The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-23
FLcoLLECrIONS or II. 4. LEE.
How lie Entertained Three L'''I' "'''''
CnLlhrnn Inder IIre,


Il, tho life of Gen. Lee. written by nls
,enhoy. Fitzhugh Lee may Dee loun1 'uo
folIowinp extract from letter or ''ll'
o. ao Mrs. Lee, written from JUS i,t"
(uarfers near Petersburg. Jan. NV. lN'.
f..V..terdav afternoon three illtle EH ~
walked into my room, each WIN S.,i'i t.
basket. The eldest carried SUM i
eggs laid by her own htne' .,ttor. th..
eorno pickles made hy hef mo'hoi
tbird some popcorn which hdd grown l'
~. ,,,rdon They were the daughters OH
a Mrs n "a refugee from Not lnall,p ."..
county who lived near EastViHt' my ~
from old Arlington. Inc elu'7l o'
girls. whose age did not 49, sb..
esars had small wheel ON "hi'n stc
snun for her mother. who woNe all lns
.iotb for hor TWO brOthcrs-hONs OF IL anu
"a ICONS 1 have not had so pleasant
wish for a long time. / fortunately WIS
able 10 hu their baskets WIN "pp,.
which distressed poor Bryan ems sue"
ar,D and L begged them 20 pIlhs me
nothing but kisses and 90 Keep the ess''
corn. etc, for themselves. -,,,... .,..
When ( read the letter how NiVldly llr
whole scene came mp before me Inc
many intervening years were plott.d oul,
and I was again the tiny 4-y'at olu 6i'
seated very much az ease on inc SIe'l
,,onerol,s knee. listening with deep in-
terost TO his conversation WIN my oi"r.
sister The second little girl. being very
shv subsidized into "a seat ana employ tu
herself chewing her gI0ve-nnsers, much
TO the modification of the nurse VINO ic-
COMMANDED us. and who was deeply lHl-
pressed with the importance or the occa-
sion. ...o
from the Turnbull farm. where Gen. Lee
haG his headquarters and tine tWo mouse ,
were only a few hundred yards apart anu
very soon after our visit Doe called on iiy
mother He had completely won OUT "''.t
hearts. and We We're an cdstfhesi 10
o. I'm and see him. and after time N
waiting which seemed very long TO u.s. am
much washing Of faces and curing or
hair. we were sent in with the admontlou
from our nurse 20 mind our manners.
Rut when Gen. Lee took me up ana
looking az my hand. asked. Ana now
did these little fingers get burned 81
forgot all previous exhortaii0ns also an
Lessons i'm grammar-and promptly re-
plied Me and Althea were pulling ro'r
itatore out of tho fire Gen Lee seemed
much amused. and proceeded turlhef TO
eulfghten as 10 various pieces OF ms
chief to which me and Altnea had pr'h
chief actors do not remember now nv
dismayed elders checked my unusual no"
OF confidence. Ordinarily. ! was shrink
inglv sensitive and quiet. so that m} oar
burst Of candOr was tribute 10 lle
charm Of Gen. Lees manner. the Al
thea" 10 whom / referred was "a col7red
child Of my own age, and my constant
companion and dearly loved playmate.
During those last months OF the war we
saw a great deal Of Cen Lee. and if he
ever weared OF our attentions we were
never allowed 20 see H. and We always
kissed him az parting with the feeling
that we had given him great deal or
pleasure. Certainly We never failed 20
enjoy ourselves. We never felt any awe IN
N.rnF cal rrHHIr
magpies about all our hopes and plans.
IL was during one of our visits that De
gave me llitle tObaccO-bag. filling 10 with
tiny cakes and telling me IL was pres
ent to him from little May Moshy. Col
MOsbys little daughter u lies on the
table before me, n quaint little bag. made
OF the red uniform cloth, win seams coy
cred with yellow wOrSted. ana VI. Work
ed on one side IN a child's uneven stitches.
/ had the honor Of q ride once seated
before the gnral on Oh historic 'Irav-
eller." The pink challle rock which i
wore on that occasion was afterwards re-
garded "a q sacred garment. only TO be
worn on the highest OF high days.
Times were growing harder every day,
and economies becoming more rigid. Ny
mother sent Gen. Lee a bowl Of soup one
day. and IN his message Of thanks me-
told her that never was dlsh more time
~: / had three generals 20 dine with me
to-day and only baked beans 20 set before
them"
We lived surrounded BY the sights and
sounds OF war, and we children drilled as
soldiers and made miniature fOrtihca-
lions. Every dav the end was drawing
nearer. though at the last II came sudden
Is. and found Us quite unprenared Had
We foreseen much could have been saved ,
but no one thought OF personal danger
or OF our being forced 70 leave the house.
lar OF silver and family miniatures
was buried in n wood-shed and box
OF china and glass WAS concealed beneath
the roof OF the porch, because II was
thought possible that these things might