, that is droll; so Ellen you are very unhappy because you cannot go to see something, and you do not know what-perhaps you expected to be introduced to a fine collection of wild beasts, or an exhibition of wax-work." Now this certainly was very wrong of Edward, to laugh at his sister, and it made Ellen very angry, and she began to cry and to find fault with every body and every thing, and said such naughty things, and talked so loud, that her mamma, who was in the next room, heard her and came to enquire what was the matter. Ellen was generally silenced by a look of disapprobation from her mamma, but now, she had allowed herself to be so completely put out of humour, that she could not govern her temper, and crying passionately, said that Edward was very unkind to her, and she was very unhappy. 66 "I am sorry for that my love," said Mrs. Symonds; “ Edward is not used to behave unkindly to his sisters, but what is it makes you unhappy?" "I have been looking forward to this day for a whole week,” sobbed Ellen; "I expected we should go to the British Museum and to grandmamma's, and now it is so wet, we are obliged to stay at home; it is enough to make any body unhappy," "I was very sorry, my dear, to find it a wet morning, and so was your papa, because we are always glad to afford our children any gratification, but it does not make either of us so miserable as you represent; nor has it had this effect upon your sisters; they know that going to-day is out of the question, and, though they feel disappointed as you do, they make up their minds to be comfortable at home, and hope to go some other time. When I went into the study just now, they were talking to papa about the curiosities they expected to see, and he is explaining several things to them, which I think you would find very interesting, suppose you go and join them." Ellen did not attempt to move, but still stood at the window, leaning upon her elbows; in a few minutes, she said, "I wish I lived in that country where it never rains, and then I should not be subject to such disappointments." "That is so very silly a wish," said her mamma, “ that I am quite surprised to hear my Ellen express it, but I am still more grieved at the improper feeling which suggested it. You cannot be aware my love, of the inconveniences to which you would be subject, nor of the dangers to which you would be exposed in a sultry climate-neither have you any idea of the numerous causes from which disappointment may arise;—at present you are not disposed to hear of these things, but when you have in some degree recovered your temper, we will talk about them, and then I think I shall succeed in convincing you, that the accomplishment of the wish you just now uttered, so far from making you happier, would, decidedly, increase your troubles." Ellen made no answer, but continued looking out of the window, as if she expected the rain would cease in consequence of her watching its descending showers.-Her little sister went up to her, and good humouredly said-"do come and play with me Ellen-shall I fetch my: doll ?" "I don't want to play, go away naughty girl," and she gave the poor child such a push, that she fell down and hurt her head against the foot-stool, and began to cry-her mamma lifted her up, and said, "go my love and fetch your doll, and 1 will help you dress it." This pleased the child, and she ran away. Mrs. Symonds then went up to Ellen and said, "I am sorry Ellen to be obliged to punish you, on a day that you expected to spend more pleasantly than usual, but I cannot allow you to behave in this way; if you feel inclined to be good, and make yourself agreeable, I shall be very glad to have you with me, but if you do not, I must insist upon your going into your own room, and remaining there until you are convinced of the impropriety, as well as folly, of such conduct. You have spent many wet days at home before, and why should not this be passed as happily as any former one. Now try to be pleased and find something to do, and then you will forget your disappointment." At this moment, her papa and sisters entered the parlour, and surprised at seeing Ellen in tears, enquired the cause.— "She is rather disappointed at the delay of our projected excursion," said Mrs. Symonds, "but as we have no controul over the weather, it is not owing to any fault of ours, and so we must make the best of it." "Why Ellen," said Sophia, "we could not imagine what had become of you; papa has been entertaining us with an account of some of the curiosities we were to see to-day, and I am really glad we did not go; for now I know so much more about them, that I shall be doubly interested when we have an opportunity of examining them-why did you not come into the study ?" - "I would a great deal rather see them than hear about them," said Ellen. But we shall see them too, some other day; papa says he shall try to defer his journey, a day or two, on purpose to take us, because he thinks, when he returns, the days will be too short and the weather more likely to be unsettled then.” Ellen's countenance brightened at this intelligence; she wished very much to know what her papa had been telling her sisters about the Museum, and if Edward had not been in the room, she would probably have asked, but she was afraid he would relate what had passed, and she felt ashamed; so she merely asked, "do you think we shall go to-morrow?" No, my dear," said her papa, "to morrow I shall be particularly engaged in business; I cannot fix any day at present, but I will promise to devote the first I can spare to your gratification." Mrs. Symonds then told them that as they had calculated upon a holiday, she should still allow them to choose their own employment for the morning, but recommended them to begin something immediately; for she knew that when the mind is unsettled by disappointment, the best remedy is to have its powers fully occupied. S. M. F. (To be continued.) INTELLECTUAL ENJOYMENTS. MENTAL pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by repetition, approved of by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment.-Lacon. |