The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-06-20

dropped like a bombshell in such pres.
ence was, to say the least of it, embar-
RAISING, and some curt rejoinder would
have been natural and to the purpose
but Gen. Lees kind.heartedness would
not permit rude dismissal even to so
unwarranted O questioner. Advancing
and gently taking him by the hand,
while all the listening group stood around
amazed at The mans presumption, the
General quietly said:
my dear sir, that would be long
story, and would require more time than
you see I can possibly command at pres
ent; so We will have to defer the mat
ter to another OCCASION
y X
Gen. Lees considerate courtesy never
failed him. He used to be overpowered
with letters from every part of the South,
on every imaginable subject, written by
the wifes and mothers of his old soldiers,
asking questions which it was impossible
for him to answer, and seeking aid which
it was impossible for him to give. Indi.
gent women would write, beginning him
to find places where their boys and girls
might support themselves. Crippled
soldiers by scores sought for help from
him; and multitudes whose only claim
mas that they had fought for the Confed-
eracy entreated bis counsel and petitioned
for his advice in every sort of emergency.
T once said to him; II hope you do
not feel obliged to reply to all these let.
ters."
RI certainly do," was his reply.
s.Think Of these poor peoplel It is a
great deal of trouble for them to write;
why should I not be willing to take the
trouble to answer them? And as that is
all 1 can give most Of them, I give it
ungrudgingly." And yet at this time he
had five hundred young men under his
management, and corps of twenty-five
professors; and this in a line of work
totally novel to him.
His humility was as conspicuous as
abouthim. His religious char
acter was pronounced and openly shown.
But he arrogated nothing to himself as a
religious man. / was present once when
my husband informed him of an effort
being made to supply our county with
Bibles, of which it had been stripped to
meet the wants Of the army during the
war. The Bible Society was being reor.
ganized, and the general was pressed to
accept Che post of president-"for the
sake of the cause; for the sake of the
testimony his name would bear; for the
sake Of the example it would be to his
FIVE hundred students" My husband
was called out before he had finished his
plea, and was left in the library for g.
few moments alone with the General. I
shall not easily forget the expression OF
profound humility on his face, as with
a subdued voice he turned to me and
said:
"Ah, my dear madam, I feel MYSELF
such poor sinner in the sight Of God
that I cannot consent to be set up as
Christian example to any one. This is
the real reason why decline to do what
the colonel urges 80 strongly
he was in the act Of saying grace at
his own dinner table when the fatal
stroke fell which terminated his life.
X X
AS to the Immediate personality of the
man, we people Of the South naturally
enough think that, take him all in all,
intellectually, socially and
ne never saw his equal. He
mas superb specimen of manly grace
and elegance. He escaped that precise.
ness of manner which awhole life spent
in military service is apt to give. There
was about him stately dignity, calm
poise, absolute self.possession, entire
abseDse of self.consciousness and g1a-
cious consideration for all about him that
msde combination of character not to
be surpassed. His tall, erect figure, his
bright color, his brilliant hazel eyes, his
perfect white teeth, (for he had never
used tobacco) his attractive smile, his
chivairy of bearing, the musical sweet.
ness of his pure voice, we're attributes
never to be forgotten by those who had
once met him.
His domestic life was idyllic in its
beautiful simplicity. His devotion to
his invalid wife, who for many years was
a martyr to'rheumatic gout, was pathetic
to see. he had often conveyed her to our
many medicinal springs in Virginia, HIM
self riding on horseback beside her
carriage. I recall one instance in which
he preceded her by few days in order
that he might have an apparatus prepsr.
ed under his skillful engineering, by
means of which her invalid chair vas
placed upon little platform and care
fully lowered into the bath, in order
that the descent and ascent of steps might
be avoided. His tenderness to his chill.
dren, especially his daughters, was min
gled with a delicate courtesy which
belonged to m older day than Eours-a
courtesy which recalls the preux chevalier
of knightly times. he had pretty way
of addressing his daughters, in the pres.
ence of other people, which would seem
to belong to the age Of lace ruffies and
side swords.
"Where is my little Miss Mildred ?" he
would say on coming in from his ride or
walk at dusk. "She is my light.bearer !;
the house is never dark if she is in il"
He was passionately fond of nature,
and never wearied of riding about on
T'ro uaJar ouonc mr. haantifu1 VIRGINIA