One of the witnesses to the latter instrument was not living, being the young man who was so suddenly killed. The other testified that no farther business, except signing the deed was transacted in his presence. Lawyer Colby corroborated this testimony, while Joseph Lee after being sworn, testified that although Mr. Willard's statements might be true as to his father's intention to make a second will, he had yet to learn that such a will had actually been made. For want of proof of the existence of a second will, the one then before the court was set up and Joseph Lee duly appointed executor upon his deceased father's estate. CHAPTER XXV. "How may the mother's heart Dwell on her son, and dare to hope again? The Spring's rich promise hath been given in vain, The lovely must depart! Is _he_ not gone, our brightest and our best? Come near! and bear the early-called to rest! "Ye weep, and it is well! For tears befit earth's partings! Yesterday Song was upon the lips of this pale clay, And sunshine seemed to dwell Where'er he moved--the welcome and the blessed! Now gaze and bear the silent unto rest!" MRS. HEMANS. _Friday, March 16th, 1838._ My dearly loved mother,--With a heart borne down with sorrow, I take my pen to communicate the sad intelligence which even as I write my heart refuses to believe. My sweet little Walter, my first-born son; your only grandchild, is, alas! no more on earth! _Evening._ I could go no farther this morning; the dreadful reality overwhelmed me; and I could only weep afresh. My dear, doubly _dear_ husband came and wept with me. Then he took that precious book which contains so many words of comfort to poor broken hearts, and read passage after passage. We knelt together, and told Jesus all our sorrow and grief at the loss of our darling; that our hearts were like to burst that we should see his face no more,--no more hear his merry laugh, or his shout of delight. And Jesus, our elder brother, seemed to stand by us, and weep with us as he did with Mary and Martha of olden time. But at length he pointed to the beautiful azure sky above, while his tender notes fell like low sweet music upon our ears, hushing into peace the waves of sorrow which were roaring and dashing over us. "Beyond those bright aerial regions is the throne of the eternal. Before him are a multitude whom no man can number, of little ones who were early transplanted from this cold and sinful earth to the pure air of heaven. While sinful nations in affright hide their faces from the searching glance of him who sitteth upon the throne, yet upon these little ones he lifts the light of his countenance, and bestows his constant smiles. Your child washed in my blood, purified and sanctified by my spirit, is among them swelling with his infant voice the choir who are ever singing, 'worthy the lamb that was slain for our sins.'"