Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-02-24

ness. it was enforced with severity il
need be, until the word of the father OF
the expressed wish of the mother car
ried with it the force of law as com
pletely as the decree of court or the
mandate of king.
Reverence for superiors in age and
: Difference to all rather than arrogant
self-assertiOn was magnified as car
dinal virtue, not as teaching humility
and enforcing a lack of proper self
respect, but rather to eXalt high ideal
and stimulate an admiration for 9Th
true. the beautiful, and the good"
Fidelity Fh, the maintenance
of personal H0nor, Difference for the
opinions and feelings of others, with
out abating ones own or aggressively
thrusting them on others; kindliness
of manner to dependents, n knightiy
courtesy to all, but with special and
tender regard in thought, word, and
action toward woman, were in turn pa
tiently taught in all the lessons of the
fireside and at the family altar, and
earnestly insisted upon in the forma-
ton of the character of a true gentle
man. 'Any man will be polite to a
beautiful young woman, but it takes a
gentleman to show the same respect to
homely old woman" was the sting
ing rebuke of a father to his son who
failed to remove his hat in passing a
forlorn old woman on the public high
way.
The old field school, the private tu-
tor, the high school, whose excellence
in Virginia l can not praise too much,
the college, the university, led the
young mind bv easy stages to its full
intellectual ms turity.
Nowhere was the principle "Sdn0
mems, IN Sdl1O cOTpOTe" more scrupu-
lously taught than in Virginia. The
rod and stream, the gun, the ''hounds
and horns" the chase with the music
of the pack, the bounding steed, all
lent their ready aid in developing the
physical manhood of the boy In the
pure atmosphere of his country home,
amid it's broad fields and virgin forests,
contracted houses in narrow streets
had no charms for him. TO join the
chase was the first promotion to which
the boy looked as evidencing his per
manent release from the nursery. The
gun and dog became his constant com
panions, while cold Betsey'9 his IA
theirs trusted double -barreled gun of
MANY wears usage, standing in the sit
ting-room corner, or hanging on stag
horns or dog-wood forks on the side of
the wall, was the eloquent subject of
nightly rehearsals of her proves and
power in the annual deer-hunt ''over
the mountains Skill in horseman-
ship was essential, and breaking colts
was naturally followed by broken
limbs: but manhood found a race OF
trained horsemen, both graceful and
skillful in the saddle, uneXcelled, dare
venture to assert, by any civilized peo-
pie. A child of nature, the Virginia
boy communed with her as his mother,
and from her purest depths drew the
richest inspirations. To him no noun
tains were so blue as hers; no streams
so clear, no forests so enchanting, no
homes so sweet.
While others hailed in distant skies the glories
of the Union,
He only saw the mountain bird stoop DER ms
Old Dominion
How vividly the picture comes to me
now (never to be effaced) of d learned
professor in one of Virginia's highest
schools, himself three-sc years and
ten. a soldier of two wars, as he led the
way through quiet Virginia town on
horseback followed by two sons, dis
tinguished ministers of the gospel and
they in turn, by younger son and the
grandson of the leader with a gOOdly
train of friends, amid the blasts of
horns and baying of hounds, who fol
lowed eager for the chase among the
beautiful hills which surround the
town of Lexington. even as the noun
tains stand ''round about Jerusalem"
Religion-the duty of man to his
Creator, not sectarianism-was scrupu-
lously taught. and Sunday morning
found the family alive in preparations
for attending religious service at Zion
or Trinity, as it might happen to be
the first or the fourth Sunday of the
month. From this duty none were ex-
emDt from the least to the greatest.
The pastor was the friend on whom all
troubles both temporal and spiritual
were cast, and his visits were long re-
membered and talked of in the life of
each family. Difference to his wishes
and reverence for his character were
well nigh universal.
man he was to all the country dear,
And passing rich with forty pounds year;
Remote from towns he ran his gOdly race,
Nor eer had changed, nor wished to change
his place
{, IJnskilIful he to fawn. or seek for power
By doctrines fashioned to the varying hour;
Far other aims his heart had learned to prize
More bent TO raise the wretched than to rise
Such was the atmosphere in which
y our deceased friend was reared. He
was a trustee liz the venerable institu
ton of Washington and Lee University
, at Lexington, Virginia, founded b!
General Washington and presided Ovel
by General Robert E. Lee during the
= last years of his life; he was faithful tx
: the trust, and ever watchful of the bes
\ interests of the school. The loss sus
tanned by this institution in his deatl
has been most fittingly expressed il
the appended minute of the faculty o
s the university adopted on the 10Th O
/, October, 1891:
IL At a meeting of the faculty of Washington
y and Lee University, held October 49, 1891, tn
If following minute was adopted:
3 Upon the announcement of the death 0
, Gen. w. H. f. Lee the faculty of Washington
and Lee University unite in sorrowful SYN
!" pathy with his family bereaved of husband
y father, and brother, with the Commonwealt
in the loss of a patriotic citizen, and with th
s. board Of trustees of this university of whic
r. he was an esteemed member,
20 He was graduated at Harvard for the life c
ar a civilian, but took commission in the Unite
l. States Army as lieutenant, and served wit
- fidelity to duty under Gen. Albert Sidne
- - Johnston in the Utah expedition of 1858.
Ill AT its close he resigned and returned to h
rs country home, where he continued to live III
rt til 1861 when he entered the Confedera
Of Army, and, rising by rapid promotion to tt
be rank of major general of cavalry, closed h
f. efficient and faithful military career in 1856
" when he AGAIN returned to country life, an
"A "A died at the seat of his ancestors at Raven
10 worth. in Fairfax county.
In the mean time his private life was int
a rupted by the voice of his people, which cal
al ed him to their service in the senate of Virgin
III ia, and for three terms as their RepresentatiN
m in Congress, two Of which he completed, an
oI left the vacancy in the third by his untimel
~ ~ death
ts Truth, honor, and courage to do good and
III resist evil sincerity in all relations, and fideli
III to all duty, were heirlooms of his race an
e. lineage, which he kept and left untarnishe
of to his pOsterity.
$. With mind strong and vigorous, a jud
- ment sound and well-poised, a calm and sci
- contained temper which impelled him to Il
50 right and restrained him from the wrong al
le moral sense which guided and controlled h
a. purposes and his actions along the path of
IN solute rectitude, he lived life adorned by n
as Bile virtues and filled with noble deeds. Gent
of but firm, decided and fixed in his conviction