The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1888-07-27
LAKE CHARLES OAL0iSIE PARISH LOUISIANA FRIDAY u 1885
Exchange.

Exchange.
Gen. Robert E. Lee was a faithful
boy, for his mother had taught him
10 practice solfdehial and selfcoAtro
and 70 bo economical ii cxpendine
money. His fathers death, when lht
boy was but eleven years ofage, made
him "a little man, He did the mar.
keting, managed outdoor affairs, and
looked after the comfort Of his inga
lid mother AS soon as school closed
for the noon recess he rushed away
from the froliesome boys, aud hurried
home to arrange for his mothers dai,
~ ride. Yonngsas he was, ho carried
her to the earFiagb, arrangedthc enalt
ions, and seating himself by her side,
tried to entertain her, graYely re.
minded her, that the ride would fail
70 benefit her unless she was cheerful
"Rabert Il both a son and daughter
10 me- The mother used 10 say.
lie was The most methodical oi
managers, aud the neatest Of house
keepers Unlike many boys, he did
not think il beneath him y attend 10
details, or do little things with as
much oarafulness as If they were
large. While studying comic sections
he drew diagrams on q slate. Though
he know the one he was drawing
would be rubbed out 10 make room
for another, ho drew ii with as much
accuracy and neatness as ii il were 10
be engraved
After bis return from the Mexican
war, his wife on opening his trunk
found every article 81 clothing he had
taken with him and i bottle of bran
dy, WHICH had been put Ia for medic.
inal nse unopened,
lie never drank brandy or whiskay,
and rarely glass Of vine, and he
never used tobacco. To apprehond
the meaning of this fact, ana lis pow,
erfNl illustration Of tho lads self.cpn,
troll, one nast recall the iroliekipg
life and drinking customs of Virginia
dnriHg Gen, Lees boyliood and youth.
During i school vacation, he was a
guest ip q conntfy house, where the
host fascinating gentleman Of eul.
tpre, lived . gay, wild life, Young
Robert who had been trained 70 SELF
contEol and self-denial, was shocked,
he made RQ comment on what lie
saw, but lle erefued q join II tho fey,
els.
The unspolen rebuke brought 10
bis bedside, the night before his de-
paRipFe, The penitent host, The youths
abstinence had shamed him, and be,
4 man of the world, came 10 confess
TO bis youthful guest sorrow for the
wild life he was leading.
Earnestly be warned HIM 10 beware
of acquiring drinking habits, and urg,
"a him " persist il Ills temperate
coarse Of life on leaving him, tie
host promised he WoRld try to reform.
Yet this methodical, selfeoltroled,
sffectioEate, serVieeable boy was no
Hgoody.a He was tho son IF flight
Horse Harry of die Revolution, ana
inherited bis fathers martial spirit,
He chose Che army fqr hls profession,
and friends and relatives approved bis
choice
He entered West Point az The age
Of eighteen, graduated second n bis
class, and during the four years Of
cadet life be did not receive q demerit
mark for any breach Of rules Of neg
leet IF duty, He avoided tohaeeo
end Intoxicating liqnors, never utter
ing 4 word 20 which i woman might
not haye listened, and never did a
deed which his mother could not have
approved.
Lads who think II eifeminaie TO he
good, and manly to be BAD, are asked
to harpoDize their notions with INC
pure, noble bqghood IF Gen. Robert
=. Lee.