The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-02-01

to the sitting room the bell was rung
| which summoned the members of his
household to family prayers, which the
General always conducted himself
Breakfast then followed light and
frugal meal, for the General was never
large eater. Breakfast over, he re
| paired to the college chapel-which he
insisted upon having built as soon as he
was elected President-where all the
students assembled for prayers, which
lwere conducted by the college chaplain,
He then went to-his ofica, and devoted
the remainder of the morning to college
business-couducting the correspou-
dence Of, aud exercising general su-
pervision over the affairs of the college.
When the hour for dinner arrived, he
returned to his home. This meal was
seldom eaten alone by Lee and his
family, for he was the most hospitable
of gentlemen and the most genial of
hosts, and any acquaintance who came
to Lexington, or stranger who arrived
with letters of introduction, was always
invited to a seatat his board. After
dinner, his old aud highly priced battle
charger, and gertler steed, bearing a
lady's saddle, were brought to the door,
and the General, accompanied by one or
| the other of his daughters, would start
out for their evening ride. The Gen
eral was fond of horse, back riding, aud
those acquainted with his habits while
in the army, will readily imagine that
but short time elapsed after bis arrival
in Lexington before he became perfectly
familiar With every road and bride
path in the vicinity of the town. Nes
was he more familiar with the roads
| and byepaths than he was with the
people who lived upon them. The far
mers, the laborers in the field, and the
little children on their way to school,
soon knew and loved the good General
and were his acquaintances and his
friends After tea, the scene in Gen.
Lees sitting room was well worth wit
Messing. Around the table were gather.
ed the General and his family. The
General, always fond of reading, was
engaged with his books and papers.
Mrs. Lee, whom General Pendleton de-
scribes as the noblest of women and a
fit wife for such husband. was reading
or painting. (Mrs. Lee has been a
cripple from rheumatism for eight years
and had to be wheeled about in chair
Seated near where his daughters-the
Misses Lee-generally engaged in
needle work. When reading and work
grew tiresome, they were put aside and
conversation ensued until bedtime -
When that hour arrived evening prayers
were held aud the General then retired
to rest.
LEES LAST ILLNESS AND DEAEH.
On one fatal evening. in the latter
part of last September, General Pendle-
ton, the pastor, called a meeting Of the
vcstrymen of his church, ofwhom Gen
eral Lee was one. The meeting lasted
for several hours, and when It adjourned
it was after dark. twas a very incle-
meut night and when the vcstrymeD
were dispensing one of them remarked
to Lee, ave are sorry, General, to have
kept you here so late on so bad an
evening" To which the General re-
piled, "Oh never m;ad me- l have
but few steps to go and am enjoying
very good health" Rapidly traversiag
the short distance which separated his
residence from the chapel, he went to
his house. His family, who were sitting
around the tea table awaiting his arrival,
heard him 20 iuto the library, where
he left his coat and hat. Entering the
dining room, without speaking, he
advanced to the foot of the table and
raised his hands, as if asking blessing,
when the attack came on. A cot was
at once brought from the next room,
upon which he was placed and medical
assistance summoned. After that night
he seemed to get better every day, and,
though he could not speak, the physi-
clans thought that he would soon
recover. He recognized any relative or
friend who entered the room, and when
his wife wes wheeled in her chair to
his cot-side, would extend his arm and
clasp her hand in his. And when his
daughters passed near he would stretch
forth his arm and draw them lovingly
to his side. For several days this state
/ of affairs continued, when one night
/ the night on which he died-a sudden
change for the worse occurred, and the
.physicians declared that General Lee
had but short time to live.. And then
one of the most affecting and heart
reudiug scenes occurred which has ever
been witnessed. The dying soldier aud
Christian lay awaiting the approach. of
that grim and ghaatly shade, "Kiag of
fTerrors,n yet whose swift footsteps and
remorseless scythe had no terors for
him who trusted in the love and mercy
Of One, the master of Death. In her
chair BY his cot, and, still elasping the
hand that was so loyal aud SO true, was
seated his grief-stricken wife. In an
apgony of sosrdE his daughters kuets at
his bed side With their young faces
resting upon the bosom Of their dying
father. At the foot ofthe cot stood bis
500, Gen. Gusts Lee, with his head
IlboSed in. woe and the hot tear drops
I,ccodrsing down his cheeks; /; A little
apart stood his faithful friend aud
pastor, General PendIeton, bis hands
Eraised in prayer and bis. sown voice