The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-09-23

| die Further along we see an oak and black
| cum. uninteresting of their own account, but
| unbelievable the villager to get the bearings
| of the now up-torn locust where Grant and
| Lee first met TO talk. That spot is in an open
| field, about two hundred yards north OF the
| court house, and well down the slope towards
the Appomattox. When we forded that
stream, the clear, spring water flowing over
sandy bottom did not SO much as wet the
hubs of our buggy wheels. IL is less IMAM ten
weather when the soil above taxes to itself
something of the fluidity as we'll as the color
of blood, the rivulet truly swells into river
and passes eastward its one hundred and fifty
miles to the James with rush and roar that tell
of the highland bed wherein it was born. The
source of the stream is three miles above-a
spring that is visited daily by darkey boys
who balance buckets upon their heads with as
much dexterity as the thumb of the sweet
swell at Long Branch throws into the twirl OF
his cane.
AT THE APPLE TREE.
Tho spot where stood Lees apple tree IS
soon reached, as leaving the creek we go part
of the way up the slope, and halt by q roadside
orchard. Persons have said that the hole lett
by the removal of the stump is now visible.
Ii SO it is microscopic. The driver showed us
NEAR bout and ''put nigh" the place where
the hole ought to be. The day after the sur
render the tree was removed root and branch
by soldiers who wanted relics to take home TO
their wives and sweethearts. And as apple
wood is apple wood, several other trees in the
same orchard were cut up into relics also.
This season a crop of oats was taken by Farm
er e. g. Hicks from the field and september
stubble now makes the whole hillside brown
1t is true that Lee held brief council under
the apple tree and the story Of the tree is not
myth
LEES APPLE TREE. LOCUST AND POPLAR.
The weary leader was hemmed in on all
- Tha tl,nuc aud 6au off Ghfinp wa "
er and the one day of parley had come. The
army of Northern Virginia had spent its
strength in many man@uvres, in tireless
marches and in terrific battles. Hungry, sore
and sick. the poor remnant of a once seemingly
invincible host now under the bright light of u
April moon slept its last sleep with the KNAPP
sack for its pillow. From the apple tree the
rebel chief sent out his white sign OF peace-a
poor torn rag, but how fatefuli Riding down
hill and across the stream he met Grant near
the locust. County Clerk George i. Peers
saw Grant and Lee meet. They saluted, chat
ted, touched hats, wheeled and rode in opposite
directions. To appearance it was an ordinary
meeting Of two mounted men. Soon after
wards Lee returned from the further side OF
the creek and, with Grant, entered the Nc
Lean house. Then the vanquished captain re-
Joined his comrades and under poplar, now
fiourishing in its growth on the farm OF j. w.
Flood, one mile northeast of the court house,
babe farewell to battle fields.
Here ended the long, fierce, pitiless struggle
which in the record of the worlds wars vastly
overtops all others. Following the lines of
SCARED earth from Manassas thither, a youth
predisposed to carp becomes aware of the
smallness of closet critics and OF afterbattle
yaliants He feels that the war was waged UNI
der mighty impulse and that those who fought
overcame obstacles to which the labors of Her
cules were as the tricks of toys The foot
prints of the grand armies will outlast the gen.
GRAFTON that made them and grow to gigantic
breadth and import for those who come after.
Myriad graves border the grounds of combat,
but peacefully above each battlefield the flag
of the Union has its place.