It will be readily believed that the Fentons were enthusiastic in their expressions of love and gratitude to Willie for the signal service he had rendered them, and a letter was sent at once to Miss Letty informing her of the facts, and entreating her to bring the dear invalid to the Tyrrell House immediately on her return.
It was a lovely evening in early autumn when Miss Letty and her charge came back to us, and the first glance at Willie’s pale, sweet face told us that his days were numbered. Yet his spirits were so buoyant, his enjoyment of every thing so earnest and childlike, it was hard to believe that he was indeed passing away from earth.
When I first visited him at the Tyrrell House, he was sitting up in an easy-chair in a room overlooking the garden, and with choice flowers all about him. He smiled as I took his hand and inquired after his health, saying,
“I’m quite well, and so happy. I can’t think what makes everybody so kind to me. I don’t deserve it at all, but God puts it into their hearts, and I thank him for it. If dear Miss Lilian was only here; but I’m so glad she’s with the captain.”
“Were you in Captain Lester’s company?” I asked.
“O yes, he got me transferred; and, Mrs. Glenn, I don’t think there’s another man in the world like Captain Lester.”
“In what respect, Willie?”
“In every thing. The men all love him so, they’d give their lives for him; and yet he’s very strict, and wont have any drinking or gambling or swearing in the camp. They have to do just right, and then he’s the kindest man I ever saw. If anybody is sick or in trouble, they know where to go for help; and when the chaplain is away, he prays and reads a sermon to the men in the big tent every Sunday. Oh dear, I do hope he wont die.” And the tears, which no sufferings of his own could call forth, fell fast for those of his beloved captain.
“Willie,” I said, “do you remember any thing about being wounded, and how you felt then?”
“Not much at first. It is all like a confused dream; how we marched all day to get up with the army; how we lay down to escape the shot and shell that the rebs were pouring into us; and at last, how the captain called out to us, ‘Now, boys, is your time!’ and then we went in on the double-quick, till we were in the thickest of it. It seems somehow as if that was years ago; but all at once, when I was beating my drum as hard as I could, I felt as if I was falling down ever so far, and I didn’t know any thing more for a good while.