Won't she be proud of that picture when she gets it back ?" "If I had been a coward, I couldn't have run away with those socks on my feet." Tom remained with the regiment several hours, and then, in obedience to the surgeon's orders, returned to the hospital, where he wrote a letter to his father, containing a short account of the battle, and another to Lilian Ashford, setting forth the accident which had happened to the picture, and begging her to send him another.
I am afraid in this last letter Tom indulged in some moonshiny nonsense; but we are willing to excuse him for saying that the thought of the beautiful original of the photograph and the beautiful author of his socks had inspired him with courage on the battle field, and enabled him faithfully to perform his duty, to the honor and glory of the flag beneath whose starry folds he had fought, bled, and conquered, and so forth.

It would not be unnatural in a young man of eighteen to express as much as this, and, we are not sure that he said any more.
The next day Tom was down with a slow fever, induced by fatigue and over-exertion.

He lay upon his cot for a fortnight, before he was able to go out again; but he was frequently visited by Hapgood and other friends in the regiment.

About the middle of the month, the brigade moved on, and Tom was sad at the thought of lying idle, while the glorious work of the army was waiting for true and tried men.
Tom received "honorable mention" in the report of the colonel, and his recommendation, supported by that of the general of the division, brought to the hospital his commission as second lieutenant.
"Here's medicine for you," said the chaplain, as he handed the patient a ponderous envelope.
"What is it, sir ?" "I don't know, but it has an official look." The sergeant opened it, and read the commission, duly signed by the governor of Massachusetts, and countersigned and sealed in proper form.
Tom was astounded at the purport of the document.

He could hardly believe his senses; but it read all right, and dated from the day of the battle in which he had distinguished himself.