The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-01-09
A NOTABLE FAMILY.
The Sons and Daughters of the Late Gen. Rob-
ert T. Lee.

The Sons and Daughters of the Late Gen. Rob-
ert 4. Lee.
At the recent opening OF the Metro
politan Museum of Art / saw among
the many notable people there Miss
Mary Lee, the second daughter of
Gen. Robert F. Lee. She is Il plain
looking lady of 50 and, like her father,
is altogether unpretentious. She wore
q heavy cashmere wrap, and was in
company with lady similarly attired.
Miss Mary Lee resembles her mother
in appearance more than her father.
1t is renal kable fact that the only
one of Gen. Lees children vino at all
resembles him is his Oldest son, Gen.
G.. w. GUSTS Lee, now the president of
Washington and Lee university, at
Lexington, Va. Thele are five of the
Lee children-three sons and two
daughters. They were all born at Ar
lington, the old Custis homestead, near
Washington, where Mrs. Lee contin-
ued to reside after her marriage. The
eldest daughter, Mildred. has travelled
a great deal since the war, spending
much of her time in Europe, but when
here makes her home with her brother
Gusts at Lexington. Miss Mary, the
next sister, also lives With him. Miss
Agnes, the youngest sister, died dur
ing the war at health resort in North
Carolina. None c. the daughters mar
riod, and GUSTS J. ee is also single, but
Runey Lee and Robert f. Lee, Jr., are
both married and are both Virginia
| farmers. One of them only has child
rem, and the probabilities are that it is
through him alone that the Lee fami-
lily and the Custls family are to be per-
petuated.
Mrs. Robert f. Lee was the only
child of George Washington Park Gus
tbs, who was the only son and heir of
Martha Washington. 1t was from
George Washing ton and Martha Wash
ingtoH that Gusts obtained Arlington,
which, at the opening of the war, was
one of the finest pieces of country
property of the south. 1t was the ideal
southern homestead. The union forces
took possession of it at the very open
ing of hostilitis in 1861, and during the
war it was converted into a national
cemetery. According to a provision
of the will of George Washington Park
Gusts, the entire property was to go
to the eldest son of Mrs. Lee. That
eldest son was the present Gen. G. w.
c. Lee, and he obtained S125,000 from
the government in payment for Airing
ton last winter, there having been
long contest at law about it. That
money represents the bulk of the
property now in possession of the Lee
family, and is but trifling remnant of
the magnificent estates they owned in
Virginia before the war, not to speak
of the hundreds of slaves that be-
| longed to these estates. But the tam
ily has Jared better than many others
of the south that were equally wealthy
before the war.
Gen. Gusts Lee, though the legal
Arlington, has big heart and makes
the most liberal provision for his two
maiden sisters. Though, as stated at
the opening of this paragraph, Miss
Mary Lee is plain-looking lady, with
no preten sions to beauty, she is gifted
in intellect, and is most charming
person. During the war she was most
CT the time in Richmond with her
mother and sisters, and with them en-
dured many privations. / have seen
q little account-book in which there
was record of expenditures made on
account of the little party Mrs. Lee
and her daughters messed with. 1t
was seldom they had meat or coffee,
and the most exorbitant prices had to
be paid for chicken or even green
corn. The bulk of the diet was made
up of rice, bread, and such light ar
ticles. Mrs. Lee was one of the most
patient and self-abnega ting of women,
and though confirmed invalid dur
ing the entire war in which her hus-
band was such prominent actor,
never complained, but was in the face
of constant misfortunes and threatened
dangers, always resigned and serene.
She maintained thischaracter up to the
very hour of her death.
Atouching story of which Miss Mary
Lee is the heroine, is that after one of
the terrible battles near Richmond,
Just previous to the close of the war,
she and some other ladies went on the
field to render whatever assistance
they could in the care of the wounded
and dying soldiers of her fathers
army. One among those to whom she
went to offer relief was youth of not
over 16, who had been fatally shot and
was ready to expire. She saw the |
poor fellow was going to die immedi-
ately, and being struck by his youth
and neat attire, asked if he had any
message to leave behind. yes" said
he; .'my name is-and my mother
lives mt Il; tell her, if you please,
that / have just seen our splendid COM
mander, Gen. Lee, ride by, and l am
content to de-" That was all. He |
never knew that it was his splendid
commanders daughter to whom he |
was confiding that final message
NctU York World.
Nao nn,,ooIo