grammar, and everything else take care of themselves. I spoke just now
of the best letter I have ever read, and I venture to give a piece of
it--

[1] Written when Mr. Runciman answered correspondents of the
_Family Herald_.

"DEAR MADAM,--No doubt you and Frank's friends have heard the sad
fact of his death here, through his uncle or the lady who took his
things. I will write you a few lines, as a casual friend that sat
by his death-bed. Your son, Corporal Frank H. ----, was wounded
near Fort Fisher. The wound was in the left knee, pretty bad. On
the 4th of April the leg was amputated a little above the knee;
the operation was performed by Dr. Bliss, one of the best surgeons
in the Army--he did the whole operation himself. The bullet was
found in the knee. I visited and sat by him frequently, as he was
fond of having me. The last ten or twelve days of April I saw that
his case was critical. The last week in April he was much of the
time flighty, but always mild and gentle. He died 1st of May.
Frank, as far as I saw, had everything requisite in surgical
treatment, nursing, &c. He had watchers most of the time--he was
so good and well-behaved and affectionate. I myself liked him very
much. I was in the habit of coming in afternoons and sitting by
him and soothing him; and he liked to have me--liked to put his
arm out and lay his hand on my knee--would keep it so a long
while. Towards the last he was more restless and flighty at
night--often fancied himself with his regiment, by his talk
sometimes seemed as if his feelings were hurt by being blamed by
his officers for something he was entirely innocent of--said, 'I
never in my life was thought capable of such a thing, and never