The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-11-13
. "Reminiscences ofRobertE E. Lee.

DASPuSSHs h.Hal.
"While I was in Virginia." said the
gentleman (Raymond Raynor), 81
made acquainted with an Incl
dent OF General Robert e. Lee, which
makes him, in my eyes, q greater and
nobler man than l ever before con
sidered him. When the war broke out
General Lee owned one OF the largest
plantations in the Old Dominion.
His slaves were numbered by the hun
dreds, and they every one loved their
master. General Lee was one ofthose
who watched the approaching conflict
with sorrow, and it was only whenhis
native State seeded that he reluctssnt-
ly gave in to what he considered his
duty, and joined his fortunes with the
Confedel acy. He was on the wrong
side, and when he sheathed his sword
and returned home he found his prop
erty contiscated. 1t was converted in
to the famous National cemetery for
Union soldiers, and thousands upon
thousands were inferred there.
sit was q severe stroke for General
Lee. The war seemed like a cruel
dream. Those who knew him before
the struggle, saw how changed he had
become. He was a sad man. His
neighbors felt how hard it was for the
magnificent plantation to be taken
away from him, and often watched
him with interest as he passed by in
the direction of the soldiers buryine
ground. An old planter. one night
coming along the road by the place,
saw O cloaked figure moving about
along the graves. Although surprised
and somewhat terrified, he stopped to
watch it. 1t walked around a short
time, and finally leaned against atree,
and stood motionless, only now and
then turning the head as if in hunt o.
some object. For an hour the mys.
FERROUS being renamed in that atti
tude. and then fell upon its knees, and,
clasping its hands, turned it's face up,
ward in prayer. The moon was STOOD.
ing everything with light, and the
planter, drawn irresistibly on, crept
up where he could view theface. Just
then the long cloak was gathered
around the person, and the ghost-like
stranger disappeared over a neighbor.
ing hill.
''Ihe planter hurried home andtold
tho story. Next night he repaired tic
the locality just in time to see the
same cloaked figure start up and dis.
appear over the hill. The planters
curiosity was by this time aroused tc
the utmost. A plan was concerted to
find who the stranger was. On this
night three OF the planters ofthe local,
ity went about 10 o'clock to the spot
where the figure had been seer before,
They crawled to the top Of tree neal
by, and there, hidden by the branches,
patiently sat and waited. Shortly
before midnight the identical figure, all
covered with the cloak, made its ap.
pearance. The man seemed to be il
great distress. Silently he stood md
gazed around, and finally, throwing
the cloak aside, knelt in prayer. The
watchers looked, and there. in the
moonlight, were the upturned features
OF Robert e. Lee The mystery was
solved. The old General was visiting
the home where he spent SO many hap
Ply years before he was made the vic.
tim of q cruel war. Night after night
he had been coming there, praying
among the graves OF those against
whom he had fought.
"The planters went home and the
story spread. 1t has almost been for.
Gotten. Only the old colored people
of the locality preserve it and n OF
two of the old planters. from whom ]
obtained the story with great reliable.
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