impelling me to her cheerful room, where a cup of tea and a nice
little supper was in readiness, made far more enjoyable by her loving
service and pleasant talk so full of cheer. The other ladies were just
as kind-hearted, but none had the sweet, winning grace that
characterized Mrs. Thornton, except, perhaps, Mrs. Lee, wife of the
surgeon above mentioned. She was also one of the dearest and kindest
of friends. My enthusiasm in regard to Mrs. Lee was almost like that
of a lover. She was a beautiful woman, tall, majestic, graceful,
towards the world at large dignified and, perhaps, a little reticent;
to those whom she honored with her love or friendship, irresistibly
fascinating. Her eyes were--not magnificent, but just "the sweetest
ever seen," and combined with a perfect mouth to make her smile a
caress. In addition, rare intelligence and fine conversational powers
rendered her a delightful companion. Dr. Lee was by birth a South
Carolinian, a polished gentleman, and, though in general
self-contained and of quiet manners, proved a warm friend and a most
pleasant host. Mrs. Lee used to search for me through the wards, and,
having found me, would flourish a "prescription," made out in due
form, for "an hour of leisure, to be repeated twice every week before
retiring." These hours spent at the pleasant quarters of Dr. and Mrs.
Lee were, indeed, "a feast of reason and a flow of soul," often
diversified by funny experiments in disguising the remains of the
day's rations by cooking recipes familiar in ante-bellum days, but
which generally failed because substitutes would never produce the
same results as the real ingredients.

Dr. Lee was some months afterwards transferred to Cherokee Springs as
surgeon in charge of one of the convalescent hospitals, of which Mrs.
Lee volunteered to act as matron. We parted with real regret, but
truly her patients gained by our loss. For she was most competent,