Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-27
General Lee.

Mrs. Roger A. Pryor in tho Home Jounal1
When the equestrian statue OF General
Lee (Which is TO be unveiled on the 29th OF
Nav arrived at Richmond civic and mill
tery parade was arranged TO convey 1t to IT'S
destination. As the procession was about
TO start. 10, i've hundred children and
girls appeared 20 grasp the strong ropes
and draw it in honor TO lts tlnal fesnng-
place. All the beauties OF the city 50 re-
nowned for beauty braved the heat OF the
sun and tugged away at the rope regardless
of blistered fingers. The trucks on watch
the boxes lay containing the d'gecid n'eford
of the statue were covered with flowers.
There was no hand so feeble as not to cast
a blossom or lend a minimum atom OF
physical strength.
When the task was over enthusiastic men
cut the rope. sacred from the touh OF
those fair hands as we'll as from connection
with the hero, into small bits to be pre-
served as relics-and the boxes would 1aye
shared similar fate had not a guari oil
veterans interfered TO protect them.
That great calm, devout man whose statue
will be unveiled on the Goth has hadtew
peers in the history of this country. The
immortal heroes of the Revolution had al
ways before their eyes the hope of SUCCESS,
the spendid reward Of free governmet In
a great and prosperous country.
The issues of the civil war impressed
every intelligent patriot Of the time With
painful anticipation 81 failure. our ing
lish enemies were divided from us by the
ocean; our brothers who fought against
US were upon our own soil and numepus
as the sands of the sea. General Lee vas
too wise a man and too great a soldier not
TO realize the fearful odds. Long beipre
the end he knew perfectly well what hat
end would be.
But the path of duty lying plainlybe-
fore him-hampered, discouraged. sari-
feed as he was, his foot never faltered az
he trod it. No word OF impotence or Os-
may ever escaped his lips. No selfish sense
Of the bitterness of his own lot promped
q word of murmur.
His life had been beautiful one. Added
TO the Joys of home and charms Of an *
ceptional home circle, he r0veiled in tle
pleasures of Astounding hospitality. lac
white pillars of the great veranda at Ar
lington, so conspicuous in the Landscape,
were never seen by Nirginians resident il
Washington without awakening meInoy
of the hours spent within its gates IN rs
elegant companionship. As he stood II
that veranda and looked southwark, his
eve fingered on the woods and mountains
of his native State, every inch Of which
was hallowed by the footsteps of his ancei-
tors; from "Light-Horse Harry" BIS
father, back through his maternal line to
Richard Bland, the Revolutionary patriot
to William Randolph. old Theodoric Bland
of Westover and across the ocean to {,
long. long line. distinguished for service to
the Crown for hundreds of years.
And now! His estate conhscated, bis
household gods scattered, his family fu.
gitives in desolate places. his army broken
by starvation, desertion, and death. with
no hope at the end of all, he stood calmly
and deyoutly in his place. DO your duty
and leave the rest to Providence" had
been the watchword of his friend Stone
wall Jackson. The issues of the struggle
were in higher hands than his, and he
must set his face forward without ques-
tioning or leaving undone the smallest
duty.
The pictured face with which the world
is familiar is not the one that Virginia
women wear close To their hearts. They
have seen a face bent upon them in the
eeptlest courtesy, the softest expression
of respectful sympathy. There was an
inspiration in his look and manner II was
peculiar in this-that IL elevated the tone
OF all who approached him.
Without effort. with no smallest word
recalling himself TO his companion, no
warm or exaggerated expression, he i'm
pressed the beholder with sense Of be-
/ Ing VI lIut
making greater all who were brought into
contact with him.
Tender in his nature to an extreme, he
could not without an acute pang, witness
tho undeserved suffering at the close of
the war Of the women and children around
him. Yet he would not avoid or ignore
the spectacle so painful TO him. That
they must suffer he well knew. He was
powerless TO shield them, but they had
their duty as he had his, and having thai
as tonic in their terrible trials they
must not yield 10 despair.
And so in the tLIoes of the last agony,
when every moment was filed with appre-
hension and fraught with danger. he was
capable Of pausing at the wayside and
finding time for gentle words Of sympathy,
encouragement, and good cheer to the
desolate southern woman and her chil-
dren, leaving with them the priceless com.
fort of knowing that however bitter their
lot might be they had the esteem and af.
lection of their beloved commander-in-
chief.
The writer was one of those women
whom he thus inspired and sustained
Denied the privilege Of joining her Virginia
sisters III bearing TO It's home the statue
that commentaries him, she lays this
tribute in reverential gratitude ct It's feet
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