The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-09
LEES CHARACTER
TOLD IN LETTERS
New Book Gives Glimpse of His
Homo Life
WAS WRITTEN BY HIS SON
"ReeolIections and Letters of General
Robert E. Lee" Is One of the
Years Most Valuable
Publications.
WAS WRITTEN BY HIS SON
BY T. r. MARcossoN.

New York, October S.-(Special.) 1.-The
tlons and Letters of General Robert e.
Lee" Doubleday. Page & Coz is an his
toric event, of vital interest not only to
the south. but to the whole country.
This book. widely heralded and so
keenly awaited. does not aim to estab-
lish new truths about fateful events in
the story of the Confederacy, but 1t ade-
auately reveals for the first time the cor
respondence between the great general
and his family. Save his service to the
south none was as sacred as this, and 1t
stamps him as he really was-the knight
lest of soldiers, the most courageous Of
patriots and the tender affectionate hus-
band and father.
In these letters General Lees whole
attitude as citizen of the republic shines
as never before. They show that as 10y
ally as he followed his patriotic convic-
tions In what he believed was constitu-
tioHal right and liberty, did he take
his modest sincere place in the recon-
struction Of his distracted country. They
reveal him in no sense as the unrecon-
structed rebel" but as one who calmly
accepted the inevitable.
These letters were compiled by his son,
Captain Robert &c. Lee, himself a gallant
Confederate soldier, who has interspersed
many new End significant incidents in the
life of his distinguished father. The
book covers the entire period Of General
Lees public activities, from the time he
was engineer in the United States army,
following the graduation from West
Point, to that October day in 1870 when.
as president of Washington college, in
Lexington, Va, he passed away.
Boyhood Reeollectlons.
Captain Lee says his first vivid Inn
preston Of his father was his arrival
at Arlington Uhe family home near
Washington after his return from the
Mexican war. An amusing Incident hap
pened on this occasion. The boy and a
playmate the same age, both dressed In
their best frocks, stood in the crowd
that greeted the homecoming soldier.
Suddenly General Lee burst through the
crowd, saying:
Where is my little boy2' He then
took up in his arms and kissed-not his
son, but the playmate.
General Lee was always rompins with
the little ones. He petted the two
younger children a great deal. Says Cap.
tain Lee Our greatest treat was to
get into his bed in the morning and lie
close to him listening while he talked to
us in his bright, entertaining wdy. Yet
j always knew that 1t was impossible
to disobey my father He was
very fond OF having his hands tickled,
and what was still more curious, 1t
pleased and delighted him to take off his
slippers and place his feet in our laps in
order to have them ticket. He
would often tell us the most delightful
stories, but the command would be no
TICKLING, no story When we were lit
tie older our elder sister told us one win
ter the ever delightful Lady of the Lake
OF course she told 1t in prose and ar
ranged 1t to suit our mental capacity.
Dur father was generally In his corner
by the fire, most probably with foot
in either the lap of myself or youngest
eister-the tickling going on briskly-and
would come in at different points os the
tale and repeat line after line OF the
poem-mucA to our disapproval-but to
his great enjoyment"
Very early Captain Lee speaks OF his
fathers punctuality, a characteristic
what marked him all his life. Writing
about General Lee as commandant at
West Point, he says:
s'My father was the most punctual man
i ever knew He was always ready for
family prayers, for meals, and met every
fngagfG sp@ social or business, at At the
mOmelM 20 eApeCleu ali VI 10 " W eiiS
same Alu taught us the use and neces-
sty of forming such habits for the con-
venience of all concerned. l never knew
him late for Sunday service at the post
chapel. He used to appear some minutes
before the rest OF us, in uniform, 1okingly
rallying my mother for being late, and
for forgettirg something at the last mo-
ment When he could wait no longer for
her. he would say that he was off and
would march along to church by him
self, or with any of the children VINO
were ready There he sat very straight
well up the middle aisle-and, as re.
member, always became very sleepy, and
sometimes even took little nap during
the sermon. AT that time TINS drowsi-