Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-09-25
ANOTHER LETTER FROM DIR. JAS.
A. QUARLBS.

ANUTdEk 6II6h mum In JAN
A. QUARLBs.
LEXINGTON, Va, Sept. II, 1886.
EDITOR INTELLIGENCER: II an
prompted to write to you this earl!
again because 1 have a few things NOR
that l wish to say, and because thu
opening of the University next Thurs
day willprobably prevent my troubling
you in this way again oon
The Virginia Military Institute has
opened encoursgingly, and the bright
new uniform of the cadets adds mucl
to the lite and interest of the town. ]
am pleased to see Mr.. Montague Cor
dell, the son of my dear old friend, j.
H. Cordell, the banker of Marshall,
here again. Mr.. Will Rainey, formerly
a pupil of the w. M. A., is with him
They were both here last year.
These young gentlemen gave me a
very pleasant surprise to-day. They
brought me a note from the Rev. DR..
L. P. Bowen, pastor of the Marshall
Presbyterian church, and with it an
elegant silver water service. The note
says: "Will you accept the accompany
ing remembrancer as a token of felt
obligation and regard from your many
friends in our Marshall church? We
were disappointed in not having you
with us again, and enjoying the pre-
sentation in person. That had been
our plan, being misinformed as to the
time of your leaving the west. 1t has
been awaiting you ever since your
hlghly-appreciated sermons closed here
in the spring." 1 must say that 1 am
glad it was not presented in person. l
could hardly stand it a thousand miles
away. l shall cherish it as one of the
most pleasant events of my lite.
In my former letter, l made a state
ment with regard to Gen. R. E. Lee,
which may lead to a false impression as
to his character. l am the more de-
sirous to correct this, inasmuch as Gen.
Grant, in his Memoirs, has given a
similar estimate of him. l said that
"the old general was probably some
what more reserved" than his son,
Gen. G. w. C. Lee. l am told that
rather the reverse is true. Gen. Gusts
Lee we have found so approachable
and so pleasant in conversation, that !
at once concluded he was fond OF 80
ciety and quite a conversationalist. He
is said, however, by those who know
him we'll, rather to avoid society and
to take ordinarily no prominent part
in conversation. We can bear witness
to the fact that he car be quite enter
when he undertakes to be. l
have depressed, however, from what l
wish to say of his father. Gen. r. E.
Lee is said to have been the soul OF
every social circle into which he enter
ed, to have put every INT at his ease
and to have pleasantly led the con-
versation. He was always dignified,
and no one, except a child, could take
any liberties with him or ever dared to
do 30. He was venerated here AS al
most more than human. l was told
by Capt. j. j. White, the professor OF
Greek in the University, a little Incl
dent illustrative of Gen. Lees fond
ness for children and their familiarity
with him. Capt. White says that a
relative of his, Capt. Venable of Balti-
more, quite a wag, in order to tease his
little daughter, a few years old, SAID to
her, "Belle, do you know what Gen.
Lee does to your papa every day at the
University" The child was very fond
of her father and at once was concern
ed, as she replied, "No, SIR" "Well
said Capt. Venable, "Gen. Lee sits
down on him every day" The little
girl was very much disturbed, and as
Gen. Lee rode by, a day or two after
ward, she haIlooed to him. On hear
ing her voice the general refined up old
his horse, to the curb stone,
and kindly said, "What is it my little
Belle ~feelingly exclaimed,
'sCapt. Venable has told me that you sit
down on my papa every day and [ want
you to stop it." General Lee laughed
heartily as he replied. "Capt. Venable
has told you a story. Belle, 1 don't sit
down on your papa"
By the way, Capt. White is an own
cousin of VIM. e. White, of Dover,
our quondam assessor, and of Prof.
Edward c. White, the efficient princi-
pal of the Kansas City high school. He
a very fine looking gentleman, is a
of means, very courteous and
universally popular. He is now the
senior professor in the University, hav-
ing been here since 1852. During Gen.
Lees temporary absences, he always
in his place, and very acceptably
is said.
There are other prominent citizens
here connected with Missouri. Mr..
Jno. w. Barclay is the brother-in.law
Of Mr.. A. G. Williams and Mrs. DIR.
He is a retired merchant
aud occupies himself now with his
farm. He lives in a beautiful home on
the outskirts of the town and is a man
Of high standing. Mrs. Barclay is a
very lovely woman. We had the hon.
,r Of partaking of her beautiful hospi-
last evening in company with
some of the best people of the place.
Mr.. F. j. Glasgow is the nephew of
our genial friend, Mr.. Spears. He is a
and promising young law
yer, agraduate of the University. His
father is one of the trustees and a sub
.stantial a living in an adjoining
His wife is the daughter Of
one Of the most glorious men that Mis-
souri, ever had, the martyred and saint
ed Saml. B. McPheeters, driven from
st. Louis by the malicious persecution
of Geo. P. Strong and others. No
lovelier man ever occupied all Ameri-
can pulpit.
In this connection, I am reminded of
the congressional candidates in this
district. The democrat is Capt. Jas.
Bumgardner, a lawyer of S:aunton,
and a native of Missouri. The repub-
lican is Mr.. Jacob Yost, also of Staun-
ton. Mr.. Yost was partly raised in
Lexington, Mo. His father edited a
democratic paper there prior to the
war. His wife died while he was
boarding at the City Hotel. DR.. and
Mrs. Alexander took the two children,
Pattie and jake, and were all that a
father and mother could be to them for
several years. The father returned to
Virginia and was a major in the south
ern army. At the close of the war,
along with Longstreet and Wickham, he
surrendered to the republicans, so that
his son has been nurtured in that politl-
onl f,skh yUhnn uuac - o.l,--