Evening star., 1896-12-19

came by letter, from parties in southern
Maryland, who claimed to know. The wife
was then quite handsome and attractive
and although having the care of three
children, which keot her, when not out in
quiring for tidngs of her husband at
home, at least one gentleman with matrf-
mony in view sought to make her believe
that she was indeed a widow, but she re-
PEELED his advances. assuring him that she
felt that she should see her husband again.
and If rot she would live true to his
memory. Finally some of his friends de-
termined to ask the Intervention of the
war Department in obtaining informa-
ton as to his Whereabouts or death 1t
so happened that a friend of the family
"a reporter of The Starr came into possess
sion of Richmond paper taken from a
prisoner Of war;, in which he found the
advertisement of form1r friend Of the
lost husband. This was in the provost
marshaPs office, and he made arrange
ments with an officer that a letter from
Mrs. Lee, addressed to her husbands for
mer friend, should be passed through the
lines, and a few days thereafter such let
ter was sent.
Dire News Of His Death.
Whether the letter was delivered to the
proper party. or whether he made a mis-
take In the answer. is not known, but just
before Christmas a letter was received by
Mrs. Lee. purpo, ting to come from the
party, in which he said that her husband
had a few weeks before "been hanged as
a spy between two niger thieves;' that
he had not known his old friend was near
till too late. but he had claimed the body,
had it decently inferred at Hollywood.
ard whenever the lines were opened he
would see to the shipment of the body
to her. Although the wife could not get
the thought from her mind that her hus-
band was still alive, the letter apparently
came so direct and appeared to be genuine
that she deemed 1T her DUTY to the COM
munity to put on the widows garb. Thus
Christmas day Of 1851 found family in
mourning for a husband and father who
had suffered the most ignominious mode of
death. and as may be imagined in the hum
Bile home there was night shadow,
which In spite of efforts to the contrary
cast gloom on the festivities of the day
In few months, to economize the fam
lily moved to modest little frame house
near the marine barracks. Mrs. Lee was
not, however, without friends, and man
aged to exc out an existence by the use CT
her needle. 1t was then that, in her plain
mourning, she looked more charming than
ever, and it was not long before more than
one admirer sought to pay addresses to
her. AS before. she firmly adhered to her
determination, be her husband alive or
aead; ae 10 pear his name to the grave, and
dismissed them Though bound by the
custom of the times, and in view Of the
apparent truth Of the Richmond friends
letter. and the many seemingly authentic
reports of her husbands death to wear the
widows weeds, she never was quite recon-
ciled to her situation. and her constant
prayer was that she might eventually see
him alive. Thus she lived, and as time
wore on the friends of Mr.. Lee settled
down to the opinion that he was dead and
that Mrs. Lee was justified in living as his
widow.
From the Grave.
On the morning Of December 3, 1866. a
reporter Of The Star, in gathering news,
made his daily call on Major E. NJ Camp
at the Soldiers Rest, near the B. and o.
depot, and there learned of the ar
rival of a number of exchanged civilian
prisoners, late the night before a list
being furnished him. GfThe name of Lee
was on the list but the reporter failed to
connect it with his old friend. who he sup
posed to be dead. In Going among those
who were still at the Rest the reporter
was Informed that the LeenIho came with
them was the K street painter, and he had
left to look up his fanliiy. This was
enough, and the reporter at once aseened
to the residence of Mrs. Lee,
Arriving at the home near the barracks
and knocking the reporter Opened the door
exclaiming, .eM1hni e. Where is hr.,Lee?"
dead" answered Mrs. Lee. oj
Il know nothing of theikind." replied the
reporter; but know that AIR. Lee is alive
'You are joking. . You are not telling
the truth said the supnased widow.
Il am telling the truth. Is He arrived last
night and started to find yRp."
I'll, Dle5S SOu, SRt- NV
praysrs are answered. her face brighten
ing, and putting her hands to her eyes
she broke into alternateI fits of laughter
and ,sohbing. during which the children
danced, laughed and cried for joy, exciaim-
ing, Where is papa ?'...-.t.s-
1t was some time before Mrs. Lee got over
the excitement, but finally she went to her
former home and ascertained that Lee had
spent the night with a friend, on 7th
street, and had been called to the War De-
partment, and she followed there to find
that he had been sent to her residence. Re-
turning she found that he had preceded
her but a short time, and weak as he was
for his experience had left him veritable
walking skeleton}, he was endeavoring TO
caress the overjoyed children, who looked
on him as one returned from the grave.
joyful Christbus.
That the meeting Of husband and wife
was joyful one may be easily imagined,
and Christmas day, 1862, was happy one.
Mr.. Lee, however, failed to recover his
health. and after six months suffering,
died at his home-thus the prayers of Mrs.
Lee were answered.
During the months of Mr.. Lees incar-
ceration she continually prayed that she
might at least bury him should she not be
permitted to see him.
Mrs. Lee has. with her children and
grandchildren, spent many Christmases
since, and bids fair to spend many more.
She vividly remembers the Christmases of
81 and '62. and when the anniversary
comes cannot but recall the days when she
was looked on as a widow, and the last
days iE the life Of her husband.
There was some difficulty in obtaining a
pension in Lees behalf, or that of the
widow and children. as he was not an
officer or enlisted man of either the army
or navy, but some years after the widow
secured an acknowledgment OF his services
through special act of Congress granting
her a pension. J. h. GUM.