Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-06-04

Der of his faculty as professor oil hiStor,
and literature. l had never been a teacher
having been y lawyer before the war TO
seven years, and, therefore, needed an iu
dulgent for rbearance from one who took {
very accurate measure of men. In hi
intercourse with his faculty, he was courte
GUS kind and often rather playful in man
uer. We all thought he deferred entirely
too much to the expression of opiu on Oh
the part of the faculty, when we would
have preferred that he should simply indi
, cate his own view or desire. One charsc
, teristic of General Lee I noted tben anG
have often recalled: never saw him take
an ungracoful posture. No matter how
long or fatiguing E faculty meeting might
be, he always preserved au attitude in
whiod dignity, decorum and grace we're
united. He was a vely we'll built n;ap,
with rounded body and limbs, and seemed,
without the slightest affectation or effort
to sit or stand or walk just as gentleman
should. He was never in hurry, and all
his gestures were easy and significant. He
gave a minute attention to the details OF
his office, and liked to talk about them.
soon perceived that he did not like to dis.
cuss the events or incidents of the war, aud
l did not think it right to press upon him
these points, even when I felt very eager
sacred to me. He wrote at this time the
preface to his edition of the "Memoirs OF
the War in South Carolina and Georgia. -
by his father, General Henry Lee, and in.
vited my criticism. 1 was pleased with his
work, but did rot in my criticism venture
beyond some matters of punctuation,
which had best been left by me to the
printer. He seemed to take lively inter-
est in this work.
General Lee often employed my pen to
answer letters for him, and he revised my
work with freedom, and with critical
skill and delicacy of touch which gave me
great respect for his literary ability. He
received many odd letters, which he COM
mented upon humorously, turning them
over to me for reply. I remember ad-
dressing one correspondent for him as
s'Dear Miss" In reading my draft, he
drew his pen through the word ''dear" and
added the name, smiling as he said: "Col-
SO tender to the lady, and I really do not
believe she is dear to me-"
Gen. Lee did not talk politics, but he
| felt very deeply the condition of the coun-
| try, and expressed to me several times in
strong terms his disapproval of the course
of the dominant party. The particulars of
these conversations and the special criti-
cisms Of individuals l do not feel ct
liberty to give, but l am sure he had no
wish to conceal his general view of the in
Justice suffered by the Southern people at
that time.
| Nv home was some two miles distant
from the college, and Gen. Lee gave me
| standing invitation to dine with him on the
days on which the faculty met each week,
as it was not quite convenient for me to go
home and return in time for the meeting.
We all dined at three O'Clock, as was the
custom in that town. Finding that did
not accept his invitation literally, he never
failed to send me a note, often of only half
a dozen words, reminding me of his request
In consequence, l got into the habit of
dining with him almost weekly for long
time, aad had the pleasure and the benefit
of his society and that of his charming
family on very intimate terms. He was al
ways an agreeable companion. There was
a good deal of bonhomie and pleasantly in
his conversation. He was not exactly
he gave light turn to table talk and en-.
joyed exceedingly any pleasantly, OR fun
even. He liked gayety and vivacity in
those around him, and l have seen him
greatly amused even at boisterous out
break of spirits in young people. Aud yet
it is hard for me to recall any particular
one of his sayings. He often made quaint
or slightly caustic remark, but he took care
that it should not be too trenchant. Read
ing bis letters one discovers this playful
spirit in many of them, as, for instance, in
his letter to the Spiritualists, who asked his
opinion of Won Moltke and the French
war. He wrote in reply a most courteous
letter, in which he said that "the question
was one about which military critics would
differ, that his own Judgment about such
matters was poor at best, and that mas
much as they had the power to consult
(through their mediums) Caesar, Alexan-
der, Napoleon, Wellington, and all of the
other great captains who have ever lived,
he could not think Of obtruding his opinion
in such company
One day, when l was visiting Mrs. Lee,
the General came into the room, and tho
conversation turned on volume edited by
Losing and relating to the Custis family,
the ancestors of Mrs. Lee. The General
inquired whether l had read about the
vixen of the family, whose husband had
tried in vain to conquer her. l admitted
that had. "You see, Colonel" be said,
looking toward Mrs. Lee smilingly, s'it will
not do to try conclusions with these Custis
women. They always come out best."-
Mrs. Lee made some apt and pleasant
reply.
have elsewhere, l believe, recorded
little anecdote of Sen. Lees last days,
quite in keeping with the usual tone of his
address to little children. When my
youngest daughter, then little over four
years old, heard of Gen. Lees death, she
said to me, "Father, I shall never forget
Sen. Lee" asked, "Why?" "Because,"
answered the child, 'when Maggie and l
vere playing at the front gate the other
d; and Gen. Lee was riding by. be
stepped and took off his hat and bowed to
US, snd said, "Young ladies, don't you
thing this is the prettiest horse you ever
sar9# Aud we said it was very pretty
horse. 'Oh, no. he said; Il want to know
whether Traveller is not the very prettiest
horse yo1 ever saw in your life.' And
when we looked at him and saw how white |
and gaySs was, we said, Yes Then be
laughed Sad said, We'll, if you think he is
SO very pfsty, will just LET you kiss him,
and then 5 rode off laughing, and 1 don't
believe | Ean ever forget that" These
trifles are Ssated not for their point, bat |
because, inS'me measure, they throw |
side light on S9e amiability cf Gen. Lees
character.
The vestry If Grace Church met on the
20th day OF Selte Der, 1870, to consider a |
project for exbnding and improving the
building. Aftei the ways and means had |
been discussed vas struck by what con-
sidered too GENEROUS offer of subscription
by General Lee. And in this connection l
may mention my Observation of General
Lees disposition in tsss matter of expendi-
ture. He was liberS generous giver,
hospitable, aud inclin5uso dispose freely of
what he had. l do MT doubt that by
nature he, inherited sudency to pro-
fusion, but in early life hismeaps had been
narrow for what was expeced of him, and
his high sense Of justice md honor had
taught him the necessity of ezactness. His
habits and manner of life wen simple. and
not at sill luxurious, and he seemed to me
as ready and able to give away in proper
tion to his means as any man ever knew.
After the vestry meeting just mentioned
was getting into my carriace to ride
home. 1t was just dark, ard light but
steady drizzla was fallinC q tEr ~, 1855