27 August
It is just a month since my dear William was taken from us & each day seems but to add to the sense of the berevement. God’s will be done, and may he sanctify to us this dispensation. It will certainly wean our hearts from the world, for by him, & through him we expected to be honored here.—and he is in heaven; I have now two children in heaven, Harriet & William.—May my hard, worldly heart be lifted up from this vain passing life to that eternal & with those redeemed & in heaven.—
Arthur came up with his father looking thin and shattered, he spent his furlough satisfactorily, he was docile, every day he read two chapters in the Bible to me, a small one I got for him, & said a Hymn, “Just as I am”. I pasted the Hymn in the book for him, & hope he will read his Bible regularly. William was a great loss to him, he seemed like a wall of defence, always there to help & keep him up. His health seemed benefitted, but he smokes too much. He went down yesterday.—
Berkley got a furlough for a week & spent it with us, he looks well and is now to take Quinine regularly & may be in that way able to escape fever.—His father gave Arthur money to buy quinine. We have not heard from Lewis & are uneasy about him. There are notices of William in the papers commendatory of him, Charlotte writes me the notice from the Bar was very good, we have not seen it. Lasage Elliott sent Mr Grimball a paper drawn up at a meeting of some of his personal friends commending his character & talents, it was to have been published in the Guardian, we have not yet seen it. They also requested permission to place a tablet on his grave.—All this shews that his life, though short, was not without its use, his example may lead others to strive after good.—