The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-09-15
MisrfHanv.
The last Illness of Gen. Lee.

The last Illness of Gen. Lee.
! A Charlottesville, Virginia, letter
to the Philadelphia Times says:
In the fall of 1870 we went to
Lexington to visit General and Mrs.
Lee. Perfectly do l recall my i'm
preston of the General as he ad-
vanced to meet me. The preoccu-
pied, care worn expression that his
face had worn during the war was
gone and he looked as | had remem-
bered him years before. He had
accepted the results of the war.
There was no reserve of bitterness.
no useless regrets, but the brave de-
termination to make his life useful.
If the true indication of genius is
the power of concentration upon
any given subject, General Lee de-
monstrated it in his active, thor
ough interest in his new duties as
President of college One felt
that it was not forced interest,
out deep solicitude for the youth
OF his country.
Looking better than for several
years, energetic and active, how
was it possible to realize that death
was waiting in the near future
merciless death that needed not q
peoples cry that he might be spared
to lead in peace as he had in war
We doubt not but that he would
have moderated bitterness and
counselled wisely. We bade him
farewell on Monday, September 26,
after several days most pleasantly Y
spent, and on the Wednesday fol-
lowing suddenly and as a shock to
the whole country came that avant-
courier of death. | will here add a
letter from Mrs. Lee giving some
details Of the sad event, and be
speaking her own noble, beautiful
character:
"LExINGToN. November 30, 1880
"My Dear Mrs. -: l should
sooner have replied to your letter,
but have been very sick and con
fined to my bed for q month.
Dear friend: l am so glad your
husband and yourself made that
visit, and only wish you could have
remained longer. Constantly are
we reminded how important it is to
do whatever our hand findeth to do.
| think it sometimes important
where our pleasures are concerned,
where it does not interfere with our
duties. This terrible storm, l sup
pose, has prevented all use of the
canal until next summer, so that
you would have been entirely cut
off from us.
That Wednesday night, at half
past 7 o'clock, after day every
moment of which had been filled
with care for others and the closing
hours to the vesvry meeting OF the
church, my husband came in. We
had been waiting for him, and !
remarked: You have kept US wait
ing long time; where have you
been?' He did not reply, and stood
up as if to say grace, but no sound
proceeded from his lips and he sat
down in his char perfectly upright
and with a sublime look of resigna.
tion on his countcnance, but did
not attempt to reply to our inquir-
les. That look was never to be for
gotten, and | have no doubt that he
felt that his hour had come, al
though he submitted to the doctors,
who were Immediately summoned
and had not even reached their
homes from the same vestrv meet
ing. HIS whole demeanor during
his illness showed one who had ta
ken leave OF earth.
"He rarely attempted to speak
except in his dreams, and then he
wandered to those dreadful battle
fields. Once, when - urged him
to take some medicine, which he
always took with reluctance, he
looked at her and said: 'Tis no
use,' but afterwards took it. When
he became so much better the doc
tor said: You must soon get ont
and ride your favorite gray He
shook his head emphatically and
looked upward.
He slept great deal, but knew rs
all and greeted us with a kindly pres
sure of the hand, loving to have us
around him. For the last forty eight
hours he seemed quite insensible of
our presence, breathed heavily and
at last quietly sunk to rest with one
deep drawn sigh. Oh, what glo-
rious rest was in store for him-the
humble consistent Christian, who.
not many weeks before, had said,
when we were talking of the as
surance of heaven, he wished he
could feel that assurance. He will
be surprised at the welcome: We'll
done good and faithful servant, en-
thou into the joy of thy Lord
"Had he been successful instead
of the hero of lost cause he could
not have been more beloved and
honored.
II am content and would not
have him back, though l must con-
tinue my weary pilgrimage alone,
without the support on which have
leaned with such perfect confidence
for so many years. We shall con-
tinue to make this our home. l
could not bear to move into new
house and my own Arlington is not
open to me.
s~"When the canal Is open ocme
and visit us.
"Believe me always truly and af-
fectionately your friend.
"MARY CUsTIs LEE"
| The flood alluded to will long
be remembered in Virginia, particu-
larly by those living along the line
of the canal, who, by its destruction,
were cut Of for months from the
rest of the world.
| Miss Annie Parnell.
1 D...o11f. I,t