The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-06
had so lovingly striyen!

' - a A F had so lovingly striven!
 There is no figure in old history that stands out so luminous, from its page. as does our Lee from modern history. We see him suggested, but again we turn to him. for the perfect type of~both ancient and modern manhood.
 How the heart contracts, with grief that only the South can feel, when we behold this man, wrapped about with the simple dignity of a Christian hero, re- tiring to the desolated home. Even the zealots of the other side stand abashed- while the right thinking element gives due honor-before such an exhibition or nobility of character and conduct.
 Then the South rises from her ashes and sackcloth and demands Of Fate the power to reward him whom she loves 10 honor. Alas, what has she to offer ! What has she but graves-graves? Then gathering about her the only Jeweis ielt her--her youngest sons, her babes, .for a as their elder brothers. lay with their sires in bloody graves! she commits them to Lees keeping, within peaceful acade- mic shades. saying reach them 10 De like yourself Thus a benediction from Lee was upon the youth Of the iano' and; verify his work doth live after him:
 A touching example of the reyerentiai love of Southern children for Lee has recently come to the knowledge Of the writer.
 In The Athens (Ga.) Banner for April 18th, 1892. there appeared the following letter: Can you give me any informa- ton about a lady who was once Miss Annie R. White. I have in my posses sion very nice. sweet letter which she. as a little girl. on June 11th, 1S66, wrote Gen. R. E. Lee, requesting his auto graph. It was placed in my possession by Hon. St. George Tucker of Virginia at the request of Gen. Fitzhugh Lee. in or der that it might be returned to the writer If she is not living. perhaps some member of her family is. who would cher ish the letter as souvenir. She was the daughter of the MT. White who wrote the
 t4 Very truly yours,
 '"Thos. G. Lawson.
 The Miss Annie White referred to turned out to be- Mrs. P. H. Nell of Auburn, Ala, who wrote in reply to the editor of portions of the letter.: "l was the httie girl mentioned in the, letter. and the CIT cumstances bring crowd Of recoliectionS. I remember how my heart sWelieo wIiI love and admiration for that grand old chieftain; and how intense became my de- sire to have for my own scrap or ms loved handwriting; and how nnany re solved to write and request nm TOT gis autograph. With the timidity or young girl. half afraid of failure, or a repuise, l confided my intentions to no one, p,,. wrote my little letter endeavorhg leeoiS to express to him how much ioveu allu houored he was by all his Southern peo- ple. even by the children who had never seen him and perhaps would never see him. and how our hearts burned WiIhiI us with sympathy for the hero who nau lost everything for his country; ana wltn admiration for the noble patience ana cheerfulness with which he had borne that loss.
 You can imagine how eagerly l watched the mail but still l kept my secret. ssaS saS soon [ was rewarded. My father handed me a letter, and remarked With curlosltS' Who is your Lexington, Va, correspona, ent?'' General Lee! I cried, ana sald no more for tears of delight.
 That letter is still preserved among my choicest treasures. It possesses d peeu, liarly tender interest for me now, ana am inexpressibly pleased and toucneu .iial General Lee should have preserVeu It our Ing his life: and that it should also nave been kept by his family, although twent! eight years have elapsed since It was written.
 Annie Whites Letter to Gen. Lee.
 Below are given two interesting ietSsis' tset
 Athens. Ga, June Il, lsoo' Dear General Lee:
 Plea SC read this letter through and dof throw 1t away, although. you don knoM Mi.'s who I am. l am nothing put ne'i5 girl. but I have your photograph dresse9 in the dear old Confederate gray an vou look so good and kind that doll | believe you would refuse what 1 am goiits to ask you. 1 want you. please u your name on a piece or paper anu II . is too much trouble you can get sonit one to direct it to me. 1 would like u very much if you would write me two or three words besides, so that IhdS say that I got letter from General Lee | don't want to trouble you but II you knaw how happy it would make me, you would send it, 1 know. would loch !, u ' in my box along with my little deau baby brothers hair and book MT rom Cobb gave me and Ietter in ne vonr mrot army and he was killed. He used to pet me, and we all miss him so. Ana so heeP them put away. ,,,,,.+ ai- r.ct mv letter. and he laughed at me and said that such a great and Soou anu wise man as you would not pay any dt dt tention to me, but l hope you Win, loi YOU don't know how bad ! want It. nSF aSi he you get a great many letters ike thls' b,It L. don't believe any of them want if worse than 1 do, or would De so tudlN full for it. I have piece of that oIu Iy! tPp.. tree that everybody remembers so s"ui ~ ;j and the soldier who gave 1t to me sdiu u he had cried over it like a chlld. l ooil want to write long letter but just "ahs to ask YOU to write me your name anu " to tell you how much l Woulu P,tn and keep it as long as l nVeu. way u0 YOU don't think 1 am sure enousn per sson hut I am: and papa wrote 'GarueH- ing in the South" and he IS euitor ol iie Southeri Cultivator. now, so III 't u 'Ie little girl and please give sn sae voH needn' t ba at any expense; and direct as iollo"S' " " Annie R. White,
 Athens Clark Co.,, Ga
 Generarl Lees Letter to Anne Whlte'
 Lexington, Va, June lo lSoo My Dear Miss Annie: ,... Q
 | have read and re-read your letter oi the 11th, and each time Wlth lncre'Seu sea nleasure. l thank you most cordallE lor 1t, and. although as you correctly sup nose I receive many letters, there are but few which have afforded me so much pleasure. i.,, ,.,, ,t tho
 | svmpathize sincerely with you at tht .loss of your dear baby brother, and most deeply at the death of your Sooo l[ieiiu the hrave General Tom Cobb. l kne" ,he latter well. and esteemed him highly Rut the dead. l trust. are happier than
 Wishing you every happiness, and that nat a merciful God may have you III Ills Holy Keeping, ,,.
 R. E. Lee.
 The comment of one of Mrs. MelIs dear, est friends will surely be approPIiattS here. He says: This letter VIII ,it touTl ali hearts. because it affords such beau tifuI insight into the character 9f 'lc o ereat chieftain. who could gratiiy so Saartilv the simple desire of child anu tben rould keep her letter as 1T Il Was ono of his dearest treasures.
 small wonder that a people shoulu p?uI tho 'aIa abaster- box of-oil of their dueStoIt and gratitude upon tho a9i
 such a man! -, L, ,.,iol,+
 Rut "A heart bowed down oN WeIFnt of woe even the love ot such p,op'e cnuid not keep from breaking and so'